Rauchbier is a German smoked lager beer — amber to dark brown in color, with a pronounced smoky character derived from malt dried over an open beechwood fire. It tastes like a proper campfire in a glass: smoke, ham, dark bread, and subtle sweetness, all grounded by the clean finish of lager fermentation. ABV runs […]
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All pilsners are lagers, but not all lagers are pilsners. lager beer is a broad category of beer fermented cold with bottom-fermenting yeast — pilsner is a specific style of pale, hop-forward lager that originated in Bohemia in 1842. The difference is like asking about cars vs. sedans: sedan is a type of car, just
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Czech pilsner — also called Bohemian pilsner — is the original pilsner style, first brewed in Plzeň in 1842 and copied ever since. It’s a pale golden lager beer with a full, soft body, prominent Saaz hop bitterness, and a distinctive spicy, herbal hop aroma. Expect 4.2–5.4% ABV, rich golden color, and one of the
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American lager beer is a pale, light-bodied, highly carbonated lager brewed with adjuncts like corn or rice alongside barley malt. It’s designed for maximum refreshment and easy drinkability — mild in flavor, crisp and clean on the palate, with low bitterness and a dry finish. ABV runs 4.2–5.3%. It’s the best-selling beer style in the
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West Coast IPA and New England IPA are the two dominant IPA styles in craft beer right now, and they could hardly taste more different. West Coast is dry, clear, and aggressively bitter. NEIPA is hazy, juicy, and soft. Here’s everything you need to know to tell them apart — and figure out which one
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IPA food pairing works differently depending on the sub-style you’re drinking. A West Coast IPA’s sharp bitterness cuts through fatty, rich food in a way that a soft New England IPA simply doesn’t. Get the match right and you’ll taste both the beer and the food better — here’s how to pair each major IPA
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IPA beer alcohol content varies more than most drinkers expect — from a lean 3.5% ABV for a Session IPA to well over 10% for a Double IPA. The sub-style you order matters far more than the word “IPA” on the label. Here’s the full breakdown so you know exactly what you’re getting into. Ask
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The best hops for IPA depend entirely on which sub-style you’re brewing or what you want your beer to taste like. Citra builds tropical fruit bombs. Simcoe brings resinous pine and earthy dankness. Mosaic does a bit of everything. Here’s the complete breakdown by IPA style, so you know exactly which hops to reach for.
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If you’ve spent any time around craft beer, you’ve encountered an American IPA. It’s the dominant style at most US taprooms, the default recommendation for anyone new to the scene, and the benchmark against which pretty much everything hoppy gets compared. But “American IPA” is broader than it sounds — it’s a parent style, and
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English IPA is the original India Pale Ale—a style born in 18th century Britain, built on earthy, floral hops and biscuity malt, with a dry, restrained bitterness. It’s lighter, softer, and more nuanced than its American descendants. Everything that came after it traces its lineage back to this. When most people hear “IPA” in 2026,
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