Although every corner of the globe has its distinct beer style, the root of all beer can be traced to about 4000 BCE Mesopotamia. Around that time, people began fermenting grains with ingredients like honey and dates to produce the earliest versions of beer. The practice of producing this drink spread through different cultures, and the recipe was adapted and changed over time, leading to a vast array of brewing methods and techniques.
Fast forward to today, and we see the effects of each culture shaping this recipe around the ingredients and methods available to them. As each culture refined its process, its unique beer style became solidified and noteworthy for travelers and beer connoisseurs worldwide. Each place has unique beer-drinking traditions and activities, like toasting before drinking, indulging in a few at sporting events, and pairing them with gambling ventures like playing at instant withdrawal casinos online.
Most countries now define beers as domestic or international to distinguish global styles from domestic ones. If you often feel overwhelmed at the beer store or while browsing a pub’s beer selection, this guide is for you. Here, you’ll find the basic defining characteristics of beers from countries renowned for producing this alcoholic drink, including domestic options produced right here in the United States.
International Beers: The Flavors and Styles from Abroad
While many countries produce beer, these six make the most popular options you’ll find among international selections—though international beers are certainly not restricted to this list.
Germany
Germany has a thriving beer culture. It is, after all, home to the famous Oktoberfest, an annual festival in Munich celebrating Bavarian culture, foods, and, most notably, beer. An astounding two million gallons of beer are consumed annually during the festival.
German beers are known for their variety, which ranges from light lagers to malty bocks. German lagers tend to be refreshing, crisp, and thirst-quenching. The country’s wheat beer, weissbier, is richer in taste with fruity and spicy notes. Its bock beer is dark and strong with a rich religious history. Bocks come in lighter options (but still dark), known as maibock, or extremely dark varieties, like doppelbocks and eisbock.
Belgium
Belgian beers are distinctive for their sweet, complex flavors with few hops and a high alcohol content. These beers tend to be amber or copper in color and are made with locally produced yeast that’s often in high demand. The country is primarily known for its ales, a type of beer that is usually cask-aged to enhance the flavor.
Czech Republic
While Belgian beer is sweet and light, Czech beer is hoppy and bitter. The presence of hops and strong, malty notes creates a rich yet pale lager with the perfect level of bitterness that enhances rather than detracts from the flavor. The most common type of beer from the Czech Republic is a pilsner, which originated in the country in the early 1840s and has been adopted in many parts of the world.
United Kingdom
The UK is known for two main types of beers: extra special or strong bitter (ESB) and India pale ale (IPA). ESB is an ale that is, unsurprisingly, described as bitter, although this description may seem deceptive if you were to try it. The association with ESBs being bitter came about because it was more bitter than other beers offered at the time of its development in the UK and because it had more notable flavors of hops and malt. Compared to other beers, like stouts or dark lagers, an ESB isn’t as strong or bitter. An ESB also offers butterscotch or caramel notes and is typically golden or copper in color. IPAs are lighter ales than ESBs, toned down with lighter, fruitier hops. The color varies from golden to amber.
Ireland
The most common Irish beer is a dark stout like Guinness. Stouts are a type of ale typically made with barley malt. These types of beers are often very dark, almost black, with a strong malt flavor comparable to coffee or dark chocolate. They also have a heavy, rich texture.
Japan
Beers produced in Japan tend to be pilsner-style lagers that are light in color and offer a refreshing, crisp flavor. Rice is commonly used in fermentation, contributing to the crisp taste. Japan also has unique hops, most notably the Sorachi Ace found in Hokkaido, which offers distinctive citrus notes in beers like the well-known Sapporo brand.
Domestic Beers: The Standard American Flavors and Styles
While the US is known for producing both lagers and ales, American lagers tend to be the most popular. American lagers offer a light and neutral flavor, delivering a thirst-quenching, easy-to-drink beer enjoyed on its own or easily paired with a wide variety of foods. Pale ales are a close second to American lagers, and often, these ales are made to be lighter and similar to pale lagers for broad appeal.
Craft Beers: Defying Borders by Fusing Global Flavors and Styles
Craft beer, which emerged in the US and the UK in the 1970s, has become popular among many beer drinkers. The craft beer market is thriving, and it’s a beer-making movement that has captivated many countries. Microbrewers worldwide are dedicated to crafting the perfect beer to share with the world, whether ale, lager, or other types.
Craft breweries blur the lines between international and domestic because they borrow brewing methods and flavor profiles from around the world to offer something unique to their local market. Craft beers bring the best qualities of international beers into one drink.
Conclusion
Whether you’re choosing a beer from the United States or one from beer-centric places like Germany, the Czech Republic, or Britain, you’ll be tasting a beverage with a rich history that has, in many ways, shaped our societies and cultures into what they are today—a rather impressive impact for something easily packed into a bottle or can!
