It is hard to imagine anyone alive who is unaware of the many styles of beer available in their local market or tavern. They probably won’t be able to rattle off the names and “definitions” of every style, but they can likely quote a healthy list of their favorites. Beer is no longer “just a beer” as beverage enthusiasts seek Beers by style or country and often show seasonal preferences.
For the purpose of examination and organization, we have listed the Beers on BevX by style. Beer is often organized by country of origin, which is a legitimate and effective method. The best argument for organizing a listing of Beers by style is that brewers everywhere are making Beers that emulate classic styles from around the globe. Often, these individual Beers have more in common with the original than they do with other Beers from their respective country (or perhaps other Beers in a brand’s portfolio).
On the other hand, the entire style issue is a messy subject. We challenge anyone to give us a solid, never-failing definition of Pale Ale, IPA, or any other style. Keep in mind that we are not sticklers regarding style and would rather the brewer concentrate on making the best Beer possible and damn the rest. In other words, we have little interest in snobbish arguments of style definitions! It’s never a good idea to set up shop on shifting sands.
There are dozens of recognized Beer styles, but we chose to focus on these 21.
