John and I are on a beer quest or brewery quest? We are on a mission to go to all the local breweries and test all their beers or test a beer at each of the breweries. Based on that quest I think that it’s the least I can do to learn some of the basics of beer so at least I have some idea about what I’m tasting and what to ask for. Currently my favorite is the Hazy IPA. It has a fairly mild and yet slightly sour citrus taste. It is a pale yellow with a slightly milky or hazy look to it. For each of the next beer types I will look them up and paste the information or definition here to review. So first up is IPA.

IPA - So what is IPA? The initials stand for India pale ale. It was the answer to the problem of providing beer for the British Empire in the east. It was too hot to brew in India, so what was needed was a beer that could survive the gruelling six-month journey from Britain intact. In the 1780s, a London brewer called Hodgson answered the call by sending out a strong, heavily hopped beer called October ale that would normally be aged like wine before drinking. The beer not only survived the journey, but was found to have improved immeasurably. This was the prototype IPA; the beer gradually became paler and more refreshing to suit the Indian climate. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/30/brief-history-of-ipa-india-pale-ale-empire-drinks

Lager beer - 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/definition-of-lager-353244

Lager is the most common type of beer in the world. The bottom-fermented techniques used to brew it result in a crisp, refreshing beer, though it's a surprisingly diverse group. Lagers include many of America's famous beers, including Budweiser, Busch Lite, Coors, Miller Genuine Draft, and PBR. The style goes far beyond those big names and includes all of the great Bavarian pilsners, as well as bocks, dunkels, and Oktoberfest. Generally, the characteristics of a lager include a light, crisp taste that is mellow and smooth. They also tend to have more carbonation than ales and are less bitter. Some, however, are quite different. Bocks have a great barley flavor and can range from amber to dark brown in color and Oktoberfest and dunkels are known for their malty flavors.

Pilsner 

Pilsner is the pale beer that defines the essence of a lager. Czech pilsners are golden and full-bodied, a result of floor-malted barley. German pilsners use delicate and spicy hops, producing a thin, light color that tastes "cleaner." Allpilsners are noted for their refreshing crispness, low-range alcohol content, and delicate bitterness.

What’s Is an Ale? 

Ales are brewed using yeast that tends to flocculate or gather toward the top of the fermentation tank during the brewing process. This is the primary difference between an ale and a lager because lagers use a bottom-fermenting yeast that produces that crisper flavor in the final brew.