Whether mild or bitter: find the right beer

This beer makes an impression with its bitter yet fruity flavour.

A special brewing method gives India pale ale its strong character: dry hopping, as it is called, adds more hops to the beer during the fermentation process. The aromas that this unlocks make it very intense.

India pale ale is therefore an extremely hoppy beer. The fruity, sometimes floral hop aromas are just as typical as the higher alcohol content. Experienced beer drinkers who want a strong flavour love it.

Alcohol content: between 5.6 % and 7.4 % ABV
Goes well with:hot and spicy dishes
Flavour: distinct bitterness
Origin: Pale Ale

The characteristic firm head makes this beer absolutely unmistakeable. Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer.

The flavour is bitter, with roasted aromas entirely dominant. The bitter flavour contrasts with the sweetness of the malt. The result is a dark, almost opaque full-bodied beer.

Stout is particularly popular in Ireland and the UK, for example, where this beer is both a drink and an expression of life.

Alcohol content: between 3.8% and 6% ABV
Goes well with: chicken, lamb, bivalves and smoked meat
Flavour: distinct roasted flavour
Origin: Porter

Belgian ales are yellow to amber in colour, with a fruity, tangy flavour and strong body. More malt is added during the brewing process than is the case with other types of beer. This results in a bitter flavour with an often sweet note.

Following the adoption of the Vandervelde Act of 1919, which prohibited the sale of spirits in bars, Belgians started to brew beers with a higher alcohol content. You can taste the effects to this day. Belgian ales usually have a high alcohol content.

Alcohol content: 6.5% ABV and above
Goes well with: spare ribs, lamb stews and game
Flavour: malty, occasionally sweet
Origin: Ale

This beer has a more bitter taste than internationally popular lager. The «specialty» has little to almost no sweetness, but is very hoppy.

Due to a trade agreement with the former Czechoslovakia that came into force in 1976, the beer cannot be called «Pils» in Switzerland – as in other countries. Here, only beers that actually come from the Czech Republic bear this name.

Alcohol content:4.9% to 5.5% ABV and above
Goes well with: light summer and finger foods
Flavour: hoppy, fresh
Origin: Lager

This beer is a British classic accented with hops. It was first brewed in the UK in the 18th century and is still produced using particularly light malts, hence the term «pale».

Pale ales have a bitter hoppy note and numerous fruit aromas. In contrast to Indian pale ale, though, they are not so bitter. This truly British drink is an export hit and very popular worldwide.

Alcohol content : between 4.5% and 6% ABV
Goes well with: spicy and aromatic foods
Flavour: bitter with a fruity note
Origin: Ale

Dark lager has its origins in southern Germany. This is why it is also referred to as a «Munich-style» beer. It gets its dark colour from the large amount of dark malt that is used.

The addition of at least 50% brewing malt has a considerable impact on the flavour: the beer tastes sweet. It has notes of caramel and dark chocolate. Often, it even has a slight hint of dark bread.

In contrast to the beers already presented, this one is hardly bitter at all. It is therefore ideal for people for whom other brewing styles are too bitter.

Alcohol content: between 4.6% and 5.6% ABV
Goes well with: pork, game, beef
Flavour: malty, slight roasted aromas
Origin: Lager

Light lager has a very mild flavour. This makes it very different from the many hoppy and therefore bitter styles of beer.

As the name suggests, it is light yellow in colour. The lager is particularly light and tastes sweet. It can be combined with a number of foods. A beer for most occasions with an accessible taste that makes it the most frequently drunk beer worldwide.

During the brewing process and in order to maximize its shelf life, lager needs very low temperatures. To achieve these, it used to be stored below ground in tunnels or caves. Its name, from the German, also dates back to those times.

Alcohol content: 4.5% to 4.9% ABV
Goes well with: appetizers, sweet foods, light dishes
Flavour:sweet and mild.
Origin: Lager

What makes this brewing style special is the large proportion of wheat used in combination with yeast when making the beer. This produces a smooth beer that is mild, sweet and very light in colour.

Due to the special way in which it is made, it tastes of wheat and fruits, mainly bananas. It occasionally has a slight hint of bread. Wheat beer is only a little bit bitter. It is almost completely lacking in hoppy notes.

Due to its crisp, mild flavour, wheat beer is a popular summer beer ideal for barbecues and beer gardens.

Alcohol content: between 4.8% and 5.5% ABV
Goes well with: seafood, fish and fruity desserts
Flavour: mild, banana aromas
Origin: Weissbier («white beer »)

Witbier is the Belgian version of wheat beer. It is light to golden yellow in colour and has a very tangy, unique flavour.

Herbs and spices such as orange slices or coriander are added to the beer during the brewing process. This produces a beer with very distinct and original aromas.

Alcohol content: between 4.2% and 5.5% ABV
Goes well with: bivalves, crustaceans and poultry in orange sauce
Flavour: sweet with extracts of herbs and spices
Origin: Weissbier («white beer»)