• Personalized Gifts
• Personalized Beer Glasses
• Personalized Pint Glasses
• Personalized Shot Glasses
• Personalized Glass

Drinking an ice cold pint glass full of beer could be considered one of the great American pastimes. Many people order or purchase their beer based on brand recognition or familiarity, without paying much attention to what type of beer it is that they are drinking in the first place. There are basically three main types of beer: ale, lager, and specialty beer. Lager is the most common type of beer consumed in the United States.

The main difference between the lager and the ale is the type of yeast used in the fermentation process of producing the beer. The lager yeast gathers and sinks to the bottom of the beer fairly quickly in the fermentation process. This is in contrast to the ale yeast, which stays at the top of the beer for a longer amount of time. Generally, lager yeasts are better able to perform their duties in cooler temperatures. Lager has a lighter color and drier taste that the ale type of beer. The lager also has a smaller amount of alcohol than the ale. The following is a guide to the six most common types of lager.

Bock – The bock lager was originally produced in Germany and has a relatively high alcohol content. The bock beer has a strong malt flavor with just enough bitterness from the hop to counteract the malt’s sweetness. Bock beer is generally allowed to mature for a long period of time.

Pilsner – The pilsner type of lager was first produced in Czechoslovakia in the late eighteen hundreds. Pilsner lager was the first beer produced with a very light color. Pilsners are usually clean and crisp beers. Today, the Pilsner lager is the world’s most popular type of beer.

Oktoberfest – Before the advent of refrigeration, German beer was stored in Alpine caves during the hot summer months. At the beginning of the new brewing season, usually October, the last of the beer in cave storage was removed from the Alpine caves and drank in a celebration that has come to be know as Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest beer has an amber color and a sweet malt taste.

American Lager – American lager is the most common style of lager sold in America. A couple of examples would be Budweiser or Coors beer. American lager can be characterized as very watery with little distinct flavoring.

Helles – Helles lager is the most popular beer consumed in Bavaria. This is a pale lager that may be light in color, but does not lack in taste. The Helles lager has a very low alcohol content and is meant to be an every day type of beer.

Dunkel – Dunkel lager is commonly known as a German dark beer. The Dunkel lager uses Helles lager as a base recipe with added roasted malt. This additional roasted malt gives the Dunkel lager a toasty and chocolaty taste. Although the Dunkel may sound like a heavy beer, quite the contrary is the case. It is only slightly more bitter than the Helles lager and is surprisingly lighter than it’s dark appearance would lead one to believe.