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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Now we’re stylin’

Rick Bonino

Once upon a time, when this blog began back in September, we planned to include a beer style guide based on offerings from local breweries.

That still might happen, if things ever slow down enough for us to catch our breath. But in the meantime, the Brewers Association has come up with a nifty new online guide that tells you everything you need to know about beer styles in general, and then some.

The guide at Craftbeer.com covers 77 major styles, from American amber ale to Vienna-style lager and everything in between.

Click on each one, and you learn all about the beer’s characteristics – appearance, flavor/aroma, sensations, ingredients, typical bitterness and alcohol content – as well as suggested glassware, serving temperature and food pairings, and a few commercial examples (none from Spokane, of course).  

You can sort them in the “style finder” based on color, bitterness, alcohol and specifics about their hop and malt character, and get recommendations for styles similar to ones you like.

There’s also an introductory video covering beer basics, an extensive text-based study guide and a detailed tasting sheet to help you geek out.