Walking up to a tap wall or a cooler full of unfamiliar cans can feel like reading a foreign language. Beer styles have their own vocabulary, and it's easy to grab the same six-pack out of habit. This guide breaks down the main beer styles — IPA to lager and everything in between — so the tap list makes sense the next time you walk in.
Two Families: Ales and Lagers
Almost every beer in the world belongs to one of two families. The difference comes down to yeast and fermentation temperature:
- Ales ferment at warmer temperatures (roughly 60–75°F) with top-fermenting yeast. They tend to be more complex, fruity, or robust. IPAs, stouts, porters, pale ales, and sours are all ales.
- Lagers ferment cold (around 35–50°F) with bottom-fermenting yeast over a longer conditioning period. The result is typically cleaner and crisper. Pilsners, märzens, and most mass-market beers are lagers.
Neither is better — they're different tools for different moods.
IPAs: Hop-Forward and Varied
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. Hops are the defining feature: depending on the varieties used and when they're added, an IPA can taste piney, citrusy, tropical, herbal, or resinous. The range within the style is wide.
- West Coast IPA: Clear, bitter, and dry — think pine and grapefruit. Fort Point's Villager is a well-known San Francisco-style IPA.
- Hazy IPA (NEIPA): Soft mouthfeel with tropical fruit flavors and lower bitterness. The haze comes from dry-hopping and unfiltered grain proteins.
- Session IPA: Lower alcohol (typically under 4.5% ABV) with hop character dialed back. Good for a long afternoon.
- Double/Imperial IPA: High alcohol and intense hops — flavorful but not everyday drinking for most people.
Pale Ales and Amber Ales
Pale ales sit between a lager and a full IPA — hoppy but approachable, with a noticeable malt backbone. They're often a good first step for someone who finds IPAs too bitter. Amber and red ales lean further into the malt side: think caramel sweetness and toasty grain with moderate hops. Fort Point's Westfalia, a Nuremberg-inspired red ale, is a Bay Area example worth knowing.
Stouts and Porters
Both use darkly roasted malts that produce flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, and sometimes smoke. A rough distinction:
- Porter: Generally lighter-bodied, with roasted grain and chocolate notes.
- Stout: Often fuller-bodied and creamier. Dry stouts have a roasted barley bitterness; milk stouts add lactose for sweetness; imperial stouts push alcohol and intensity high.
On draft, a nitro stout pours with a cascading, creamy head — one reason these are worth ordering at the tap.
Wheat Beers
Wheat beers use a significant proportion of wheat alongside barley malt. German hefeweizens are the classic: hazy, lightly sweet, with banana and clove notes from the yeast. Belgian witbiers add coriander and orange peel for a spiced, refreshing pour. American wheat ales lean lighter and more neutral. All are particularly good in warm weather.
Sour Ales
Sour beers ferment with wild yeast strains or bacteria (like Lactobacillus) that produce lactic acid. Almanac Beer Co. out of Alameda has built a reputation in this space, particularly for fruit-forward sours. Flavors range from tart and funky to brightly fruity. They pair well with food and can surprise people who assume all beer is bitter.
Lagers Worth Knowing
Most people drink lagers without thinking about it. But within the family there's real range:
- Pilsner: Pale, crisp, and clean with a light hop bitterness. Czech and German versions differ in character but share easy drinkability.
- Märzen/Oktoberfest: Amber lager with a toasty, bready malt character and moderate alcohol.
- Dunkel: Dark lager with chocolate and bread notes — the depth of a dark beer with the clean finish of a lager.
- Kölsch: Technically an ale fermented cold like a lager, Kölsch sits in a hybrid zone: crisp and clean with a hint of fruitiness. Fort Point's KSA is a Bay Area take on the style.
Finding Your Next Beer
A simple shortcut: if you usually drink light lagers, try a Kölsch or wheat beer next. If you like those, move to a pale ale. From pale ales, IPAs are a short step. Stouts and sours occupy their own corners — worth exploring when you want something more complex alongside a meal or a quiet evening.
Mike's carries a rotating selection across all these styles — local Fort Point, Almanac, and Drake's alongside well-known domestics and imports. Browse our beer collection online, or stop by the store on Mission St. in the Excelsior. Buying for a party or office event? Our keg selection puts any of these styles on draft. We also carry ciders and seltzers for guests who want something different.
What's the difference between an IPA and a pale ale?
Both are hop-forward ales, but IPAs use more hops and have higher bitterness. Pale ales are a gentler starting point if IPAs feel too intense.
Is a stout always high in alcohol?
Not necessarily. A classic dry Irish-style stout runs around 4–5% ABV — actually quite moderate. Imperial stouts push much higher, but the style as a whole covers a wide range.
Can I order a keg of a specific craft style like a hazy IPA?
Yes. Mike's carries kegs from local and national craft breweries across a range of styles. Check our keg selection or reach out — we can often source specific beers for events and offices.