Stella Artois (Belgium)
Stella Artois is a pilsner-style beer that hails from the city of Leuven in Belgium. It has a rich golden color and a refreshing, balanced flavor, with hop aroma and subtle bitterness. The beer is named “Stella” after the Latin word for star and “Artois” after Sebastian Artois, the brewer who founded the brewery in 1366. Stella Artois is one of the most popular beers in Europe, selling over 10 million hectoliters per year and serving as an inspiration to many other European breweries. The 5% abv also makes this a great session beer.
Heineken (Netherlands)
Heineken is one of the world’s largest brewers, originally founded in Amsterdam in 1873 by Gerard and Henry Heineken. The company started off producing pale lager beer, but now produces a wide variety of beers ranging from blonde ales to dark lagers. Heineken’s flagship beer is its eponymous light lager, which has a distinctively crisp taste thanks to its barley malt and Saaz hops. It also has a light body and 5% ABV.
Carlsberg (Denmark)
Carlsberg is one of the oldest breweries in Europe; it was founded by brewer J.C Jacobsen in Copenhagen back in 1847. One of the company’s most popular beers is its namesake Pilsner-style lager that features loads of crispy malts with just enough bitterness on the finish to balance out its sweetness perfectly. It has an abv of 4%, making it perfect for sipping while relaxing after work or during social gatherings with friends/family on special occasions!
Amstel (Netherlands)
Amstel was first brewed at the Amstel Brewery near Amsterdam back in 1870; however, it wasn’t until much later that it became widely available worldwide due to technological advancements within brewing at large! Its signature drink is their light lager that reflects clear golden hues when poured into an appropriate glassware set-up. It tastes crisp yet smooth with notes of maltiness underneath all its deliciousness – proving why it has remained so popular throughout the years! Its abv comes slightly higher than Heineken at 5%.
Kronenbourg 1664 (France)
Kronenbourg 1664 is another famous European lager that originated from Alsace region of France back in 1664; however, production only began on a commercial scale later on once it joined forces with French brewing house Fischer Brewery before eventually being bought by Danish brewing giant Carlsberg group more recently. This authentic French brew presents itself as having a bright floral aroma which tantalizes its drinkers straight away – providing a great starting point for enjoyment! Further exploration yields lovely flavors reminiscent of sweet fruits and pale malts blended together for perfect harmony – all presentable within an easy drinking tasty drink that falls under 5% abv mark – making it ideal for those summer sessions!
Beer has been a popular beverage around the world for centuries and there is no shortage of incredible tasting beers across Europe. From Belgium’s famous Trappist beers to British ales and other unique varieties from all over the continent, the list of popular brews is quite extensive. Here we present a look at five of the most popular types of European beer outside of Germany – each with its own unique taste and characteristics. So, whether you’re an experienced connoisseur or just starting out on your beer journey, these European brews are sure to tantalize your taste buds.
Czech Pilsner
Originating in the town of Plzeň in the Czech Republic, this type of pale lager is now immensely popular throughout Europe. Czech pilsner has a light golden color with a thick creamy foam head and an unmistakable bitter-sweet smell. It is usually light bodied yet surprisingly flavorful, with tones of grassiness, hops, and citrus coming through in abundance. Czech pilsners tend to be between 4-5% ABV making them great for enjoying during social occasions.
Belgian Witbier
This classic Belgian wheat beer originates from the village of Hoegaarden where it was first brewed back in 1966 by Pierre Celis – widely regarded as being responsible for reviving this style within Belgian brewing culture. It displays a hazy yellow hue helps set it apart from its German cousins Weissbiers and also typically includes spices like coriander, orange peel, cardamom, grains or oats; depending on who’s brewing it! Being only 4-5% ABV makes it easy drinking but still retains plenty of character and complexity along with an incredibly refreshing mouthfeel that can quench even the strongest thirst!
English Bitter Ale
From Yorkshire to Kent to London, English Bitter Ales are enjoyed all across England but they can often be found elsewhere too! This copper-colored ale has a rich malt base that gives way to subtle aromas of caramel, biscuit maltiness and gentle fruitiness with just enough bitterness for balance – particularly when enjoyed at cellar temperature (around 5°C). With alcohol content ranging from 3-6%, English Bitter Ales offer moderate strength with maximum flavor!
Irish Red Ale
Irish Red Ale is one of Ireland’s oldest and most iconic styles deriving from Dublin brewers like Arthur Guinness & Sons Ltd back in 1759. It features a deep red hue created using dark malts like roasts and crystal which adds sweetness while balancing out grainy/ bready tones lending itself well to robust smoked meats or cheeses; making it perfect for BBQ season! The malty profile balances out perfectly against floral hop notes whilst being moderate on alcohol averaging around 4–5%. This ensures maximum enjoyment without any compromises on taste!
French Farmhouse Ale
Since as far back as Medieval times farmers living in parts France have traditionally produced seasons’ know them today as ‘farmhouse ales’! These beers offer complex flavors due fermenting wild yeast offering up fruity esters like stone fruits whilst slightly tart thanks use local ingredients like ornamental hay flowers or rosemary added post fermentation give additional herbal & woody notes creating truly unique flavors within each brew! With alcohol generally ranging between 6–7%, whilst offering plenty flavor & aroma these French farmhouse ales are excellent accompaniment meals; although they never last long enough so best consumed fresh off tap enjoy all character they offer up!!