GLOSSARY OF DRINKSBEERS

Feeling lost on the beer menu?

Here’s a detailed list to help you choose from all the styles of beer we offer.

Quick links

• Pale Ale
• IPA
• Session IPA
• Hazy IPA
• NEIPA
• Double IPA
• Triple IPA
• Belgian Triple
• Gose
• Sour
• Milkshake
• Pastry

• Farmhouse - Saison
• Lambic
• Gueuze
• Stout
• Porter
• Brown Ale
• Hefeweizen
• Wheat
• Märzen
• Trappist
• Barrel-aged
• Barley Wine

The main styles of craft beer have developed in specific geographical areas, for historical, geological and political reasons. Water quality, yeast strains, climatic conditions, brewing techniques…All these factors have shaped the styles and led to the classification of beer.

Some microbrewers use craft beer styles that stem from traditions dating back thousands of years, whilst others draw inspiration from them and innovate, adding their own personal touch. Beer styles are therefore constantly evolving, just like the beer scene in general. There are hundreds of names for craft beer styles, but here is a summary of what you’ll regularly find here.

Pale Ale

A very common style, generally with an alcohol content of around 5 per cent. An easy-drinking beer, slightly bitter and hoppy, though a little less so than an IPA.

IPA – India Pale Ale

The IPA is a top-fermented beer.
Developed in the 18th century by the English, who added more sugar and hops to ensure better preservation during voyages.
In terms of flavour, the hops impart a strong bitterness and, in most cases, notes of resin and exotic fruits.

Session IPA

It has a lower alcohol content than a traditional IPA. It is generally lighter and drier on the palate. Very refreshing, ideal for hot weather.

Hazy IPA

Not very bitter, as the flavours of the hops—often citrusy or exotic—are brought to the fore through dry hopping; a beer that is more fruity than bitter.

NEIPA

This style is characterised by intense fruitiness.
Added to this is the use of oats, which gives it a distinctive cloudy colour and a lovely roundness on the palate.
NEIPAs are often seen as fruit juice packed with hops, which generally appeals to everyone.

Double IPA

Double IPAs (also known as Imperial IPAs) are IPAs with a higher alcohol content (around 8 per cent) and a heavy hop load.
However, with its generous malty base, a DIPA is sometimes smoother and more approachable than a traditional IPA.

Triple IPA

Like a Double IPA, but even sweeter and more hoppy, it can therefore reach an alcohol content of around 10 per cent.
Depending on the brewer’s skill, it can be smooth and flavourful, or more resinous, with the alcohol more pronounced on the palate.

Belgian Triple

The quintessential Belgian style, the Triple often develops sweet aromas of caramel, banana, spiced fruit and bread, with a generously alcoholic bouquet.

Gose

A wheat beer which, in its original recipe, contains naturally salty water; today, brewers add a pinch of salt during brewing to recreate this authentic flavour.
Releasing lactic acid during fermentation, it is lively, slightly tart, without bitterness and has a mineral character.

Sour

The quintessential sour beer: tangy and invigorating, with no bitterness and often brewed with fruit.
Unlike Gose, the acidity sometimes comes from acidifying bacteria, but more often from the use of naturally acidic fruit.

Milkshake

This is often a fruity beer, brewed with lactose. The result is a sweet and creamy beer.

Pastry

Very similar to the ‘Milkshake’ style, thethe term ‘Pastry’ refers to beers that resemble a dessert, thanks to their rich and indulgent texture. They often contain plenty of fruit and lactose.

Farmhouse - Saison

‘Saison’ or ‘Farmhouse’ beers were originally ‘farm beers’. The farm’s harvests determined the timing and quality of the brews.
Brewed at the end of winter, a generous amount of hops is added to help preserve the beer until summer.
Refreshing, dry, malty, floral and subtly spicy.

Lambic

A spontaneously fermented beer, which ferments using yeasts present in the air, without any human intervention, and is produced in the Brussels region.
Lambic is thus characterised by wild yeasts and bacteria that develop acidity and complex flavours, which vary depending on the brewing location and the addition of fruit.
Often dry, woody and full of character.

Gueuze

This is a blend of several Lambics (often of different ages) to create a beer full of complexity and balance. The flavour characteristics of spontaneous fermentation are very pronounced: dry, light and woody on the palate, with farmyard notes.

Stout

A beer brewed with roasted malts, which give it its black colour. On the palate, the roasted malts come through, with notes of coffee, candied fruit or even liquorice.
Quite strong, generally between 6% and 12%, it usually has a dry and slightly bitter finish.
There are many variations of stout: coffee stout (brewed with coffee beans), breakfast stout (with lactose, coffee and oats), and imperial stout (around 10–16 per cent ABV, often very thick and creamy).

Porter

Porter, similar to Stout, is generally lighter, due to the significant addition of grains during brewing. It usually features aromas of chocolate and coffee, and the bitterness is often less pronounced than in a Stout.

Brown Ale

With a greater emphasis on (roasted) malt than hops, Brown Ale often develops caramel flavours, whilst retaining a subtle bitterness characteristic of hoppy beers. Sweet and indulgent, but often with a dry finish to balance the whole.

Hefeweizen

A style of wheat beer from southern Germany (Weissbier), often brewed with more wheat than barley, and a yeast that produces unique aromas of banana and cloves. Often floral and tangy, with little bitterness or hops, and a moderate alcohol content.

Wheat

These are wheat beers, meaning they are made with 50 per cent wheat, which is a higher proportion than in other beers. They are generally light, summery and refreshing.

Märzen

A German seasonal bottom-fermented beer with a hoppy flavour. It has a sweet, malty attack with a moderately dry finish. The bitterness is moderate. It is aged for six months in barrels before being served.

Trappist

A beer brewed under the supervision of Trappist monks within an abbey.
Often top-fermented, Trappist beers are similar to Belgian Triples, with a rich aroma and a high alcohol content.

Barrel-aged

As the name suggests, this is a beer aged in a cask. It can be of any style (Stout, IPA, Belgian Triple, etc.). It develops woody notes depending on the type of cask in which it is aged (Bourbon, wine or Cognac casks, etc.).

Barley Wine

Often confused with Barrel Aged beer, Barley Wine refers to a very strong (often over 10% ABV) and syrupy style of beer. Similar to English barley wine, it is a sweet, liqueur-like beer with caramel aromas resulting from a very long boil during the mashing process.

Sources: Quaff