Leave the Coors and Bud Light back at the frat house. Pub crawls are for adventurous tastes and trying new things. It can be intimidating looking behind a bar and seeing a plethora of bar taps to choose from. Sometimes the tap can be vague and knowing what exactly you will be ordering is difficult. You could just choose one at random and hope for the best, or you could ask the bartender for help and they will hit you with, “What kind of beers do you like?” and you will most likely respond with the typical, “Ugh….surprise me!” This again is a shot in the dark because you may not have the same taste as the bartender.
Being a walking brewery and knowing every little detail about the delicious drink is not necessary but it does help to know the types of beer and what they taste like. We are going to discuss the main types of beer and their features and flavor components.
India Pale Ale
An easy go-to if you are not sure what you like is an India Pale Ale (IPA). IPA’s are a “hoppy” tasting beer meaning that they are going to have that bitter taste. As the name suggests, India Pale Ale beers are going to be lighter in color and contain a higher alcohol content so you will get more bang for your buck. IPA beers pair well with most foods and if you are attending a pub crawl where the staple foods are bar snacks, this type of beer is a great compliment. Some typical IPA’s that will be on draft are Samuel Adams (Rebel IPA), Dogfish Head (60 minute IPA) and Stone Brewing Co. (Stone IPA).
Lager
The largest selection of beers are going to be lagers. Lagers originated from Germany and have the main characteristic of being aged for several months or longer in near-freezing temperatures before being sold. Lagers, including pilsners, have a wide range of taste going from sweet beers to the more bitter tasting beers. Likewise, lagers have a range of colors and can be either light or dark. Typically, lagers will have a lower alcohol content so this is a good opportunity to try a variety and find the right taste for you. Some lagers to try out could include Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn lager), Magic Hat Brewing Co. (Vinyl) and Capital Brewery (Wisconsin Amber).
Stouts and Porters
Stouts and porters are famously known for their dark black coloring. Porters are a top fermenting style that will have a rich fruity flavor and a malt taste to it. Porters can have a sweet chocolaty taste to them and pair well with roasted foods and desserts. Stouts, on the other hand, will not have the sweet taste. They will have a creamy texture and contain a rich dark coloring due to the barley used. Stouts will have a coffee-like characteristic and pairs well desserts and roasted foods. Some notable beers include Guinness Ltd. (Guinness Extra Stout), Stone Brewing Co. (Smoke Porter) and Boulder Shake (Chocolate Porter).
Book your Las Vegas Pub Crawl today!