Know your Beer!

There are many different types of beer. Especially in recent years as we are experiencing a craft beer renaissance the varieties and sheer numbers of beers can be quite overwhelming. For someone just starting to explore different types of beer understanding how the different varities are related and what to expect from the different types can be an overwhelming prospect. Luckily there is an excellent way to cateogorize the different types of beer. We will utilize this system to provide a context for understanding different types of beer.

There are a number of parameters that can be used to characterize a beer. The most common are original gravity (OG), final gravity (FG), alcohol by volume (ABV), International Bitterness Units (IBU), and color based on the Color Standard Reference Method (SRM).

Original gravity (OG) is the specific gravity of the beer before fermentation. It is essentially a measurement of the amount of sugars in the beer. Beers with higher original gravities have the potential to contain more alcohol since they start off with more fermentable material. Beers with high original gravity may also be "big" beers with a lot of body and heavy feel in the mouth.

Final gravity (FG) is the specific gravity of the beer after fermentation. If the original gravity is known the amount of alcohol in the beer can be calculated with the final gravity. The difference in gravity between the measurements represents the amount of sugar that was converted into alcohol.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV) is the amount of alcohol in the beer as a percentage of the volume. It is often indicated as something like 5.3% ABV on the beer's label. The ABV can be calculated if the OG and FG are known.

International Bitterness Units (IBUS) is an indication of how bitter the beer is. It is strongly related to the amount of hops, the types of hops, and how the hops were added to the beer while being brewed. A higher IBU indicates a more bitter beer. Although beers with a heavier body and more malt character may not seem as bitter as a lighter beer with the same IBU.

Color based on Standard Reference Method (SRM) is a standardized way to indicate a color of beer. Beer color can range from very pale, clear yellow to deep and opaque black and everywhere in between. The color SRM method provides a common framework to evaluate colors of different types of beer.