There has never been a better time to be a beer lover. With more than 2,400 breweries in the United States alone, beer aisles are expanding with new and exciting styles of beer.

Along with the availability of more styles come new terms brewers use to describe their products. Navigating the beer aisle can be intimidating unless you know a few key terms. Over the coming months, we’ll explore those terms.

First up: ales and lagers.

These are categories of beer that are distinct primarily because of the yeast used in the brewing process.

Yeast plays an important role in beer-making because it is the source of how alcohol, carbonation and distinct flavors are produced.

There are many styles of beer within the categories of ales and lagers, each with its own taste, aroma and appearance.

ALES

Ale yeast, which ferments at warmer temperatures, typically produces flavors that range from fruity to very clean, meaning there is almost no flavor. Ales can be dark and rich (like stouts and porters) as well as bitter (India pale ales) and fruity and spicy (like many Belgian beers).

Explore the world of ales with these beers that fall on opposite ends of the flavor spectrum:

» Coronado Idiot Imperial IPA (India pale ale), a full-bodied ale bursting with bright grapefruit and tangerine flavors and aromas. Brewed with a generous amount of citrusy American hops, it leaves a soft and sweet bitterness on your palate after each sip.

» Traquair House Ale Wee Heavy is a luscious ale brewed in Scotland. Dark brown and full of toasted bread, toffee and butterscotch flavors, this ale is fermented in oak barrels and aged for weeks before being bottled.

LAGERS

Lager-style beers are common in the beer aisle and are dominated by the American lager (Coors, Miller and Bud Light are a few). But there are many more styles, and the flavor range is vast. Slightly sweet and bread-flavored bocks are distinctive from crisp and slightly bitter pilsners.

Lager yeast, which ferments at cooler temperatures than ale yeast, imparts little to no flavor. Lagers are typically clear because they are stored cold (or lagered) for many weeks to help define their clarity. Most of the flavor in lagers comes from the malt (grains) or hops (plants) used in the brewing process.

» Try Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock for a sweet and full-bodied lager. Brewed in Germany, this beer has a deep mahogany color and aromas of toasted bread and sweet molasses. Often referred to as a meal in a glass, it is incredibly smooth and worthy of sipping. Flavors of caramel and dark sugars dominate along with hints of chocolate.

» I’m a huge fan of beers with an alcohol content of 5 percent or less because you can enjoy a few without feeling a strong impact from the alcohol. Samuel Adams Double Agent IPL (India pale lager) comes in at 5 percent but packs a full hop flavor. This one is loaded with American hops that give it a solid bitterness and spicy, piney and grapefruit flavors and aromas.

Check back next month for more craft beer terms that will help you make good choices as you peruse the beer aisle.

BEER EVENT

To sample a variety of delicious beers, many not normally found in Hawaii, check out the Real Beer Festival on Saturday in the parking lot across Ward 16 Theatres (1031 Auahi St.) from 2 to 6:30 pm.

Tickets are $64.29 and include a commemorative mug, eight 4-ounce pour tickets, unlimited food and live entertainment. Visit realbeerfestival.eventbrite.com.

———

Tim Golden shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly in the Star-Advertiser food section. See his blog, "Beer in Hawaii," at www.beerinhawaii.com.