Beer Snob Talk

There are only two types of beers. Period. 

Walk into any craft beer store and you’ll see dozens—maybe hundreds—of different beer styles: IPAs, stouts, pilsners, porters, and hefeweizens. It feels like beer is endlessly complex. But underneath all that variety, every single beer in the world comes from just two fundamental families: ales and lagers.

The reason beer splits into only two categories comes down to yeast and fermentation. Ales use top-fermenting yeast that works best at warmer temperatures, typically between 60–75°F, while lagers use bottom-fermenting yeast that prefers cooler temperatures, around 45–55°F. This single difference has a major impact on flavor, aroma, texture, and even production time. Ales generally ferment faster and produce more fruity, complex flavors, while lagers ferment more slowly and result in cleaner, crisper, and smoother profiles.

Looking at popular styles makes this distinction clearer. IPAs, stouts, hefeweizens, and pale ales are all ales because they rely on warm fermentation, which creates bold, expressive flavors ranging from citrus and pine to chocolate and spice. On the other hand, pilsners, helles, dunkels, and Oktoberfest beers are all lagers, defined by their cold fermentation and aging process, which produces a smooth, refined, and refreshing taste.

The reason it feels like there are more than two types of beer is because people often confuse style with category. “Ale” and “lager” are the foundations, while everything else is a variation built on top. Brewers can adjust hops, malts, and water chemistry to create endless styles, but they are always working within one of these two fermentation methods.

At its core, beer is simple. Every beer you drink is either an ale or a lager, defined by yeast and how it ferments. Understanding that concept makes navigating the world of beer far easier and reveals how much creativity can come from just two starting points.

-Better Beer Society Team