The Irish have a long and deep relationship with alcohol. Of course, they have their whiskey, which is the generic name for a strong liquor that contains grain, water, and yeast that has fermented and aged. However, while Irish whiskey is quite well-known, their beer is probably even more popular, especially outside the country. Many Americans enjoy drinking Irish beer, particularly on St. Patrick’s Day (despite the fact that he wasn’t Irish, or named Patrick, or a beer drinker per se), but many of the bottled brews consumed in the U.S. of A. are not entirely from the land of Erin.

There are two kinds of beers, in general: lagers and ales. Basically, lagers or lighter and ales are darker or heavier. Stout, which is the type of beer that Guinness is, is probably one of the more popular kinds of beer in Ireland. Stout is a type of ale, in a manner of speaking. Here are some of the most popular Irish beer brands.

BEAMISH STOUT

Compared to Guinness, Beamish is similar with its dark, chocolaty texture. However, it has a bit of a lighter body and a little more spice in the bite. With sweet flavorings of caramel and even hints of coffee, there is definitely a balance to the bitter, hoppy finish, which is quite characteristic of all good stouts.

GUINESS DRAUGHT

Often called the “milkshake of beers” and a “meal in a bottle,” this, the most famous Irish beer of all, has a distinctively sweet and creamy flavor that is incomparable and inescapable. The roasted malt flavor lends to a hint of chocolate in a rich and creamy, full-bodied brew that is best when served straight out of the chilled bottle. The “perfect pint” is a pouring technique that the company claims should take exactly 119.53 seconds, if you like your beer off the tap.

MURPHY’S IRISH STOUT

Rounding out Ireland’s “Big Three,” Murphy’s is the lightest and sweetest of the most popular Irish beer brands. The flavor is best described as: frothy chocolate milk topped with a double shot of espresso and finished with a one-inch thick head of caramel-infused cream. Because of its lighter and sweeter essence, it is commonly considered to be the “dessert” to the aforementioned “meal in a bottle.”

HARP LAGER

You can easily find this one in pubs and bars across the world. If you are looking for an Irish beer with similar integrity as the hefty stouts, but with a much more forgiving presence, this could be the one for you. It is a crisp, summery lager that is slightly bitter on the tongue but finishes smooth and solid. Harp Lager is often the “tan” ingredient in a “black & tan.”

KINSALE IRISH LAGER

Named for the town in which this Irish beer is brewed, Kinsale Irish Lager boasts a relationship to one of the oldest breweries in the country. Golden in color with a fast-fading bitterness at the start, the light floral undertones of this well-carbonated lager might take you back to another time in history; the 17th century to be exact.

Anyone who’s sat at a bar and had a beer will tell you that there are many different types of beer. Just as wine comes in a variety of flavors, so does beer. There are light beers and dark beers and imported and domestic beers. Even the way they are served can be a dramatic difference, giving beer drinkers the choices of draft, bottled, or canned.

As the beer is made, it will contain key ingredients. Water, yeast, hops, and malted barley are combined to give you beer. As you change one of these ingredients to a slightly different version, you’ll get a slightly different beer.

Lager

The yeast used in lager is known as bottom fermenting. This kind of yeast produces a less alcoholic beer and needs colder temperatures during the fermentation process. Lagers are lighter in color and less complex. Of the different types of beer, most beers sold in the US are lagers.

Ale

Ales use a different kind of yeast than a lager. Different types of beer use different types of yeast and in the case of ale, the yeast used is top fermenting. As a result of this kind of yeast, it requires a warmer temperature and will have a slightly higher percentage of alcohol. Ales will be fuller and more complex than a lager as well.

Within the category of ale are the porters and stouts. These are made with dark malts and are therefore dark in color, like a Guinness. A porter and stout are very similar and were first used in the 18^th century. Typically a stout is considered a double porter.

Specialty Beer

There is no rhyme or reason when making specialty beer. This is when people can truly get creative, adding virtually anything to make a unique flavor. Candy, chocolate, spices, juice, and anything else that one can get their hands on can be added to the beer. Many home brewing kits will typically be categorized as specialized beer because your average beer drinker can’t control themselves when they’re allowed the freedom for adding ingredients and making all different types of beer.

The Vessel

The different types of beer also produce a different flavor as they are served via draft or in a can or bottle. Many believe that the truest way to drink the beer is by draft because it is freshly poured. Next is the glass bottle because the glass doesn’t change the flavor that the brewery had intended. Finally is the can. While it is often the most cost-efficient way of drinking beer, many avid beer drinkers feel that the aluminum taints the flavor.

Beer comes in almost every shade from virtually clear to golden yellow to almost black. As the color changes, so does the flavor. Changing the yeast or the malted barley will change the richness and the category of the beer. As beer is made in every country, each one will taste a little different. No matter where in the world the beer was made, it will use the same four basic ingredients but can have a completely different flavor.