- Abbey Dubbel: Abbey Dubbels tend to be darker and maltier beers, with a very distinctive yeasty flavor. They are usually a cloudy brown color with a complex and fruity palate. Typically run between 6.5% and 8.0% ABV. Popular examples: Ommegang Abbey Ale, Westmalle Dubbel, Rochefort Trappistes 6.
- Abbey Tripel: Abbey Tripel's are a strong, yeasty beer. Lighter in color than Dubbels, they are more dry and spicy in flavor. They will have a more noticable hop flavor in them, along with a dry finish and a higher alcohol content. Typically run between 8.0% and 10.0% ABV. Popular examples: Tripel Karmeliet, Chimay White, Victory Golden Monkey.
- Abt/Quadruple: Quads are stronger than Dubbels and Tripels. They have a much deeper and richer fruity flavor, with a much more malt-based flavor. There is usually very little hop flavor. Alcohol tends to be in excess of 10.0% ABV. Popular examples: St. Bernardus Abt 12, Ommegang Three Philosophers, Weyerbacher Quad.
- Altbier: Altbiers are nicely balanced beers, ranging in color from a light copper to a dark brown. Pioneered and native to Dusseldorf, Germany, it is the German equivalent of a traditional English ale. Popular examples: Long Trail Double Bag, Uerige Sticke, Otter Creek Copper Ale.
- Amber Ale: Ambers are a complicated style. They are so diverse, and can vary in flavor from mild and caramelly to having a rather pronounced hop characteristic. Usually are more dark malt based and for the most part have less hops than a Pale Ale. Popular examples: Green Flash Hop Head Red, Rogue American Amber, Magic Hat Roxy Rolles, Sam Adams Boston Ale.
- American Dark Lager: Mainly made with darker and caramel malts, these beers tend to run more dark in color, sometimes leaning towards a dark brown. Their flavor typically is more sweet and malty rather than hoppy. Often rather light in body. Popular examples: Rohrbach Highland Lager, Michelob Amber Bock, George Killian's Irish Red, Dundee Honey Brown.
- American Pale Ale: Lighter in color, APAs are distinctive because of their use of American grown hops which lend a much more bitter flavor and aroma. Lighter in color, APAs run more bitter and less malty. Popular examples: Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale, Great Lakes Burning River, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Southern Tier Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale.
- American Strong Ale: Not a truly official style. This refers to the stronger and heavier beers that are brewed by American microbrewers. One of their distinguinshing characteristics is a very intense amount of hops and malts. Alcohol usually is rather high, 7.5% ABV and above. Popular examples: Arrogant Bastard Ale, Southern Tier Hoppe, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA.
- Baltic Porter: Descended from the Baltic nations of Northern Europe, Baltic Porters are rather strong porters. Dark black in color, they aren't as roasty as some stouts. They do have a very intense malt flavor and a higher alcohol content, typically between 7.0% and 9.5% ABV. Popular examples: Zywiec Porter, Baltika 6, Victory Baltic Thunder.
- Barley Wine: Barley Wines are very strong and intense beers. They have a huge malt character and rather high alcohol content. Hops are rather limited in the taste. At least 9.0% ABV. Popular examples: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Brooklyn Monster Ale, Dogfish Head Immort Ale.
- Belgian Ale: Beers that are considered to be "session" beers by the Belgians, that being a beer that you can drink many of in one session. Usually lighter in color and body, they still have the traditional Belgian yeast and spice flavor. Usually under 7.0% ABV. Popular examples: Orval, Ommegang Rare Vos, Leffe Blond.
- Belgian Strong Ale: Similar to Belgian Ales, but much stronger. Can range from hoppy and bitter to sweet and malty, to spicy and yeasty. Alcohol content is higher, usually 7.0% to 9.5% ABV. Popular examples: Duvel, Chimay Blue, Unibroue Trois Pistoles.
- Belgian Witbier: Witbiers are light, wheat based beers. Light in body and usually very carbonated, the bitterness of the wheat is countered by yeast and hints of orange peel. Popular examples: Hoegaarden, Blue Moon, Shock Top.
- Berliner Weisse: A wheat based beer originating in Germany. Differ from other wheat beers in that they are lower in alcohol, usually under 4.0%, and have a very strong sour and tart taste. Many times they are blended with sweet fruit syrups to cut the bitterness. Popular examples: Bayerischer Berliner Weisse, Dogfish Head Festina Peche.
- Bière de Garde: A medium bodied beer that tends to run more sweet and malty in taste. Often will have rather Earthy and dry notes that improve and develop more with age. Popular examples: Ommegang Biere de Mars, Thiriez Amber.
- Bitter: A traditional English style, Bitters usually run gold to copper in color with a mild to slight hop bitterness, as opposed to what their name may indicate. Low in carbonation, they tend to have a smooth and sweet malty flavor. Popular examples: Coniston Bluebird Bitter, Rohrbach Red Wing Ale, Tetley's English Ale.
- Bohemian Pilsener: Different from other Pilseners by the generous use of the Saaz hop variety. Bohemian Pilseners have a very heavy malt flavor in addition to its hop profile. Usually medium bodied and rather carbonated. Popular examples: Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen, Erie Brewing Presque Isle Pils.
- Brown Ale: Like their name, Brown Ales usually range in color from a reddish-brown to a deep brown in color. Usually have a good amount of caramel malt flavor, as well as nut flavor. Popular examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, Smuttynose Old Brown Dog, Pete's Wicked Ale, Abita Turbodog.
- California Common: Historically a California based brew where brewers had to ferment them at warmer temperatures. Very well rounded with a pleasant balance of hops and malts. Easy drinking beers. Popular examples: Anchor Steam, Flying Dog Old Scratch.
- Cider: Malt based beverages fermented with apples. Can range from dry and tart to sweet and fruity. Popular examples: Woodchuck, Strongbow, Hornsby's.
- Classic German Pilsener: Similar to Bohemian Pilseners but with more hops and less malt. Often are much more dry. Popular examples: Jever Pilsener, Warsteiner Premium Verum, St. Pauli Girl.
- Cream Ale: Mild and pale, Cream Ales are made by blending top and bottom fermenting yeasts. Low bitterness with a mild hop profile. Popular examples: Genesee Cream Ale.
- Doppelbock: "Double bock." These beers are heavier than the standard German Heller Bock, but not double the alcohol. Ranging more toward dark caramel in color with a very pronounced malt flavor. Popular examples: Ayinger Celebrator, Spaten Optimator, Paulaner Salvator, Sam Adams Double Bock.
- Dortmunder: Hailing from Dortmund, Germany. Very clean flavor with bready hints and a flavor similar to a Pilsener. Very closely related to Helles lagers. Popular examples: Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, DAB.
- Double IPA: Heavier and more intensely hopped than the standard India Pale Ale. The balance of flavors leans more toward hops than evenly balanced. Some can be rather sweet and floral with heavy citrus notes. Alcohol usually begins at 7.5% ABV, but usually range between 8.5% and 10.0% ABV. Popular examples: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Stone Ruination IPA, Southern Tier Un*Earthly.
- Dry Stout: Irish-style stout. Can be rather roasty with a very mild hop profile. Often served via nitrogen, a la Guinness. Popular examples: Guinness Draught, Beamish Irish Stout, Bare Knuckle Stout.
- Dunkel: "Dark lager." Tend to be copper or dark brown in color, with a sweet and sometimes nutty malt flavor. Medium bitterness but very little fruity or sour notes. Popular examples: Harpoon Munich Dark, Spaten Dunkel, Beck's Dark.
- Dunkelweizen: A dark wheat beer. Have the same flavors of banana and clove as regular German Hefeweizens, but have a more earthy and roasty flavor due to the addition of dark malts. Popular examples: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel, Ayinger Ur-Weisse, Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel.
- Dunkler Bock: "Dark bock." Very similar to a Dunkel, but usually with more body and malt flavor. Popular examples: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, Genesee Bock.
- Eisbock: One of the stronger styles of beer out there, they are typically made by brewing a Doppelbock, freezing it, and removing the ice to concentrate the alcohol content. Popular examples: EKU 28, Kulmbacher Eisbock, Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock.
- English Pale Ale: Golden to copper in color with an apparent hop profile but, unlike American Pale Ales, there is a stronger malt balance. Popular examples: Lake Placid 46er Pale Ale, Custom Brewcrafter's English Pale Ale, Goose Island Honkers Ale.
- English Strong Ale: Stronger and maltier than English Pale Ales. Sometimes are aged beers with additional notes of dark fruits and a lot of malt. Alcohol will be very apparent. Popular examples: Lake Placid Ubu Ale, Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome, Middle Ages Wizard's Winter Ale.
- European Strong Lager: Predominantly found in Eastern Europe, these beers are basically strong versions of Pilseners. More malt is added to cut back on the hoppy bitterness but still have a mild hop taste. Popular examples: Baltika 9 Krepkoe, Carlsberg Elephant, Warka Strong.
- Foreign Stout: Began as a stronger and more well-hopped version of Guinness that would be able to survive long journeys. It is the midway point between a standard Stout and an Imperial Stout. More hopped than regular Stouts but a lot less robust and roasty than Imperial Stouts. Alcohol ranges from 6.0% to 8.0% ABV on average. Popular examples: Lion Stout, Allagash Black, Dragon Stout.
- Fruit Beer: Just as the name indicates, these are any beers made using fruit. Flavors and alcohol will vary with what fruit is used. Popular examples: Ithaca Apricot Wheat, Seadog Blue Paw Blueberry Wheat, Saranac Pomegranate Wheat.
- Fruit Lambic: Lambics are a Belgian style of beer made with stale hops, wild yeasts, and, in this case, fruits. Often very sweet and candy-like depending on the fruit used. Popular examples: Lindeman's Framboise, Lindeman's Cassis, Lindeman's Pomme.
- German Hefeweizen: Style pioneered in Germany. Easily recognized by its cloudy gold color, thick and frothy head, and aroma of bananas and cloves. Popular examples: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier, Ayinger Ayinger Bräu-Weisse, Schneider Weisse Original.
- German Kristallweizen: Similar to the German Hefeweizen, but Kristallweizens have been filtered, leaving a clear appearance but the same yeast, clove, and banana tastes. Popular examples: Erdinger Weissbier Kristallklar, Spanish Peaks Crystal Weiss.
- Golden/Blond Ale: Lighter in color and body with a lightly hopped flavor. They have an average alcohol content and are very light and refreshing. Popular examples: Beach Bum Blonde Ale, Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale, Labatt 50, Molson Export.
- Gueuze Lambic: A blend of old and new lambics, Gueuzes tend to have a very bubbly and dry taste. Almost champange-like in flavor. Some can be sour and tart. Popular examples: Lindeman's Gueuze Cuvée René.
- Heller Bock: The lighter version of the Dunkler Bock. Heller Bocks tend to be dark gold in color with a well-balanced malt flavor. Some can be a bit more hoppy than others, but for the most part there is a subdued hop flavor. Popular examples: Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Dundee Pale Bock, Smuttynose Maibock.
- Helles: Similar to the Dortmunder but hail from Bavaria. Golden and crisp, they often have more of a spicy hop flavor akin to a Czech Pilsener with a smooth malt balance. Popular examples: Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold, Löwenbräu, Spaten Premium.
- Imperial Porter: Stronger than a Porter, but less robust than an Imperial Stout. They have a strong malt characteristic but are often less roasty than an Imperial Stout. Alcohol content usually begins at 7.5% ABV. Popular examples: Flying Dog Gonzo, Southampton Imperial Porter.
- Imperial Stout: Extremely dark and thick much moreso than standard Stouts. Often are dark brown to pitch black. Heavy roasted flavors with a medium bitterness from the roasted malts. Heavy in alcohol; usually in excess of 8.0% ABV. Popular examples: Victory Storm King, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Southern Tier Choklat, Southern Tier Mokah.
- India Pale Ale: A well hopped beer that came into existence when British brewers over-hopped the beer so it would survive the ship trips to India. Golden to amber in color, they are often very flowery and very bitter with some citrus notes as well. Popular examples: Ithaca Flower Power, Victory HopDevil, Ithaca Cascazilla.
- Irish Ale: Irish red ales. Very gentle and mild in flavor with a pronounced malt and caramel flavor. Hops are limited, and alcohol is usually 5.0% ABV or below. Popular examples: Murphy's Irish Red, Smithwick's, Sam Adams Irish Red.
- Kellerbier: Unfiltered lager style, Kellerbiers are a smooth and easy drinking lager with a nice balance but leaning more towards the hoppy side. Popular examples: St. Georgen Bräu Keller Bier.
- Kölsch: Style native originally to Cologne, Germany. Light in body but with a medium bitterness, Kölschs are refreshing and very carbonated. Popular examples: Flying Dog Tire Bite, Harpoon Summer Ale, Gaffel Kölsch, Reissdorf Kölsch.
- Landbier: Very similar in style to Kellerbiers, but Landbiers are more malt based in taste. They can also be filtered, but will have the same smooth taste and light carbonation. Popular examples: Veldensteiner Landbier.
- Malt Liquor: Strong and very alcoholic-tasting. Very sweet and loaded with malt. Popular examples: Olde English 800, Colt 45, Steel Reserve.
- Mild Ale: The mild in the name refers to the lack of hop flavor and aroma. Mild Ales are traditionally malty and very smooth, usually dark brown with little carbonation. Popular examples: Pendle Witches Brew.
- Oktoberfest/Märzen: Copper in color for the most part with a smooth and well-balanced malt flavor with a light hoppy touch. Very smooth to drink, and their flavor is one many people can enjoy. Popular examples: Spaten Oktoberfest, Beck's Oktoberfest, Sam Adams Oktoberfest.
- Old Ale: Dark copper to black and color, Old Ales have a deep malt and dark fruit flavor. Often are very earthy and dry with caramel sweetness. Popular examples: Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, Greene King Olde Suffolk, Black Sheep Riggwelter.
- Pale Lager: The standard of what people think of when they think of beer. Light gold for the most part with a lot of carbonation. Can range in flavor from dry and grassy to sweet with hints of corn. Hops usually are not overpowering. Popular examples: Budweiser, Genesee Beer, Labatt Blue, Molson Canadian.
- Pilsener: A blanket style that refers to light, hoppy lagers. They are the Pilseners that cannot fall under the Bohemian or German standards. Popular examples: Victory Prima Pils, Ureich Pils, North Coast Scrimshaw.
- Porter: Dark brown to black in color with a heavy hopped and roasted taste. Often very bitter and roasted but can be sweet sometimes as well. Medium-bodied which distinguishes them from Stouts. Popular examples: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Fuller's London Porter, Smuttynose Robust Porter.
- Premium Bitter/ESB: ESB stands for Extra Special Bitter. It is mostly an American take on the English Bitter. Unlike Bitters, ESBs tend to actually be more bitter. They have the same smooth malt and yeast body but can run from slightly to moderately bitter. Popular examples: Southern Tier Harvest Ale, Redhook ESB, Old Speckled Hen, Fuller's ESB.
- Premium Lager: In the middle of Pale Lagers and Pilseners. Usually gold in color with softer carbonation than Pilseners, and not as bitter. The flavor will be more balanced and smooth. Popular examples: Sam Adams Boston Lager, Kona Longboard Lager, Beck's.
- Saison: Very highly carbonated and light in body. Have dry and fruity flavors along with some sour ester notes. Many are spiced and rather citrusy. Very dry. Popular examples: Saison Dupont, Ommegang Hennepin, Goose Island Sofie.
- Schwarzbier: German black lagers. Dark black to brown. Medium-bodied with a mild roasted flavor. Slightly fruity and sweet. Popular examples: Saranac Black Forest, Xingu, Sprecher Black Bavarian.
- Scotch Ale: Deep red in color usually with a heavy caramel and malt flavor. Very smooth and full-bodied. Popular examples: Oskar Blues Old Chub, Middle Ages Kilt Tilter, Rohrbach Scotch Ale.
- Scottish Ale: Differ from the Scotch Ales in that they are often smoky from the malts being smoked over peat. Usually lower in alcohol, the majority being under 5.0% ABV. Popular examples: Erie Brewing Railbender Ale, Brooklyn Winter Ale, Long Trail Hibernator.
- Smoked: Traditional German style of beer. The malts are smoked over beechwood and are used to make a myriad of different styles of beer, from Lagers to Wheat Ales. The smoky malts can often impart a meaty, smoky flavor. Popular examples: Ithaca Gorges Smoked Porter, Fort Collins Z Lager, Rogue Smoke, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbiers.
- Sour Ale: Use a wild strain of yeast that imparts a very heavy and strong sour and tart flavor into the beer. Popular examples: Rodenbach, Ichtegem's Grand Cru, Duchesse De Bourgogne.
- Specialty Grains: Beers made with specialty grains, such as rye or buckwheat, that are out of the ordinary. Popular examples: Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale, Baron's Black Wattle Seed Ale.
- Spice/Herb/Vegetable: Beers made using a variety of spices or vegetables, most commonly pumpkin in the fall, but can also include things like cinnamon, nutmeg, and peppers. Popular examples: Southern Tier Pumking, Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Rogue Chipotle, Saranac Winter Wassail.
- Stout: Stouts that don't fall under the classification of the Irish-style Dry Stout or Imperial Stouts. Dark brown to black in color with a good amount of roasted notes. Popular examples: Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout.
- Sweet Stout: Similar to Stouts and come in three main varieties. Milk Stouts, Oatmeal Stouts, and Foreign Stouts. Often have additions of oatmeal or lactose to add depth to the body. Popular examples: Rogue Chocolate Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout.
- Traditional Ales: Brewed in the ancient tradition using ingredients that were commonly used in the past. These ingredients can include heather, elderberries, sahti, and seaweed. Popular examples: Dogfish Head Midas Touch, Heather Ales Fraoch, Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale.
- Vienna: Produced in Vienna, Austria. They are very similar to Oktoberfests. Medium-bodied with a nice malty flavor. Popular examples: Great Lakes Eliot Ness, Brooklyn Lager, Blue Point Toasted Lager.
- Weizen Bock: Strong and dark wheat beers. Higher ester profile and a stronger malt base than with other wheat beers. Popular examples: Schneider Aventinus, Great Lakes Glockenspiel, Victory Moonglow.
- Wheat Ale: An American, filtered version of the German Hefeweizen. Some light fruit notes but a nice and crisp flavor from the wheat. Popular examples: Southern Tier Hop Sun, Sam Adams Summer Ale, Bud Light Golden Wheat.