What craft beer actually means
Craft beer is a broad term for beer made by relatively small breweries that prioritise character and quality. There is no single flavour it must have — in fact, being diverse is the point. Two IPAs from different brewers can differ completely in aroma and bitterness.
That's exactly why the idea of a "style," which points at a flavour direction, is so useful.
The hop-forward group
Styles that put hop aroma and bitterness front and centre.
- IPA — citrus and pine aromas with firm bitterness; the flagship of craft beer
- Hazy IPA — cloudy and juicy, bitterness dialled back, with mango and stone-fruit notes
- Pale Ale — gentler than IPA, well balanced between aroma and malt, easy to drink regularly
If you like bitterness or hop aroma, start around here.
The malt-and-roast group
- Lager / Pilsner — clean and hard to tire of; a crisp beer to drink with food
- Stout / Porter — dark beers, with the roasted depth of coffee and chocolate
Reach for a lager on a light day, a dark beer when you want something rich.
The characterful group
- Sour — deliberate acidity as the main event; fruity, sometimes closer to wine
- Saison / Belgian — yeast-driven spice and complexity
- Barrel Aged — depth from barrel maturation, and a higher strength
The entry point when you want something different from usual.
Map in hand, on to the next glass
The flavour, strength, and food pairings for all 14 styles are collected in the style guide. If you're unsure which style suits you, the taste diagnosis will point you to breweries that fit.