IPA, stout, NEIPA… The Ultimate Guide to Finally Understanding Beers

Ale

This is the large family of so-called “top-fermented” beers: the yeast ferments at room temperature, producing fruity and complex aromas. It is one of the oldest beer styles in the world, available in countless variations. An ale is often rounder and more expressive than a lager.

American IPA

When American brewers embraced the English style in the 1980s and 1990s, they took everything to the extreme: more hops, much more pronounced bitterness, and above all, the use of American hop varieties with explosive aromas of grapefruit, pine, and citrus. It’s the benchmark of the global craft beer movement.

Black IPA (Cascadian Dark Ale)

A real curiosity! A beer as dark as a stout, but with the hoppy aromatic profile of an IPA. Roasted malts give it a dark color and notes of coffee or chocolate, overlaid with the resinous and fruity aromas of American hops. A surprising marriage of two contrasting worlds.

Witbier

Brewed with wheat in addition to barley, which gives it its cloudy appearance and pale color. Spiced with cilantro and orange peel, it is light, effervescent, and refreshing. Hoegaarden is the classic example of this style. It’s a beer that’s very popular with casual drinkers, especially in the summer.

Bock

A strong German lager (6–7%), ranging in color from brown to amber, historically brewed in winter to be enjoyed in the spring. It is distinguished by its exceptional malt richness: caramel, toffee, and toasted bread. Not very bitter, it is full-bodied and comforting, without ever being heavy.

Brut IPA

Invented in San Francisco in 2018, the Brut IPA is the antithesis of the Milkshake IPA: thanks to a special enzyme, all residual sugar is fermented, leaving a beer that is ultra-dry, sparkling, and light like a brut champagne. Very low in bitterness, with elegant floral and fruity aromas.

Double Dry-Hopped IPA (DDH IPA)

DDH is not a style but a technique: hops are cold-hopped twice at the end of fermentation, without boiling. This preserves all the volatile hop aromas without extracting the bitterness. The result: a beer with maximum aromatic intensity. Often used in NEIPAs to make them even more intense.

Double (Dubbel)

The dark counterpart to the triple, the double is an amber- to dark-colored abbey beer with a lower alcohol content (6–8%). Rich in caramel malts, it offers comforting aromas of dried fruit, raisins, caramel, and gingerbread. A generous beer, ideal for fall or winter.

Double IPA (DIPA) / Imperial IPA

The Double IPA is an American IPA with everything cranked up to the max: two to three times as much malt and hops, a high alcohol content (8–12%), and extreme bitterness. It’s an intense, complex beer meant to be sipped slowly. The alcohol is often masked by the hop aromas. To be approached with respect.

English IPA

The forerunner of the style, born in England in the^19th century. More balanced than its American cousins, it highlights the malt (biscuit, light caramel) just as much as the hops. Its bitterness is distinct but never harsh. The hop aromas are rather earthy, floral, and herbal—very different from modern IPAs.

Gueuze & Lambic

Lambic beers are unique in the world: they ferment spontaneously, without the addition of yeast, simply by being exposed to the open air. The result is a naturally tart, dry, and highly distinctive beer. Gueuze is a blend of young and old lambics, sparkling like champagne. A disorienting experience at first sip, but fascinating.

India Pale Ale (IPA)

A heavily hopped beer, first brewed in the^19th century to withstand the long journey to British India. Today, it’s the star style of craft breweries. The hops give it distinct aromas: citrus, pine resin, tropical fruits, and flowers. An intense beer for those who love character.

Lager

The most widely consumed beer in the world (Heineken, Kronenbourg, Stella Artois…). It ferments at low temperatures, giving it a clean, smooth taste with very subtle aromas. Served very cold, it’s refreshing and easy to drink—ideal for those just starting to explore the world of beer.

Milkshake IPA

An extreme evolution of the NEIPA: lactose (milk sugar, non-fermentable) is added to create a thick, smooth, and creamy texture reminiscent of a milkshake. Often brewed with real fruit (vanilla, strawberry, mango), it’s almost more like a dessert than a traditional beer.

New England IPA (NEIPA)

Originating in Vermont (United States) around 2011, the NEIPA has revolutionized the world of beer. Unlike the American IPA, it is intentionally cloudy (like fruit juice), with an almost creamy texture and very low bitterness. The focus is entirely on the aromas: mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and peach. It’s often called a “Hazy IPA.”

Pale Ale

The IPA’s little sister. It’s also hoppy, but only moderately so. More approachable, it offers a nice balance between malt (bread, biscuit) and hops (floral, slightly fruity). The perfect gateway to discovering characterful beers without being overwhelmed by bitterness.

Saison

Originating on Belgian farms to quench the thirst of seasonal workers, the Saison is a dry, very aromatic blonde beer. It’s distinguished by a yeast that produces unique spicy (pepper, clove) and fruity (peach, apricot) notes. Slightly tart, it’s both complex and refreshing.

Session IPA

For those who love the aromas of an IPA but not the alcohol, the Session IPA is the solution. With a low alcohol content (under 5%), it retains the style’s aromatic characteristics—fruity and hoppy—but in a light, refreshing format that you can enjoy over time.

Sour Ale

Beers that are intentionally sour, achieved through lactic acid bacteria (as in yogurt) or spontaneous fermentation. Often fruity (cherries, raspberries, mango…), they’re more reminiscent of a sophisticated lemonade than a traditional beer. A very trendy style that appeals even to people who don’t usually like beer.

Stout & Porter

Dark, almost black, these beers derive their color and aromas from heavily roasted malts. Stout is the heir to Guinness: a creamy, dense beer with notes of coffee and cocoa. Porter is its slightly lighter cousin. Surprising to the uninitiated, these beers are surprisingly smooth despite their appearance.

Triple

Triple is a strong Belgian beer (8–10% ABV) with a golden color, rooted in the monastic brewing tradition. Its high alcohol content is deceptive: it’s surprisingly light on the palate, with complex aromas of fruit (pear, banana), spices, and honey. Best enjoyed slowly, like a dry white wine.

Triple IPA (TIPA)

Going beyond the Double IPA, the Triple IPA pushes the boundaries into extreme territory: 10–15% alcohol, a massive amount of hops, and a syrupy, dense body. It’s as much a stylistic statement as it is a beer for connoisseurs, reserved for connoisseurs and adventurous tasters: you sip a few sips, rarely a pint.

West Coast IPA

Born in San Diego and San Francisco in the 2000s, it’s the opposite of the NEIPA: crystal-clear, dry, with a sharp, pronounced bitterness. Aromas of resin, pine, and dried citrus dominate. It has been making a comeback since 2020 amid the dominance of “Hazy IPAs.”

This article is excerpted from Gault&Millau magazine,^{issue no.} 14. It is available at the Gault&Millau online store.