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Last Updated: Wednesday, May 16th 2012 at 12:54 PM

• AleSmith Brewing Co.

  + AleSmith XPA (5.00% abv)

  American Pale AleOf British origin, this style is now popular worldwide and the use of local ingredients, or imported, produces variances in character from region to region. Generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent. American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced.

• Anchor Brewing Co.

  + Anchor Liberty (6.00% abv)

  American Pale AleOf British origin, this style is now popular worldwide and the use of local ingredients, or imported, produces variances in character from region to region. Generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent. American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced.

  + Anchor Small Beer (3.80% abv)

  When opening Small Bar, Dennis and I flew to San Francisco to lobby again for Small Beer. Always a staple of ours when going to SF, this is an out-of-balance hoppy li'l beer. Anchor decided to take the 2nd runnings from their barleywine, Old Foghorn, and pitch some yeast to make a hoppy low-ABV pale ale. Waste not, want not. My personal favorite Anchor beer.

  American Pale AleOf British origin, this style is now popular worldwide and the use of local ingredients, or imported, produces variances in character from region to region. Generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent. American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced.

  + Anchor Steam (4.90% abv)

  California Common / Steam BeerThe California Common, or Steam Beer, is a unique 100% American style lager. It’s usually brewed with a special strain of lager yeast that works better at warmer temperatures. This method dates back to the late 1800’s in California when refrigeration was a great luxury. The brewers back then had to improvise to cool the beer down, so shallow fermenters were used. So in a way the lager yeast was trained to ferment quicker at warmer temperatures. Today’s examples are light amber to tawny in color, medium bodied with a malty character. Mildly fruity with an assertive hop bitterness. Anchor Brewing Co. trademarked the term "Steam Beer" and as such all other beers must be legally referred to as "California Common."

• Avery Brewing

  + Avery White Rascal (5.50% abv)

  WitbierA Belgian Style ale that’s very pale and cloudy in appearance due it being unfiltered and the high level of wheat, and sometimes oats, that’s used in the mash. Always spiced, generally with coriander, orange peel and other odd ball spices or herbs in the back ground. The crispness and slight twang comes from the wheat and the lively level of carbonation. This is one style that many brewers in the US have taken a liking to and have done a very good job of staying to style. Sometimes served with a lemon, but if you truly want to enjoy the untainted subtleties of this style you’ll ask for yours without one.

• Ballast Point Brewing Co.

  + Ballast Point Rosebud Barmy Ale (10.70% abv)

  Fruit BeerA generic form of flavored beer, some breweries actually use real fruit or veggies, though most use an extract, syrup or processed flavor to give the effect of a particular fruit or vegetable. Usually ales, but with not much ale character to them and commonly unbalanced. Malt flavor is typically hidden with a low hop bitterness to allow the fruit or vegetable to dominate.

  + Ballast Pt Sculpin (7.00% abv)

  American IPAA decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale. An American version of the historical English style.

• Bear Republic Brewing Co.

  + Bear Republic Racer 5 (7.00% abv)

  American IPAA decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale. An American version of the historical English style.

• Brewery Huyghe NV

  + Delirium Tremens (9.00% abv)

  Belgian Strong Pale AleLike a Belgian Pale Ale, the strong versions will also be pale to golden in color. What sets them apart is a much high alcohol content, that can range from hidden to spicy to devastatingly present. Expect a complex and powerful ale, yet delicate with rounded flavors and big, billowy, rocky, white head. Hop and malt character can vary, most are fruity and quite hoppy, but hop flavor and aroma will generally be within the low range and artfully balanced. Duvel is the quintessential example of this style, and many others have tried to imitate it with similar references to the devil.

• Brewery Ommegang

  + Ommegang 3 Philosophers Quadruple (9.80% abv)

  QuadrupelInspired by the Trappist brewers of Belgium, a Quadrupel is a Belgian style ale of great strength with bolder flavor compared to its Dubbel and Tripel sister styles. Typically a dark creation that ranges within the deep red, brown and garnet hues. Full bodied with a rich malty palate. Phenols are usually at a moderate level. Sweet with a low bitterness yet a well perceived alcohol.

• Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat

  + Duvel Single (6.80% abv)

  Belgian Pale AleBelgian Pales consume the Belgian brewing scene, and were initially brewed to compete with Pilseners during the WWII time frame. They differ from other regional Pale Ale varieties, by traditionally being less bitter, using aged hops for a delicate hop finish, and boasting sweetish to toasty malt overtones. They should be decanted properly, leaving the yeast in the bottle. This will showcase their brilliant color range from pale straw yellow to amber hues. Most will be crowned with thick, clinging, rocky white heads. Flavors and aromas will vary. Some have natural spice characters from yeast and hops, while others are spiced. There’s a recent growing trend to make much more "hoppy" Pale Ales, to entice the US market and its hopheads. See De Ranke XX Bitter.

• Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

  + St Bernardus Abt 12 (10.50% abv)

  QuadrupelInspired by the Trappist brewers of Belgium, a Quadrupel is a Belgian style ale of great strength with bolder flavor compared to its Dubbel and Tripel sister styles. Typically a dark creation that ranges within the deep red, brown and garnet hues. Full bodied with a rich malty palate. Phenols are usually at a moderate level. Sweet with a low bitterness yet a well perceived alcohol.

  + St Bernardus Tripel (8.00% abv)

  TripelThe name "Tripel" actually stems from part of the brewing process, in which brewers use up to three times the amount of malt than a standard Trappist "Simple." Traditionally, Tripels are bright yellow to gold in color, which is a shade or two darker than the average Pilsener. Head should be big, dense and creamy. Aroma and flavor runs along complex, spicy phenolic, powdery yeast, fruity/estery with a sweet finish. Sweetness comes from both the pale malts and the higher alcohol. Bitterness is up there for a beer with such a light body for its strength, but at times is barely perceived amongst the even balance of malts and hops. The lighter body comes from the use of Belgian candy sugar (up to 25% sucrose), which not only lightens the body, but also adds complex alcoholic aromas and flavors. Small amounts of spices are sometimes added as well. Tripels are actually notoriously alcoholic, yet the best crafted ones hide this character quite evil-like and deceivingly, making them sipping beers.

• Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

  + St. Louis Geuze Fond Tradition (5.00% abv)

  GueuzeA traditional Belgian blend of young and old Lambics, which are then bottle after blending, then aged for 2-3 years to produce a dryer, fruitier and more intense style of Lambic. There is no hop character, some are filtered and force carbonated if not pasteurized as well. Some say that this is the more harsh lambic as the sourness is pretty intense.

• Chimay

  + Chimay White (8.00% abv)

  TripelThe name "Tripel" actually stems from part of the brewing process, in which brewers use up to three times the amount of malt than a standard Trappist "Simple." Traditionally, Tripels are bright yellow to gold in color, which is a shade or two darker than the average Pilsener. Head should be big, dense and creamy. Aroma and flavor runs along complex, spicy phenolic, powdery yeast, fruity/estery with a sweet finish. Sweetness comes from both the pale malts and the higher alcohol. Bitterness is up there for a beer with such a light body for its strength, but at times is barely perceived amongst the even balance of malts and hops. The lighter body comes from the use of Belgian candy sugar (up to 25% sucrose), which not only lightens the body, but also adds complex alcoholic aromas and flavors. Small amounts of spices are sometimes added as well. Tripels are actually notoriously alcoholic, yet the best crafted ones hide this character quite evil-like and deceivingly, making them sipping beers.

• Consorcio Cervecero de Baja California

  + TJ Brava (5.30% abv)

  Märzen / OktoberfestBefore refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring, and began again in the fall. Most were brewed in March (Märzen). These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in colour with a medium to high alcohol content. The common Munich Oktoberfest beer served at Wies’n (the location at which Munich celebrates its Oktoberfest) contains only 4.5& alcohol by volume, is dark/copper in color, has a mild hop profile and is typically labeled as a Bavarian Märzenbier in style.

• Coronado Brewing Company

  + Coronado Mermaid Red (6.00% abv)

  American Amber / Red AlePrimarily a catch all for any beer less than a Dark Ale in color, ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues. This style of beer tends to focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, with toasted malt characters and a light fruitiness in most examples. The range can run from a basic ale, to American brewers who brew faux-Oktoberfest style beers that are actually ales instead of lagers.

• DogFish Head

  + DogFish Head Aprihop (7.00% abv)

  American IPAA decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale. An American version of the historical English style.

• Drakes

  + Drakes Brandy Barrel Barley Wine (14.70% abv)

  Barleywine

• Eagle Rock Brewery

  + Eagle Rock Solidarity (3.80% abv)

  English Dark Mild AleThe quintessential British session beer, like its name suggests, a Mild is known for its low level of hops character. Alcohol content is traditionally very low. Grainy to toasty malts might be present, but expect some body from the high dextrins produced in brewing. Low carbonation with a near still, bubbly head. Colors can range from gold to dark brown. Traditionally a draft beer made popular in London and the Midlands of England.

• Great Divide Brewing Company

  + Great Divide 18th Anniversary Oak Aged DIPA (10.00% abv)

  American Double IPATake an India Pale Ale and feed it steroids, ergo the term Double IPA. Although open to the same interpretation as its sister styles, you should expect something robust, malty, alcoholic and with a hop profile that might rip your tongue out. The Imperial usage comes from Russian Imperial stout, a style of strong stout originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the late 1700s. Its application to an unrelated style makes little sense to many, so Double IPA is quickly becoming the preferred name. You can thank west coast American brewers for this somewhat reactionary style. "Thanks!"

• Green Flash Brewing Co.

  + Green Flash Palate Wrecker (Ham's 2nd Ann Ale) (9.00% abv)

  This is a wonderful super hopped aggressive triple ipa brewed for Hamilton's Tavern @ request of S. Blair and executed brilliantly by the world famous Chuck Silva Head Brewer of Green Flash in San Diego! A true San Diego Pale Ale!

  American Double IPATake an India Pale Ale and feed it steroids, ergo the term Double IPA. Although open to the same interpretation as its sister styles, you should expect something robust, malty, alcoholic and with a hop profile that might rip your tongue out. The Imperial usage comes from Russian Imperial stout, a style of strong stout originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the late 1700s. Its application to an unrelated style makes little sense to many, so Double IPA is quickly becoming the preferred name. You can thank west coast American brewers for this somewhat reactionary style. "Thanks!"

  + Green Flash West Coast IPA (7.00% abv)

  American IPAA decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale. An American version of the historical English style.

• Julian Hard Cider

  + Julian Hard Cider (7.27% abv)

  Cider

• Karl Strauss

  + Karl Strauss Two Tortugas (11.10% abv)

  QuadrupelInspired by the Trappist brewers of Belgium, a Quadrupel is a Belgian style ale of great strength with bolder flavor compared to its Dubbel and Tripel sister styles. Typically a dark creation that ranges within the deep red, brown and garnet hues. Full bodied with a rich malty palate. Phenols are usually at a moderate level. Sweet with a low bitterness yet a well perceived alcohol.

• Lost Coast

  + Lost Coast Trippel IPA (9.50% abv)

  Belgian IPAInspired by the American India Pale Ale (IPA) and Double IPA, more and more Belgian brewers are brewing hoppy pale colored ales for the US market (like Chouffe & Urthel), and there's been an increase of Belgian IPAs being brewed by American brewers. Generally, Belgian IPAs are considered too hoppy by Belgian beer drinkers. Various malts are used, but the beers of the style are finished with Belgian yeast strains (bottle-conditioned) and the hops employed tend to be American. You'll generally find a cleaner bitterness vs. American styles, and a pronounced dry edge (very Belgian), often akin to an IPA crossed with a Belgian Tripel. Alcohol by volume is on the high side. Many examples are quite cloudy, and feature tight lacing, excellent retention, and fantastic billowy heads that mesmerize (thanks, in part, to the hops). Belgian IPA is still very much a style in development.

• Maui Brewing Company

  + Maui Old Chinwig (8.50% abv)

  English Strong AleBigger than a Pale Ale yet smaller than a Barleywine the English Strong Ale is a rich and complex beer. Many are unfiltered and bottle conditioned. The color tends to land somewhere between amber and reddish copper. They usually have a bold fruity, estery and malty mix. Hops can vary from mild bitterness to a full blown hop character with a bold hop flavor and aroma. The alcohol can be quite noticeable, a hint of solvent is possible.

  + Maui Red Cock (6.00% abv)

  DoppelbockDouble Bocks or Doppelbocks are huge beers with enough malt packed in them to consider them a meal in its self. Generally having a very full-bodied flavor and darker than other bocks with a higher level of alcohol also. The range in color from dark amber to nearly black. Dark versions may have slight chocolate or roasted characters.

• Michigan Brewing Co.

  + Michigan Brewing Celis White (3.90% abv)

  WitbierA Belgian Style ale that’s very pale and cloudy in appearance due it being unfiltered and the high level of wheat, and sometimes oats, that’s used in the mash. Always spiced, generally with coriander, orange peel and other odd ball spices or herbs in the back ground. The crispness and slight twang comes from the wheat and the lively level of carbonation. This is one style that many brewers in the US have taken a liking to and have done a very good job of staying to style. Sometimes served with a lemon, but if you truly want to enjoy the untainted subtleties of this style you’ll ask for yours without one.

• Mission Brewery

  + Mission Hefeweizen (5.00% abv)

  Hefe WeizenA south German style of wheat beer (weissbier) made with a typical ratio of 50:50, or even higher, wheat. A yeast that produces a unique phenolic flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge, some spiciness, bubblegum or notes of apples. Little hop bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. The "Hefe" prefix means "with yeast", hence the beers unfiltered and cloudy appearance. Poured into a traditional Weizen glass, the Hefeweizen can be one sexy looking beer. Often served with a lemon wedge (popularized by Americans), to either cut the wheat or yeast edge, which many either find to be a flavorful snap ... or an insult and something that damages the beer’s taste and head retention.

• Moylan’s Brewery

  + Moylander Double IPA (8.50% abv)

  American Double IPATake an India Pale Ale and feed it steroids, ergo the term Double IPA. Although open to the same interpretation as its sister styles, you should expect something robust, malty, alcoholic and with a hop profile that might rip your tongue out. The Imperial usage comes from Russian Imperial stout, a style of strong stout originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the late 1700s. Its application to an unrelated style makes little sense to many, so Double IPA is quickly becoming the preferred name. You can thank west coast American brewers for this somewhat reactionary style. "Thanks!"

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

  + Sierra Nevada SummerFest (5.00% abv)

  Czech PilsnerThe birth of Pilsner beer can be traced back to its namesake, the ancient city of Plzen (or Pilsen) which is situated in the western half of the Czech Republic in what was once Czechoslovakia and previously part of the of Bohemian Kingdom. Pilsner beer was first brewed back in the 1840’s when the citizens, brewers and maltsters of Plzen formed a brewer’s guild and called it the People’s Brewery of Pilsen. The Czech Pilsner, or sometimes known as the Bohemian Pilsner, is light straw to golden color and crystal clear. Hops are very prevalent usually with a spicy bitterness and or a spicy floral flavor and aroma, notably one of the defining characteristics of the Saaz hop. Smooth and crisp with a clean malty palate, many are grassy. Some of the originals will show some archaic yeast characteristics similar to very mild buttery or fusel (rose like alcohol) flavors and aromas.

• St James Gate

  + Guinness (4.20% abv)

  Irish Dry StoutOne of the most common stouts, Dry Irish Stout tend to have light-ish bodies to keep them on the highly drinkable side. They’re usually a lower carbonation brew and served on a nitro system for that creamy, masking effect. Bitterness comes from both roasted barley and a generous dose of hops, though the roasted character will be more noticeable. Examples of the style are, of course, the big three, Murphy’s, Beamish, and Guinness, however there are many American brewed Dry Stouts that are comparable, if not better.

• Stone Brewing Co.

  + Stone Bottleworks 13th Anniversary (11.00% abv)

  American Strong AleCatch all style category for beers from 7.0 percent alcohol by volume and above, Some may even be as high as 25% abv. Characteristics will greatly vary, some have similarities to Barley-wines and Old Ales. Barrel aging is certainly not out of the question.

• Stone Brewing Co.

  + Stone Imperial Russian Stout (10.80% abv)

  Russian Imperial StoutInspired by brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavours. Often dry. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced to aggressive.

  + Stone Smoked Porter (5.90% abv)

  American PorterInspired from the now wavering English Porter, the American Porter is the ingenuous creation from that. Thankfully with lots of innovation and originality American brewers have taken this style to a new level. Whether it is highly hopping the brew, using smoked malts, or adding coffee or chocolate to compliment the burnt flavor associated with this style. Some are even barrel aged in Bourbon or whiskey barrels. The hop bitterness range is quite wide but most are balanced. Many are just easy drinking session porters as well.

• Sudwerk

  + Sudwerk Lager Münchener Helles (5.00% abv)

  Munich Helles LagerWhen the golden and clean lagers of Plzen (Bohemia) became all the rage in the mid-1800’s, München brewers feared that Germans would start drinking the Czech beer vs. their own. Munich Helles Lager was their answer to meet the demand. A bit more malty, they often share the same spicy hop characters of Czech Pils, but are a bit more subdued and in balance with malts. "Helles" is German for "bright."

• Timmermans (John Martin)

  + Bourgogne des Flandres (5.00% abv)

  Sour Ale

• Triple Rock

  + Triple Rock Keyser Soze Barrel-Aged (16.50% abv)

  Russian Imperial StoutInspired by brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavours. Often dry. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced to aggressive.

• Uinta Brewing Company

  + Uinta Labrynth (13.20% abv)

  Imperial Stout

• Wells & Young

  + Wells Bombardier Dry Hopped (5.20% abv)

  Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)ESBs are essentially more aggressive and more balanced Bitters, both in alcohol and hop character, but nothing overpowering. Color range will be similar, though leaning towards the darker end of the scale; dark golds to copper. Low carbonation. Malts tend to be more pronounced, often toasty and fruity, with maybe some notes diacetyl. And despite "bitter" being in its name, ESBs are not really all that bitter. They key to an ESB is balance.

• Wells and Young

  + Wells Banana Bread Beer (5.20% abv)

  Fruit BeerA generic form of flavored beer, some breweries actually use real fruit or veggies, though most use an extract, syrup or processed flavor to give the effect of a particular fruit or vegetable. Usually ales, but with not much ale character to them and commonly unbalanced. Malt flavor is typically hidden with a low hop bitterness to allow the fruit or vegetable to dominate.

  + Youngs Double Chocolate Stout (5.20% abv)

  English StoutAs mysterious as they look, stouts are typically dark brown to pitch black in color. A common profile amongst Stouts, but not in all cases, is the use of roasted barley (unmalted barley that is kilned to the point of being charred) which lends a dry character to the beer as well as a huge roasted flavor that can range from burnt to coffee to chocolate. A different balance of hops is up to the brewers preference, but the roasted character must be there.

Last Updated: Wednesday, May 16th 2012 at 12:54 PM