British Beers

Although the name pale ale originated in 18th-century England, it was mainly used for brews that were made with pale barley malt and which were slightly lighter than the standard dark and brown beers. To add to the confusion, the name was... READ MORE

Stouts are top-fermented beers that are typically dark and have distinctive roasted flavors. Their introduction is closely connected to British porter—a style that was developed in London sometime in the 18th century. Stout evolved ... READ MORE

Brown ale is an old and versatile beer style whose origins lie in the British brewing tradition. In the 19th century, the name was used as a generic term for various types of beers that were produced from brown malt. With the introduction... READ MORE

India pale ale is one of the most intriguing beer styles whose origin is still widely disputed, but it is believed that it first appeared out of necessity to transport pale ale brews to distant British colonies—namely India—be... READ MORE

Imperial stout is a strong and opaque dark beer that was first brewed in London, but which is mostly associated with Russia, Baltic countries, and recently with the United States. Modern imperial stouts will typically range from deep red ... READ MORE

Contrary to its name, barley wine is a beer style that is best known for its dominant malty character. It is a type of extra-strong ale that has originated in England, but it is now produced worldwide. Although the name first came into us... READ MORE

Sweet stout is a beer style that is usually brewed with the addition of milk sugar (lactose). It is also known as cream or milk stout, and it emerged in England sometime in the early 1900s. Sweet stouts are dark and full-bodied beers that... READ MORE

Scotch ale is a beer style distinguished for its malty character and rich caramel flavors. These big, bold, and full-bodied beers are typically light copper to dark-brown and mostly have a high alcohol content, usually falling between 6 t... READ MORE

Porter is a beer style that was created in London sometime in the 18th century, but well-balanced and aromatic modern varieties do not share many similarities to the original version. Roughly defined, porter is a versatile dark ale made f... READ MORE

This sub-style of the classic stout is brewed with the addition of oatmeal. The style first became popular in England, sometime in the late 19th century. The beers falling in this category are typically dark and smooth, with a roasted malt charact... READ MORE

Cask ale, also known as real ale, is a traditional type of beer made with natural ingredients and served directly from the vessel in which it was fermented. It is allowed to mature naturally, and it does not include any injection... READ MORE

Bitter is a classic British beer style used to describe cask-conditioned ales mainly sold in UK pubs. The style is quite versatile and includes brews of different color, strength, and flavor, but most examples have a malt-driven character... READ MORE

Old ale is a dark and malty English strong ale. These beers were initially aged in wooden casks, and they usually had a yellow-brown color, firm body, slight carbonation, and mellow flavor. Hop character was not present. Modern interpreta... READ MORE

English pale ale is an incredibly versatile beer style that first originated when breweries started to use pale barley malt, which resulted in brews that were lighter than standard varieties at the time. Its place of origin is mainly asso... READ MORE

Despite its unusual name, English barley wine is a beer style that is often dubbed as the grandfather of all brews. This style is strong, rich, and usually moderately hoppy with pronounced malt flavors, and typical aromas of bread, toast,... READ MORE

In the group of British bitters, strong bitter is the highest gravity version. The examples range from dark gold to copper, while the alcohol content falls between 4 and 7% ABV. They have a malty c... READ MORE

English India pale ale is to some extent more traditional version of the classic India pale ale style. The examples of the style typically range from golden amber to light copper, while their alcohol content should fall between 5 and 7.5%... READ MORE

English brown ale is a malt-forward beer style that has two distinct varieties—Northern and Southern English. Although the term brown ale has existed since the very beginnings of brewing tradition in England, these modern styles do ... READ MORE

Mild ale is a British beer style that probably originated sometime in the 19th century. It comes as a traditional dark mild variety or as a less common lighter-colored version. The most distinctive feature of mild ale is its low hop bitte... READ MORE

Ordinary bitter is a beer style with low carbonation and low alcohol levels. It is an easy-drinking and approachable style with gold to copper color and light to medium body. Among the bitter group, it is a version with the lowest alcohol... READ MORE

Although golden ale is often used interchangeably with blond ale, some suggest that the two styles slightly differ in character, and British golden ale is usually listed as a separate style. This beer style is generally light and hoppy. I... READ MORE

Braggot is an ancient mead variety - a cross between mead and beer. Some classify it as beer with mead, while others call it mead with hops and grains. It was already familiar in the Middle Ages, and it probably originated in the British ... READ MORE

Oyster stout is a stout style brewed with oyster shells. It is not clear how it originated, but it is possible that the oysters were primarily used to clarify and improve clarity—the shells were used to help clear the impurities. Oy... READ MORE

A session ale is a type of beer characterized by its low alcohol content, typically between 3% and 5% ABV, making it ideal for extended drinking sessions without leading to quick intoxication. The term "session" refers to the idea that one can enj... READ MORE

Kentish ale is a local English brew that is exclusively produced in the County of Kent. It has been produced since 1698 at the Shepherd Neame Brewery—the oldest brewery in the UK. Kentish ale is made with locally grown hops, Kentish... READ MORE

Rutland bitter is a bitter ale produced in the eponymous county in the East Midlands of England. The beer is made following a traditional recipe and with high-quality regional ingredients, primarily local Rutland water and yeast. This bit... READ MORE