Google Sacramento microbrewery and you'll get a decent list of local breweries, each boasting their own style and specialty brew. But, what are all those beers? With choices like IPA, sours, ciders, stouts, lagers and pilsners, it's easy to get confused and end up wasting $5 to $10 on a pint you don't really like.
So, here's a list of beer styles decoding what the name really tastes like. Bookmark it, save it, pull it up on your smart phone the next time you're in a microbrewery and are facing that all important choice: 'What do I drink?'
Pale ale: Fruity, crisp and copper in color, pale ales are your session beers. They are on the robust side, but generally hold back on having an overpowering hoppy flavor.
IPA: There's really something special about India pale ales. Not a whole lot of beers can give you the right combination of sweet and hoppy. Like it's cousin, the pale ale, IPAs are bitter and on the hoppier side. Many micro and craft breweries will have seasonal flavors.
Pilsner: Pilsners are perfect for summer, more hops than a lager, but lighter than a pale ale. They don't have too heavy of a 'beer' taste and are generally on the lighter side. The beer that is most likely not to taste like a beer.
Red: Red ales are when you start tasting more malt than hops. While reds come in light and dark-brown colors, most have distinctive caramel undertones that cancels out dominant hop flavors.
Amber: It's the color of your energy and your beer. Ambers are probably the most diverse beer you'll see in the line up. Full-bodied with caramel notes, ambers can be either a lager or an ale. Because of that, no two ambers are alike. Still don't know which beer to choose the next time you're discovering a new microbrewery? Let the bartender know what you're looking for and taste some samples. Then sitback, sip and enjoy.
