THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEER.  HERE ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF A FEW

Pilsner   Generally a pale golden color, a dry, crisp balance of barley & hops, can be somewhat bitter.  It is actually a type of lager.  90% of the beer consumed in the U.S. is pilsner.


Ale   brewed at warmer temperatures, generally higher in alcohol, fuller body & complexity.


Lager  brewed at cooler temps, less alcohol content in general, less complex, can be dry.


IPA  India Pale Ale.  Stronger & hoppier.  The acids in the hops acted as a preservative on the long boat journey from England to the colonies in India. American IPA's are usually amber-colored and have more malty flavor.


Scottish Ale  darker, maltier, less carbonation.  Color, maltiness and overall strength are measured in a 60-80 Schilling scale.  Anything stronger than 80 is called "wee heavy".  We have a beer by O'dell's which is called "90 Schilling", perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek.  Strong Scotch ale will generally be dark brown, high in alcohol, probably slightly smoky in character.

Belgian Ale  There are a lot of styles of Belgian ale.  The best are malty with low hops, usually aromatic, can have spicy overtones.


Porter  Named after the Porter's at London's Victoria Station, who would blend different beers in one glass.  It has less bitterness, and it can have a chocolaty flavor. 


Stout  A porter with more alcohol & barley.  It can be slightly more bitter.  It is often darker, maltier & hoppier as well.

Hefeweisen (Wheat Beer)  Can be very light in flavor, good on draft with a slice of lemon!


   We stock a number of local four corners beers, including Durango Brewing, Ska & Steamworks.  AND we now have Pagosa Brewing products in stock!