🍺 8 Different Beer Types: Ale or Stout?

Craft beer isn’t just a trend—it’s a passion, an art form, and a taste adventure. While many of us have our go-to beer, more people are exploring the wide world of brews, discovering flavors, aromas, and textures that pair perfectly with food.

Here’s a guide to eight popular beer types, their flavors, and what foods bring out the best in each. Because yes, pairing your beer with your meal is a whole vibe.

Samples of beer

1️⃣ American Lager

• Flavor: Delicate and crisp with heavy carbonation

• Best for: Poaching chicken, brines, bread

• Examples: Budweiser, Miller, Coors, Molson, Labatt Blue #lager

2️⃣ Pilsner

• Flavor: Light and crisp; slightly more bitter than lager

• Best for: Creamy soups, pizza dough, braised veggies like cabbage #pilsner

3️⃣ Pale Ale

• Flavor: Rich, dry, with a bittersweet finish

• Best for: Cheese fondues, fish batter, meat or poultry marinades, stir-fries #paleale

4️⃣ India Pale Ale (IPA)

• Flavor: Bold and hoppy, with lingering bitterness

• Best for: Mexican food, marinating game meats like bison #IPA

5️⃣ Amber Ale

• Flavor: Slightly sweet and woody, between a pale ale and a stout

• Best for: Steamed shellfish, gravy, French onion soup #amberale

6️⃣ Porter

• Flavor: Smoky and crisp, with nutty or licorice undertones

• Best for: Barbecue sauces, beef or pork stews, baked beans #porter

7️⃣ Stout

• Flavor: Roasted, chocolate and coffee notes; typically the darkest beer

• Best for: Chocolate desserts, roasted meats, chili #stout

8️⃣ Wheat / Belgian White Ale

• Flavor: Light and citrusy, often with coriander or orange peel

• Best for: Poaching/steaming seafood, pancake batter, salad dressings #whiteale

💡 Craft Beer Tip

Pairing beer with food isn’t about rules—it’s about flavors that complement and elevate each other. Lighter beers with delicate dishes, dark stouts with rich chocolate desserts, hoppy IPAs with bold Mexican flavors… and the list goes on.

Experiment, taste, and find your perfect match. Beer isn’t just a drink—it’s a culinary adventure.

Craft Beer