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==Styles==
==Styles==
Most beers fall in to two categories; Lagers and Ales.
Lagers are cold [[fermentation|fermented]] with the ‘S. carlsbergensis’ variety of [[yeast]], typically between 46 and 56 F. Complete fermentation of lager beers takes from six weeks to nine months. This brewing technique originated in [[Germany]], where the word ‘lagern’ literally means "to store". Common styles of lager beer are Pilsner and Bock.
Lagers are cold [[fermentation|fermented]] with the ‘S. carlsbergensis’ variety of [[yeast]], typically between 46 and 56 F. Complete fermentation of lager beers takes from six weeks to nine months. This brewing technique originated in [[Germany]], where the word ‘lagern’ literally means "to store". Common styles of lager beer are Pilsner and Bock.
Ales are fermented with the ‘S. cerevisiae’ variety of yeast, at temperatures higher than lagers, typically between 55 and 75 F. The higher fermentation temperature of ales tends to produce beers with a more complex, fruity flavor, usually derives from [[ester|esters]] produced by the yeast during fermentation. Common varieties of ales include Pale Ale, Stout and Porter.
Ales are fermented with the ‘S. cerevisiae’ variety of yeast, at temperatures higher than lagers, typically between 55 and 75 F. The higher fermentation temperature of ales tends to produce beers with a more complex, fruity flavor, usually derives from [[ester|esters]] produced by the yeast during fermentation. Common varieties of ales include Pale Ale, Stout and Porter.
The Belgians still preserve an older style of beer, the "lambic". Lambic beers use hops aged to remove any bitterness and are spontaneously fermented by wild yeasts. The wild yeasts include a variety of micro-organisms that produce acids along with alcohols and are able to ferment more of the sugars than the lager and ale strains. This results in a beer that can be extremely dry and astonishingly tart.
==History==
==History==