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While you are enjoying delicious adult beverages and music at Minnesota Monthly’s third annual Rhythm & Brews event (Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, 1-5p.m. at CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints), you can also raise a glass to National Drink Beer Day, which is celebrated annually on Sept. 28. That certainly works out well this year! And before the occasion, let’s take a closer look at that refreshingly golden—or brownish or reddish—beverage in your glass. Learn about some classic beer styles here that you’ll encounter at the event and on the shelves at your favorite store.
While there is a vast selection of beers out there, did you know that they fall into two categories—ale and lager? The main difference between these two is the way they are fermented. From there, brewers get creative to make as many styles as there are bubbles in a bottle.
Ale
The ale category uses yeast that ferments at the “top” of the fermentation vessel at typically higher temperatures (60°F–75°F) than lager yeast, which makes for a quicker fermentation period of seven to eight days.
—The beer is fruitier and sweeter since top-fermenting yeast works well in warmer temps but is unable to ferment some of the sugars.
—Ales tend to be heavier bodied, contain more alcohol, and have a darker hue than lagers, and sometimes they are cloudy with a slightly yeasty character. The ale yeast can lend flowery and fruity aromas such as apple, pear, pineapple, grass, hay, plum, and prune.
Beers: There are many varieties in a wide range of colors, flavors, and strengths including Belgian Ale, Brown Ale, English-style Pale Ale, India Pale Ale (IPA), American Wheat, English Bitter, Porter, Red Ale, Stout, and more.
• India Pale Ale (IPA)
Within the ale category, IPA has a huge fan base of its own. IPAs first surfaced sometime in 18th century England, when the British Empire stretched to India. While each brewery has its own spin, all IPAs have a few things in common, and the brewer’s use of hops makes it unique. There are two main types of hops—one is used for aromatic purposes in the final product, and the other to impact the bitterness.
According to the Brewers Association, the IPA beer style is all about hop flavor, aroma, and bitterness, and they are characterized by floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney or resinous American-variety hop character. You’ll find 10 substyles of IPA including East Coast, West Coast, Hazy styles and more that all feature unique nuances. If you would like to delve into more about IPAs, check it out here on the association’s Craft Beer site.
Lager
Lager is a “bottom” fermented brew made using a different species of yeast that tolerates cold temperatures well and takes longer to ferment than ales—anywhere from one to three months. Lagers are brewed at around 34°F and are often further stored at a cool temperature to mature. (In German, “lagern” means “to store.”)
—The result of the cold fermentation is a lighter, crisper, and smoother beer that is maltier and less hoppy than ale. Lager yeast produces fewer byproduct characters than ale yeast, which allows for other flavors to come through.
Brews: Types include traditional German bock, doppelbock, Pilsner; American lite lager, standard, dry, cream ale/lager, and dark; Vienna; and Oktoberfest.
• Pilsner originally referred to a particular beer brewed in Pilsen, in the Czech Republic, but today it can refer to that style of pale, light lager.
• Oktoberfest: The beer that started it all for the Oktoberfest event was originally brewed in March (“März” in German), and was the last batch for the season before refrigeration and modern brewing methods were developed. Since alcohol is a natural preservative, these spring brews were intentionally made with higher alcohol content and then stored in ice-filled cool caves or cellars for the summer. This style of reddish-amber beer called Märzen (pronounced Maer-tsen) matured and improved over the summer, most likely making it especially good at season’s end. Some of the stocks would be used during summer, but by October any remaining beer was usually finished off to make room for the batches of beer made with grain and hops from the new harvest season—a great reason to celebrate.
The styles of Oktoberfest beer have evolved, and bronze or golden colored malt-accented beers with slightly less alcohol by volume (ABV) have joined the options. Malty sweetness and toasted malt aroma and flavor are dominant in this medium- to full-bodied brew with a creamy texture, which, naturally, varies by brewer. American craft breweries’ fest beers are often slightly higher in alcohol, richer in hops and aroma flavor, and redder in hue than European fest beers.
Sip on this fun fact: The first Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration when the citizens of Munich attended festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates when Crown Prince Ludwig (later to become King Ludwig I) was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on Oct. 12, 1810. Everyone had such a great time the party lasted about 16 days, and the fields were even named Theresienwiese, meaning “Theresa’s fields,” in honor of the Crown Princess. They commemorated the event the following year, which started the Oktoberfest tradition. Bring out the Lederhosen and dirndl!
• Wheat beer: Lighter and more carbonated than other brews, wheat beers are often a great warm-weather choice, but enjoyed anytime, of course. The beer as we know it today was first brewed in 16th century Germany. The German style is called “weizen” (pronounced vice-en) and has a golden color with a smooth, grainy, and sometimes fruity taste. Another style is “Hefeweizen,” which is made with wheat and other grains. Its complex flavor can include notes of clove, spice, banana, and possibly even a hint of bubble gum. Some of these thirst-quenching beers are served with a slice of lemon or lime to highlight their fruit character.
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Prepared with perhaps a little more beer knowledge now, you can sample your way through these and more beer styles at this year’s Rhythm & Brews, including the 2024 Best of Beer winners. Plus, sample ready-to-drink cocktails, cider, and more, all while catching a stellar live music lineup of Midwest artists, including opening pop-rock act, Of The Orchard followed by a dynamic roots rock band hailing from Rochester, Clay Fulton and the Lost 40, then closing with Americana-folk artists that blend modern with traditional, Maygen & The Birdwatcher. Cheers!
Click here for more information and tickets.
