Still confused about whether the beer in your hand is malty, hoppy, or crispy? You’re not alone, mate. Figuring out the right flavour is a must-have skill if you are here to stay in the craft beer game for a while. Every beer style brings its own flavour profile, and even when two brews look identical, the taste can be completely different. An IPA and a Lager may look alike at first, but trust us, they’re playing in totally different leagues.
(For the full breakdown, you can always dive into our blog IPA vs Lager: What’s the Difference? and compare both side by side.)
So let’s cut straight to the good stuff and break down the flavour profiles of each major beer style, so you can finally skip the label-reading, stop second-guessing, and know exactly what you’re tasting.
Different Styles of Beers: A Quick Tour
Before we move towards the beer flavours, here is a quick round-up of the main beer styles you have or will definitely come across:
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Lagers: Clean, crisp, and refreshing – think of your classic beer that goes down easy on a hot day
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IPAs (India Pale Ales): Hoppy, bitter, and bold – the ultimate stars of the craft beer world
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Stouts and Porters: Dark, rich, and full-bodied with roasted flavours that feel like sipping on a wine
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Wheat Beers: Light and cloudy with a smooth, slightly sweet character
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Sours: Tart, funky, and refreshing – like beer met lemonade and decided to party
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Belgian Ales: Complex and fruity with spicy yeast notes that keep things interesting
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Amber and Red Ales: Balanced with a malty sweetness and moderate hops
Now that we've got the lineup sorted, let's get into the real deal – the flavours.
The Crisp & Clean
You know that feeling when you crack open a cold one after sorting out your work? That's the magic of crisp flavours that rewards you well. Crisp beers are all about refreshment – they're light, clean, and go down smoother than your best small talk.
What you're tasting: Subtle grain flavours, a hint of sweetness, and a finish so clean it practically washes away the laziness and boring vibes. There's barely any aftertaste, just pure, uncomplicated refreshment.
Beer types highlights:
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Pilsners: The OG crisp beer, slightly bitter with a golden glow
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Helles Lagers: Malty but still light, like a softer pilsner
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Mexican Lagers: Perfect with lime, sunshine, and absolutely zero pretension
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Light Lagers: Your classic easy-drinking beers
These are the beers you reach for when you want something that doesn't demand too much attention – just cold, clean, and ready to chill.
Hoppy
If crisp lagers are the chill friend, hoppy beers are the loud, opinionated one who shows up to the party and immediately becomes the centre of attention. Hops bring the bitterness, the aroma, and, honestly, most of the personality to these brews.
What you're tasting: You may get citrus (grapefruit, orange), tropical fruit (mango, passionfruit), pine, grass, or even strong, resinous flavours depending on the type of hop. It tastes bitter and lingers on your tongue, but in a good way, as if it has something to say.
Beer types highlights:
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West Coast IPAs: Bitter, piney, and unapologetically bold
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New England IPAs (Hazy IPAs): Juicy, soft, and bursting with tropical fruit flavours
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Double/Imperial IPAs: Everything turned up to 11 – more hops, more alcohol, more flavour
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Pale Ales: Hops, but with the slightly lighter versions
Hop tastes are hard to ignore, whether you like them or not. They are the cause of IPAs' passionate fans and equally passionate haters.
Malty
If hops are the extroverts, malt is the warm, comforting friend who brings cookies to every hangout. Malt gives beer its colour, body, sweetness, and those delicious toasty, caramel, or chocolatey notes.
What you're tasting: Toasted bread, caramel, toffee, chocolate, coffee, and sometimes even hints of dark fruit like raisins or figs. These flavours come from roasted malts and give dark beers their rich, complex character.
Beer types highlights:
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Stouts: Dark, roasty, and full of coffee and chocolate vibes
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Porters: Like stouts but a bit lighter, with more caramel and less roast
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Brown Ales: Nutty and toasty with a sweeter edge
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Scotch Ales: Rich, malty, and sometimes a little boozy
These beers are ideal for sipping calmly and relishing each roasted, malty moment as they feel like dessert in a glass.
Malty Sweet
Not all malt flavours are dark and roasted. Some beers lean into the sweeter side of malt, giving you caramel, honey, and biscuit notes without the heavy roast.
What you're tasting: Bread crust, honey, caramel candy, biscuits, and a gentle sweetness that balances out any bitterness. It's cosy without being heavy.
Where to find it:
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Marzens/Oktoberfest Lagers: Toasty, bready, and perfect for autumn
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Amber Ales: Sweet malt with a hint of hops for balance
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Doppelbocks: Rich, sweet, and strong with a malty backbone
Bitterness
Bitterness gets a bad rap, but in beer, it's essential. It's what keeps things from being too sweet and adds complexity to every sip.
What you're tasting: That dry, slightly puckering sensation that makes your mouth water and crave another sip. It comes from hops and balances out the sweetness from malt.
How bitter is too bitter? That's personal preference, but here's the scale:
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Low bitterness: Wheat beers, light lagers
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Medium bitterness: Pale ales, amber ales
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High bitterness: West Coast IPAs, imperial IPAs
Bitterness is like salt in cooking – too little and things taste flat, but just the right amount makes everything seem perfect.
Fruity Esters
Your beer has no fruit added, but it tastes like bubblegum, banana, or clove? That's esters, which are compounds produced during fermentation that smell peppery and fruity. Essentially, it's yeast flaunting itself.
What you're tasting: Banana, bubblegum, pear, apple, plum, or stone fruit notes. Sometimes there's a spicy kick of clove or pepper, too.
Beer types highlights:
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Hefeweizens: Banana and clove from German wheat beer yeast
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Belgian Ales: Fruity esters galore with spicy phenols
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Saisons: Peppery, fruity, and funky
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Fruit-forward IPAs: Tropical fruit flavours from both hops and yeast
These flavours make beer feel less like "just beer" and more like a fruity flavour adventure.
Sour & Funky
Sour beers are the rebels of the beer world. They're tart, tangy, and sometimes downright funky – and people either love them or can't wrap their heads around them.
What you're tasting: Tartness like lemonade or yoghurt, sometimes with barnyard or earthy funk (yes, that's a good thing). There might be fruity notes, vinegar-like acidity, or a dry, puckering finish.
Beer types highlights:
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Berliner Weisse: Light, tart, and super refreshing
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Gose: Sour with a salty twist
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Lambics and Gueuzes: Traditional Belgian sours with complex funk
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Kettle Sours: Tart and fruit-forward, often brewed with fruit purees
If you like kombucha or sour candy, there's a good chance you'll find sour beer pleasing.
Spicy & Smoky
Sometimes beer throws you a curveball with spicy or smoky flavours that feel more like a barbecue griller than a brewery.
What you're tasting: Black pepper, clove, cinnamon, or even jalapeño heat. Smoky beers taste like campfire, bacon, or smoked meat – seriously.
Beer types highlights:
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Rauchbiers: German smoked beers that taste like liquid barbecue
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Belgian Ales: Spicy clove and pepper notes from the yeast
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Rye Beers: Spicy, earthy character from rye malt
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Chile Beers: Actual peppers added for heat
These aren't everyday beers, but when you're in the mood for something different, they hit the spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the difference between ale and lager?
It's all about the yeast. Ales use top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, giving them fruitier, more complex flavours. Lagers use bottom-fermenting yeast at cooler temps, resulting in cleaner, crisper profiles.
2. Why do some beers taste way different, even if they're the same style?
Every brewery has its own way of crafting beers, its water source, and the process involved. Plus, ingredients like hop varieties and malt types vary wildly. That's what makes exploring beer so fun – you get to try endless varieties.
3. How can I get my palate to pick up more flavours?
Take your time and be mindful. Before drinking, let your beer soften up a little, smell it, and note what it makes you think of. It becomes simpler to figure out the flavours the more you play with different styles.
4. Do darker beers always have more alcohol?
No, roasted malts, not alcohol content, are the cause of colour. Compared to a dark, sessionable stout, a light-colored Belgian Tripel could have quite a bit of alcohol.
Ready to Taste the Difference?
Now that you have got an idea of every flavour of beer, it’s time to crack open different types of brews and start sipping like a pro. Whether you're team crisp lager or you're ready to dive head straight into hoppy IPA territory, there's a whole world of flavour waiting in your next beer.
Want to explore an excellent selection of beer flavours without leaving your couch? Buy beer online at Beer Cartel and discover craft brews from Australia and around the world. With hundreds of styles to choose from, you'll never run out of new flavours to explore.
Cheers to drinking smarter, tasting better, and enjoying every damn sip.