Beer Style Categories

English, Irish, and Scottish ales hail from the isles. They are typically slightly more malt- and ester-forward than their American counterparts. These ales are some of the hallmarks of classic styles: Enlgish IPAs, Scottish 70-Schillings, and Irish stouts just to name a few.

American ales are the definition of craft beer around the world. Known to be hop forward and contain many unorthodox ingredients, American ales tend to push the boundaries of what beer can be. However, not everything is a lactose, fruited, hazy IPA- American ales have great tradition rooted in styles found elsewhere in the world.

Lagers...clean, crisp, light, refreshing. Also, dark, malty and rich. The world of lagers is diverse and expansive but they are all defined by specific yeast strains that ferment at colder temperatures and often require longer maturation/conditioning times. There is nothing better than a crisp pilsner on a hot summer day or a delicious baltic porter on a cold, rainy, winter evening.

Most people tend to think about lagers when they invoke thoughts of German beer. However, the world of German ales is equally exciting and delicious. Hefeweizen, Kölsch, Alt, Dunkleweizen.... without these unique styles of beer the world would be a sad place indeed.

Hailing from brewing traditions in Belgium and the regions surrounding, these beers typically highlight yeast flavor in all its wonderful forms. Notes of fruity esters and spicy phenolics are often the hallmarks of Belgian-style ales. Bubblegum and black pepper? Yes, please! 

Mixed culture fermentations are magical. Brewers often mix yeast strains with brett and lacto to create a beverage that is at once funky and tart, subtle and satisfying. These beers are often wood aged and complex, bringing to the table flavors and aromas that create a drinking experience not to be forgotten.

Ciders, sake, and mead, oh my! Many of these styles require specialty yeast strains that Imperial does not make on a regular basis. However, chances are we have what you're looking for in our yeast bank and can prop with a 10L order minimum and additional lead time.