If you’ve spent your whole life drinking commercially produced beer, there’s no time like the present to tantalize your tastebuds with the ambrosial sensation that is craft beer. Craft beer, of which IPA beer is an example, is different from commercial beer in taste and look. Discover the difference between IPA beer and other styles of beer to increase your comfort and familiarity with one of the world’s oldest drinks.
- Lagers are full-flavored, crisp and drinkable beers that are lighter in body than the heavier ales or stouts. Their clean taste make them a great choice for beginning beer drinkers.
- Pilsners are a rich and refreshing beer. Brewed in a traditional style, this lager has a clean finish and smooth profile with a bright gold color.
- Stout beer is made from pale malts and a wide range of hops. Many stouts have a creamy, silky texture and are low in bitterness. Spicy notes and coffee aromas can be found alongside hints of brown sugar, honey and toffee.
- Wheat beer is a light-bodied, refreshing ale with an extremely low alcohol content. Wheat beers are often served in the summer months in Germany and Austria due to the increased heat and humidity. Wheat beers can also be combined with lemon or orange slices.
- Sour beers are very tart and some examples are Belgian-style Lambic beer, fruity Flanders ale and lemony Berliner Weisse. Sour beers contain fruits such as cherry, peach or raspberry to get a balance between sweet and sour.
- India Pale Ale is one of the most popular beers in the world. Originally, IPA beer was a British pale ale brewed with extra hops. High levels of this bittering agent made the beer stable enough to survive the long boat trip to India without spoiling. The extra dose of hops gives IPAs their bitter taste. Depending on the style of hops used, IPAs may have fruit-forward citrus flavors or taste of resin and pine.
The best way to tell the difference between IPA beer and other beers is of course to taste them! The difference between an IPA and a classic stout is that many IPAs are hopped to levels that rarely exist in traditional stouts. Whether you’re looking for clean & refreshing or intense, hoppy brews, Prancing Pony Brewery has the beer for you. Explore our range and if you’re looking to buy IPA beer in Australia, look no further than Prancing Pony.
