Lager, ale, IPA… what’s the real difference? Here’s your quick guide to the beer family tree so you can sound like a pro next time you’re at the bar.
If you have ever stood in front of the craft beer fridge and felt your eyes glaze over, you are not alone. Rows of colourful cans shouting about lagers, pale ales, IPAs, stouts and everything in between can leave even the keenest beer drinker scratching their head. The truth is that nearly every beer you see belongs to one of two big families: lager or ale. From there, things start branching out into the dozens of styles we all know and love.
Lagers are brewed cold using yeast that ferments at the bottom of the tank. This slow and steady process creates crisp, clean, and refreshing beers. They are the classics you know well, easy drinking and perfect for hot summer afternoons. Think of the traditional Aussie lagers that dominate pub taps across the country, always dependable and built for session drinking.
Ales are brewed warmer with yeast that ferments at the top. This method gives them bolder, fruitier, and often more complex flavours. Under the ale umbrella you will find pale ales, amber ales, porters, wheat beers, and of course stouts. Stouts are simply a darker, roasted style of ale that deliver those rich notes of coffee, chocolate, and toast. Guinness is the most famous example, but plenty of Aussie craft breweries have had fun creating their own twists.
Then there is the IPA, short for India Pale Ale. Back in the 1800s, English brewers added extra hops to their pale ales to help the beer survive the long sea voyage to British colonies in India. The extra hops gave the beer a big flavour hit as well as acting as a natural preservative. What started as a practical solution turned into a style loved all over the world. Today IPAs are the rock stars of the craft beer scene, known for their strong hop character, punchy bitterness, and big personality.
So, when you are staring at a wall of beers and wondering what to grab, remember the family tree. Beer splits into lagers and ales, and from ales you get all the wild styles that fill the shelves, from pale ales to stouts to hop-loaded IPAs. Next time you order, you can pick your pint with confidence, and maybe even drop a little beer knowledge on your mates.
