Types of beer can look confusing when you first step into craft. Lager, ale, pilsner, witbier, IPA, stout, sour, cider, wheat beer, blonde. Suddenly, ordering one pint starts feeling like giving an exam you did not study for.
But beer is not meant to be intimidating.
At its heart, beer is about flavour, mood and the moment you are drinking in. Some beers are built for summer heat. Some belong to rainy evenings. Some are food-friendly all-rounders. Some are bold enough to start an argument at the table.
Drifters Brewing Company makes that world easier to explore by brewing styles that are familiar, flavourful and still full of craft character. So here is your guide to the top 10 types of beer, explained the Drifters way.
1. Lager: The clean classic
Lager is probably the most widely recognised beer style in the world. It is brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast and conditioned cold, which gives it a clean, crisp and refreshing finish.
Most people begin their beer journey with some form of lager because it is easy to drink and pairs well with almost everything. But a well-made craft lager is not boring. It is precise. There is nowhere to hide in a lager. If the brewing is rushed, you taste it.
Drifters Brewing Company brings this style alive through clean, crisp lagers that suit Mumbai heat, Pune evenings and Indian food beautifully.
Cold, clean, crisp. Follow the lager trail with Drifters Brewing Company.
2. Pilsner: The sharper lager
Pilsner is a type of lager, but with more snap. It originated in the Czech brewing tradition and is known for its golden colour, crisp body and refreshing hop bitterness.
Where a regular lager feels smooth and easy, a pilsner gives you a little more bite. It works well with salty snacks, fried food, cheese, pizza and anything that benefits from a clean, bitter finish.
For drinkers who want something familiar but more expressive, pilsner is a great next step. It is still refreshing, but it has more personality in the glass.
3. Wheat Beer: Soft, cloudy and refreshing
Wheat beers use a higher proportion of wheat along with barley, which gives them a softer body and often a cloudy appearance. They are smooth, easy and naturally suited to warm weather.
Depending on the style, wheat beers can carry notes of banana, clove, citrus, spice or orange peel. This makes them especially friendly for people who do not enjoy bitter beers.
Drifters Brewing Company’s wheat-style beers are made for long afternoons, brunches, spicy starters and anyone who wants flavour without heaviness.
4. Belgian White: Citrus, spice and summer energy
Belgian White, also known as witbier, is one of the most approachable types of beer in the craft world. It is usually brewed with wheat, orange peel and coriander, giving it a bright, zesty and lightly spiced flavour.
This style feels almost made for India. It handles heat well, pairs beautifully with spicy food and feels refreshing without being plain.
Drifters Brewing Company’s Belgian White is a strong example of why this style works so well in Mumbai and Pune. It is soft, citrusy, gently spiced and easy to keep returning to.
When the sun gets loud, let Belgian White do the cooling.
5. Blonde Ale: Smooth and easy-going
Blonde beers are light, smooth and balanced. They are usually less bitter than IPAs and more flavourful than mass-market lagers. Think of them as friendly craft beers for people who want something easy but not empty.
A blonde beer can carry gentle malt sweetness, light fruitiness and a clean finish. It is great for mixed groups because almost everyone can enjoy it.
Drifters Brewing Company’s Basmati Blonde gives this style an Indian twist, using Basmati rice to create a clean, aromatic and smooth beer that feels made for local weather and food.
6. IPA: Bold, hoppy and expressive
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, and it is one of the most famous craft beer styles in the world. IPAs are known for hops, which can bring bitterness, citrus, pine, tropical fruit, floral notes or resin-like sharpness.
Not all IPAs are the same. Some are bitter and dry. Some are juicy and hazy. Some are lighter and sessionable. What connects them is hop character.
Drifters Brewing Company’s West Coast IPA brings that sharper, cleaner hop profile with citrus and pine-like notes. It is the beer you pick when you want something bolder, especially with rich food, grilled dishes or spicy starters.
7. Hazy IPA: Juicy and modern
Hazy IPA, often linked with New England IPA, is a softer, fruitier take on the IPA world. It usually looks cloudy and tastes juicy, with tropical fruit notes and a smoother bitterness.
This style became popular because it made IPAs feel more approachable. You still get hop aroma and flavour, but without the harsh bitterness some people associate with traditional IPAs.
For modern craft beer drinkers, hazy IPAs are exciting because they feel fresh, expressive and very Instagram-friendly. But when brewed well, they are not just about looks. They are about texture, aroma and balance.
8. Stout: Dark, roasted and full of mood
Stout is the dark, dramatic side of beer. It is usually brewed with roasted malts, which can create flavours of coffee, cocoa, dark chocolate, toast and sometimes caramel.
Many people assume dark beer is always strong. That is not true. Some stouts are heavy and high in alcohol, but others are smooth, moderate and surprisingly easy to drink.
Drifters Brewing Company’s Cream Stout, also known as Milky Way, brings roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and toffee notes with a smooth lactose-infused body. It is the kind of beer that feels perfect for monsoon evenings, desserts and slow conversations.
When the rain starts, the stout knows what to do.
9. Strong Beer: Bigger, warmer and slower
Strong beer is not one single style, but a category of beers with higher alcohol and a fuller drinking experience. These beers usually carry more body, more malt presence and a warmer finish, making them better suited for slower sipping rather than quick rounds.
A good strong beer should not taste harsh. The alcohol should feel integrated, not aggressive. When brewed well, strong beer can bring notes of caramel, toast, spice, ripe fruit or rich malt sweetness.
Drifters Brewing Company’s Drifters 8.0 fits this space well. It is built for drinkers who want a stronger pour without losing balance or craft character. This is the beer you pick when the night is moving slowly, the food is rich and one good glass needs to do more than just refresh.
Strong beer is not about drinking faster. It is about giving the beer more time to speak.
10. Cider: Not beer, but part of the craft table
Technically, cider is not beer because it is made from fermented fruit juice, usually apples, rather than malted grain. But in the modern craft drinking world, cider often sits right beside beer on tap lists and in tasting flights.
Cider is crisp, fruity, lightly tart and very approachable. It works well for people who want something refreshing but do not enjoy beer’s malt or hop bitterness.
Drifters Brewing Company’s Apple Cider fits beautifully into this space. It is bright, fizzy and refreshing, making it ideal for brunches, sunny afternoons, spicy snacks and drinkers who want a fruit-forward craft option.
How to choose the right beer type
The easiest way to explore different types of beer is to start with your mood.
Want something simple and cold? Go lager.
Want something crisp with bite? Try pilsner.
Want soft and citrusy? Pick Belgian White.
Want bold flavour? Move to IPA.
Want rainy evening comfort? Order stout.
Want something playful and tart? Try a sour or cider.
That is the beauty of craft beer. You do not have to pick one favourite forever. The right beer changes with the weather, food, table and time of day.
Drifters Brewing Company gives you a way to explore that range without making beer feel complicated.
Final pour
The top 10 types of beer are not just categories on a menu. They are different ways of drinking, eating and enjoying time with people.
Lagers refresh. Pilsners sharpen. Wheat beers soften. Belgian Whites brighten. Blondes relax. IPAs wake things up. Hazy IPAs bring juice and aroma. Stouts slow the room down. Sours spark curiosity. Ciders open the door for fruit-forward drinkers.
And somewhere inside this map, every beer drinker finds their lane.
With Drifters Brewing Company, exploring these styles feels less like studying beer and more like following the Drift, one pour at a time.
FAQs
Q1. What are the main types of beer?
The main types of beer include lagers, ales, pilsners, wheat beers, Belgian whites, IPAs, stouts, sours, blondes and ciders.
Q2. Which beer type is best for beginners?
Lagers, Belgian Whites and blonde beers are best for beginners because they are smooth, refreshing and easy to drink.
Q3. Which beer type is strongest in flavour?
IPAs, stouts and sours usually have stronger flavour profiles, with hops, roasted malts or tart acidity leading the taste.
Q4. Is cider a type of beer?
No. Cider is made from fermented fruit juice, usually apples, but it is often served alongside craft beers because it fits the same drinking occasion.
Q5. Which Drifters beer should I try first?
Start with Belgian White, Basmati Blonde or Mexican Crisp if you want something approachable. Try West Coast IPA or Cream Stout when you want bolder flavour.