I tell them if you think you don't like beer, it's because you haven't found the one you like. A person who says all beer is the same is either a dunce or a wine-industry operative.

Beer is generally divided into two categories, based on its fermentation.

Ales are fermented at warmer temperatures for short periods with yeast that works from the top. This method tends to impart more distinct flavors that may be either fruity or spicy.

Lagers are fermented at cooler temperatures for longer periods with yeast that works at the bottom. Lagers tend to have a crisp, clean taste.

These two categories contain dozens of styles and substyles.

Ale

Barleywine. Not a wine, but a very strong dark beer with an intense, fruitlike, malt and hop balance. Example: Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine.

Belgian-style double. Rich, somewhat sweet with fruitlike aroma. Example: Flying Fish Belgian-style Dubbel.

Belgian-style golden. Complex, somewhat sweet and quite strong. Example: Victory Golden Monkey.

Brown ale. Roasty, nutty and dark, with a light body. Example: Troegs Rugged Trail.

Double IPA. Pumped-up India Pale Ale, with more malt and an extreme hop presence, and higher alcohol. Example: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.

Extra Special Bitter (ESB). Medium hops bitterness with a noticeable malt presence. Example: River Horse Special Ale.

Fruit. Can be sweetened, but its better versions tend to be tart, a result of fermentation with wild yeast. Example: Dogfish Head Aprihop.

Hefeweizen. A classic German unfiltered, frothy wheat beer with a huge fruit or spice aroma. Example: Stoudt's Weizen.

Imperial stout. Huge, powerfully malty body with burnt, roasted flavor, high alcohol, ink-black color. Example. Victory Storm King.

India pale ale (IPA). Pale golden, with intense, herbal hop aroma and high bitterness. Example: Victory HopDevil.

Kolsch. An ale version of a pilsner. Example: General Lafayette Germantown Blonde.

Pale ale. Pale, crisp-tasting, often with grapefruitlike fruitiness. Example: Yards Philly Pale Ale.

Porter. Dark with a balanced bitterness. Example: George Washington's Tavern Porter (Yards).

Scottish ale. Copper-colored, sweet and rich; full body with low hops and some smokiness. Example: Appalachian Jolly Scot.

Stout. Can be dry (Irish stout) or sweet (cream stout); American versions tend to be almost chocolatey. Example: Stoudt's Black Dog Stout.

Weizenbock. A dark wheat beer with a spicy aroma and high alcohol. Example: Victory Moonglow.

White. A cloudy, easy drinking brew with citrus aroma. Example: Weyerbacher Blanche.

Wild ale. Beer that is intentionally infected with a "wild" yeast (Brettanomyces, aka "Brett"). Example: Dogfish Head Festina Peche.

Lager

American pale lager. Pale, fizzy and yellow, with a mild malt presence. Example: Stegmaier 1857.

Bock. Strong malt flavor with very light bitterness. Example: Lancaster Spring Bock.

Dortmunder. Clean, golden and crisp, with light bitterness and dry finish. Example: Iron Hill Lodestone Lager.

Double bock (doppelbock). Big, strong and malty. Example: Troegs Troegenator.

Dunkel. Rich and smooth, exceptionally drinkable. Example: Penn Dark.

Helles. The German answer to pilsner (it means bright), it is somewhat maltier. Example: Stoudt's Gold Lager.

Imperial pilsner. A new variety that's light in body but high in alcohol. Example: Dogfish Head Golden Era.

Maibock. A lighter version of bock with plenty of sweet, bready malt. Example: Stoudt's Blonde Double Mai Bock.

Marzen/Oktoberfest. Copper-colored, full-bodied and toasty. Example: Victory Festbier.

Pilsener. Bright, crisp and clear, with a floral aroma and floral hops. Example. Lancaster Gold Star Pilsner.

Vienna. Rich, toasted malt flavor. Example: Triumph Vienna Lager. *