How Many Types of Beers Are There? 100+ Unique Sub-Styles of Ales, Lagers & Hybrid Styles

How many types of beers are there is a common question for every person who wants to either brew their own beer or get a beer at the craft brewery. It may also be a question for people who love exploring different beer styles from different regions.

In this article, we will comprehensively handle all the beer types or styles in the world. We will also look at what makes them great and what does not. Moreover, we will explain where they come from and when or how to take them to make you a guru on different beer styles.

Let’s use the experience we have gained from over ten years of craft brewing at Hopsters Brewing Company and others to make it easier for you. Let’s dive in!

How Many Types of Beers Are There? Over 100 sub-styles of beer

How Many Types of Beers Are There?

There are over 100 different beer styles in the world where over 73 different ales, more than 25 different lagers, and a handful of hybrid styles. However, the main types of beer are ales (brown ales, India pale ale, sour ale, or pale ales), lagers (including pilsners), wheat, porters, stouts, fruit beers, and blonde ales. Almost all these beer types can fall under lager, ale, and lambic as the 3 main categories of beer styles depending on the yeast used to ferment them.

Even though those are the main classes of beers, beers are also classified into sub-styles depending on where they originate from. You will get sub-categories of beers from Europe, North America, Britain, and other parts of the world all classifying ales, lagers, and lambics in addition to the hybrid-styled beers.

Ales and lagers are general categories of beer. The general categories can also include stouts and hybrid-style beers. The main ways to categorize beers are based on color, flavor, strength, ingredients, origin, and brewing style.

The different beer styles and sub-styles are listed below with their origin country or region:

Beer StyleSub-styleOrigin
Belgian and French Origin Ales  
 Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red AlesBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style DubbelBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style TripelBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style QuadrupelBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Blonde AleBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Pale AleBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Pale Strong AleBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Dark Strong AleBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian-Style WheatBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style LambicBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Gueuze LambicBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Fruit LambicBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Belgian-Style Table BeerBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 Other Belgian-Style AlesBelgian and French Origin Ales Belgium
 French-Style Bière de GardeBelgian and French Origin Ales France
 French & Belgian-Style SaisonBelgian and French Origin Ales  France
British Origin Ales  
 Classic English-Style Pale AleBritish Origin Ales England
 English-Style India Pale AleBritish Origin Ales England
 Ordinary BitterBritish Origin Ales England
 Special Bitter or Best BitterBritish Origin Ales England
 Extra Special BitterBritish Origin Ales England
 English-Style Summer AleBritish Origin Ales England
 Scottish-Style Light AleBritish Origin Ales Scotland
 Scottish-Style Heavy AleBritish Origin AlesScotland
 Scottish-Style Export AleBritish Origin Ales Scotland
 English-Style Pale Mild AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 English-Style Dark Mild AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 English-Style Brown AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Old AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Strong AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Scotch AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 British-Style Imperial StoutBritish Origin AlesEngland
 British-Style Barley Wine AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Brown PorterBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Robust PorterBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Sweet or Cream StoutBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Oatmeal StoutBritish Origin AlesEngland
 Double Red AleBritish Origin AlesEngland
Contemporary GoseBritish Origin AlesEngland
German Origin Ales  
German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style KölschGerman Origin Ales Germany
Berliner-Style Weisse (Wheat)German Origin Ales Germany
Leipzig-Style GoseGerman Origin Ales Germany
South German-Style Hefeweizen / HefeweissbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
South German-Style Kristall Weizen / Kristall WeissbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
German-Style Leichtes Weizen / WeissbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen / WeissbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
 South German-Style Dunkel Weizen / Dunkel WeissbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
 South German-Style Weizenbock / WeissbockGerman Origin Ales Germany
 Bamberg-Style Weiss (Smoke) Rauchbier (Dunkel or Helles)German Origin Ales Germany
 German-Style AltbierGerman Origin Ales Germany
 Kellerbier (Cellar beer) or Zwickelbier – AleGerman Origin Ales Germany
 AdambierGerman Origin Ales Germany
International Ale Styles  
 International-Style Pale AleInternational Ale Styles Australia
 Australian-Style Pale AleInternational Ale Styles Austalia
Irish Origin Ales  
Irish-Style Red AleIrish Origin AlesKilkenny, Ireland
Classic Irish-Style Dry StoutIrish Origin AlesIreland
Foreign (Export)-Style StoutIrish Origin AlesIreland
North American Origin Ales  
 American-Style Pale AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Fresh “Wet” Hop AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Pale American-Belgo-Style AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Dark American-Belgo-Style AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Strong Pale AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style India Pale AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Imperial or Double India Pale AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Amber/Red AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Imperial Red AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Barley Wine AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Wheat Wine AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Golden or Blonde AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Brown AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Smoke PorterNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Sour AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Black AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style StoutNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Imperial StoutNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Specialty StoutsNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 American-Style Imperial PorterNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
 Session India Pale AleNorth American Origin AlesUnited States
European-Germanic Lager  
 German-Style PilsenerEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Bohemian-Style PilsenerEuropean-Germanic LagerCzech Republic
 German-Style LeichtbierEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Münchner (Munich)-Style HellesEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Dortmunder / European-Style ExportEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Vienna-Style LagerEuropean-Germanic LagerAustria
 German-Style MärzenEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 German-Style Oktoberfest / Wiesen (Meadow)European-Germanic LagerGermany
 European-Style Dark / Münchner DunkelEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 German-Style SchwarzbierEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Bamberg-Style Märzen RauchbierEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
 Bamberg-Style Helles RauchbierEuropean-Germanic Lager Germany
 Bamberg-Style Bock RauchbierEuropean-Germanic Lager Germany
 Traditional German-Style BockEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany 
 German-Style Heller Bock/MaibockEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
German-Style EisbockEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
Kellerbier (Cellar beer) or Zwickelbier – LagerEuropean-Germanic LagerGermany
Hybrid/mixed Beer  
 Brett BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerBelgium or England
 Session BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerEngland
 American-Style Cream Ale or LagerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
 California Common BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerJapan
Light American Wheat Ale or Lager with YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Light American Wheat Ale or Lager without YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager with or without YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerGermany
Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager with YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager without YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Rye Ale or Lager with or without YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerGermany
German-Style Rye Ale (Roggenbier) with or without YeastHybrid/ Mixed BeerGermany
Fruit BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerBelgium
Field BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerEngland
Pumpkin BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Chocolate / Cocoa-Flavored BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Coffee-Flavored BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Herb and Spice BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerItaly
Specialty BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerEurope
Specialty Honey Lager or AleHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
Gluten-Free BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
 Indigenous Beer (Lager or Ale)Hybrid/ Mixed BeerUnited States
 Smoke Beer (Lager or Ale)Hybrid/ Mixed BeerGermany
 Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale)Hybrid/ Mixed Beer Different Countries
 Historical BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer China
 Wood- and Barrel-Aged BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Britain
 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Britain
 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Britain
 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Britain
 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Britain
 Aged Beer (Ale or Lager)Hybrid/ Mixed Beer England
Other Strong Ale or LagerHybrid/ Mixed Beer Different Countries
 Non-Alcoholic (Beer) Malt BeveragesHybrid/ Mixed BeerEngland
 Belgian-style Fruit BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerBelgium 
 Chili Pepper BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerLatin America
 Mixed Culture Brett BeerHybrid/ Mixed BeerBelgium
 Wild BeerHybrid/ Mixed Beer England
International Styles  
 International-Style PilsnerInternational StylesCzech Republic
 Dry LagerInternational StylesGermany/ Japan
North American Lager  
 American-Style LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Light (Low Calorie) LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Low-Carbohydrate Light LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Amber (Low Calorie) LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Premium LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style PilsenerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Ice LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Malt LiquorNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Amber LagerNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Märzen / OktoberfestNorth American LagerUnited States
 American-Style Dark LagerNorth American LagerUnited States

1. Ales

The Ales are the oldest and the beer with the most styles. As seen in the table above, there are over 73 different ale styles from different regions of the world.

It is important to note that every beer is either an ale or a lager. This general classification is determined by the type of yeast used during the fermentation process. The yeast type determines the following in an ale:

PropertyAle DescriptionLager Description
Type of yeastTop fermenting yeastBottom fermenting yeast
Brewing temperatureHigher temperature: 60–75°F (16–24°C)Lower temperature: 45–55°F (7–13°C) 
Brewing periodShorter brewing period (about three weeks)Longer brewing period (more than four weeks)
LageringNot doneUndergo a special cold-conditioning phase (lagering)
Taste Fruity-estery tasteClean-tasting and frequently described as “crisp.”
Yeast StrainSaccharomyces cerevisiaeSaccharomyces pastorianus

2. Lagers

As seen in the table above, lagers are quite different from ales. The notion about lagers bottom-fermenting yeast may not completely hold water since for both ales and lagers the yeast is spread throughout the wort.

To a large extent, both lager and ale yeast flocculate and end up on the bottom of the fermentation vessel after fermentation is done.

However, ales in most instances have fluffy kräusen on top of the fermenting beer. This is also seen in lagers but is not prominent. In lagers, Krausen is smaller and less vigorous compared to ales.

One of the most prominent lagers is the Pilsner. A pilsner is a lager but not every lager is a Pilsner.

3. Lambics

Lambics are beers that originated from the Pajottenland region of Belgium southwest of Brussels. The beers produced have an alcohol by volume of two to eight percent and are produced by spontaneous fermentation yeast strains.

Because of the spontaneous fermentation in these ancient beers, they exhibit a variety of complex flavors such as barnyard, fruity, funky, or horse blanket. They welcome the person indulging in the world of Sour Wheat Beers. However, some brewers add whole fruit or fruit syrup creating a sweet fruit Lambic.

Lambics are generally hazy, golden to amber in color, and have a soft body. You wouldn’t expect this in a beer where brewers leave things up to chance especially on the type/ strain of yeast.

Conclusion

We have gone through the different types of beer and their origin. You can indulge in any of the styles that suit your taste, beer profile, alcohol volume, and calorie output.

However, as discussed in the article, there are two main classes of beer: Ales and Lagers. Therefore any beer in the list above will fall under either category.

There are different sub-styles as described in the table in this article. In case you need any more information on each of the sub-style of beer, reach out to us by commenting on the section below.

Sources

https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-many-beer-types-353064