How Many Types of Beer Are There for Restaurants?

You don’t have to visit beer-loving Germany or Colorado craft brew country to understand that there are probably more shades of this bubbly beverage than the average person might reasonably drink in a lifetime. If you’re trying to create diverse beer pairings to go with a summer menu, fall flavors or anything in between, choosing many types of beers for restaurants and bars can be a bit overwhelming.

How to Choose Beer to Serve at Your Restaurant?

So, how do you pick the best options to please your patrons and boost profits for your eatery? There are two things you need to consider when choosing your beer menu:  Flavor profile and ABV. For the latter, you should shoot for standard beer ABV, about 5% for a single drink, as well as options that are slightly above and slightly below the average. In terms of flavor, there are several notes you’ll want to hit, including light and fruity for the tepid beer drinkers in the room, hoppy for the beer aficionados, sour for the funkier crowd, nutty for those who like a little more substance and roasted for anyone who needs a hefty dose of flavor.

After that, you’ll want to experiment with a couple of off-the-wall options, like sweet or spicy, for seasoned samplers that are seeking something new. How does this equate to practical purchases? Of the beer types you can choose from, here are several that will help you to round out your drink menu and gain the best opportunity to please every palate.

1. German Hefeweizen/Belgian Witbier

Even if you don’t run a breakfast establishment, a light, breakfast beer is one to consider. This is perfect not only for a featherweight drinking crowd, but also because it pairs beautifully with more delicate dishes like chicken, mild fish, salad, soup, and so on.

Made primarily with wheat, these brews tend to be bright, fruity, and non-offensive to occasional drinkers and seasoned palates alike.

2. Pale Ale

Up until the 18^th century, dark beers were pretty much the only game in town for the Western world. Then English brewers started using low-smoke fuel to roast their malt, resulting in pale, golden beer.

This makes for an excellent balance of hoppy and malty flavors. Sometimes, they feature a dry, citrusy slant that goes with just about anything, from grilled chicken salad or clam chowder to burgers or bananas foster.

3. IPA

You might naturally wonder how India pale ale (IPA) differs from other pale ales. In a word: Hops!

The history goes something like this – when the British colonized India, the balmy weather was not conducive to pale ale production, and regular brews were going skunky on the six-month boat trip from England to India.

A brewer named Hodgson doubled down on hops to solve the problem and IPAs were born. These flavorful brews go great with spice and are particularly well suited to sipping with curry. Street tacos are also a natural pairing.

4. Amber Ale

For a malty finish that appeals to most palates, you can’t go wrong with a medium-tone amber ale, which is darker and less dry than pale ale and significantly less hoppy than IPA.

Like pale ale, this modestly sweet and nutty brew pairs with just about anything, from spicy to savory to sweet fare. If you’re looking for something slightly heartier, but in the same vein, a brown ale could sub in easily.

5. Lager/Pilsner

Fermented at low temperatures, this light-colored brew is perhaps the most drinkable of any beer type, mainly because it lacks overwhelming notes of both malt and hops that tend to dominate other brews.

For reference, Bud/Budweiser, Coors, Miller, and a range of other popular, mainstream offerings fall under the lager category. But the cool kids will choose a craft pilsner (with a hint of hoppy bite) to elevate their establishment. Again, this pairs well with virtually anything on the whole menu.

6. Stout

Made with roasted barley (which gives it a signature chocolate/coffee appeal), these dark brews are about as flavorful as you can get with a straight beer. They feature both heavy malt and hops notes. As you might guess, they pair best with heavier food choices, from red meats to pungent cheeses to dark chocolate desserts.

7. Sour

An acquired taste, to be sure, sour beers gain their mouth-puckering character from the use of wild bacteria and yeast during brewing, as well as fruit, in some cases. They go best with salty or umami flavors, from cured meats and pungent cheeses to buttery, lemon-splashed seafood.

8. Cider

Nothing — and we mean nothing — goes better with a savory pork chop or charcuterie plate than a tart, refreshing cider. If your establishment thrives on appetizers or small plate sales, a sweet and invigorating cider offers the perfect palatal balance to salty fare.

Some ciders also have a slightly lower ABV than other beer options, making them more suitable to pair with smaller servings. Of course, some hard ciders also rank higher in ABV — these are ideal for larger cuts of salty meat.

9. Hybrids

Why not go a little crazy and add some hybrid beers to the list? What differentiates hybrid beers from lagers or ales is the type of yeast used, the temperature it’s held at and the length of time it’s fermented. Hybrids can use any combination of these brewing methods to achieve a style of beer all of its own.

Some hybrid classifications include steam beer, cream ale, Kölsch, Altbier, California Common beer, American wheat or rye, fruit beers and more.

10. Porter

Porters are another pub favorite, falling between 4-6% ABV. They are dark in color and rich in flavor, defined by chocolate, caramel and toffee notes that pair well with hearty and robust food groups like meat, cheeses and desserts.

Porters are very similar to stout beers, with the main difference being malted barley is used more in porters as opposed to un-malted, roasted barley in stouts, lending to a milder yet sweeter flavor.

11. Helles

You can spot a Helles out of any lineup by its distinct bright, clear, pale yellow color. It’s a classic for any restaurant beer menu for its ability to pair well with a large range of foods due to its mild flavor, blending sweet, malty notes with a subtle bitter aftertaste. What’s more, it’s a traditional German beer, so it is a great addition to drive a crowd during Oktoberfest celebrations.

12. Local Beer

Although local beer could fall under any of the main categories above, it’s important to add a selection to your restaurant’s beer list. Perhaps only one thing customers love just as much as beer is supporting their local community, businesses and economy as opposed to multi-million or billion-dollar industries.

Local beers also often offer unique flavor profiles that can refresh beer drinker’s taste buds and offer relief from the flavor fatigue of their usuals. Not only are locally sourced options better for the environment and economy, but they can also be a selling point on menus, offering a distinct marketing advantage that can increase sales and keep customers coming back for a taste of pour they can get nowhere else.

13. Non Alcoholic Beers

Alcohol-free beers don’t usually come to mind when one thinks of going out for a drink, but the statistics might shock you. Non-alcoholic beer consumerism is skyrocketing, going from 0.6% in 2020 to a staggering 5.2% in 2023. Although it doesn’t rise anywhere near the majority of the beer-drinking population, it’s clear the trend is on the rise.

At any rate, even if non-alcoholic beer is not your fastest-moving stock, creating a diverse menu that caters to anyone who might walk through your doors – whether that be women who are pregnant, people with certain medical conditions or those abstaining for religious reasons. Having a few non-alcoholic options on the restaurant’s beer menu encourages people to stay longer with their companions who are indulging.