Craft Beer Types You’ll Find in New England

New England’s craft beer scene is a vibrant tapestry of flavors, showcasing a diverse range of beer styles that capture the essence of innovation and tradition. At the forefront is the renowned New England IPA (NEIPA), celebrated for its hazy appearance, low bitterness, and bursting tropical fruit flavors. The region also embraces the art of lager crafting, offering a spectrum from traditional German styles to crisp pilsners, embodying a commitment to meticulous brewing.

Porters and stouts take center stage in colder seasons, with local breweries crafting rich and robust options featuring indulgent notes of chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt. Sour ales, including Berliner Weisse and Gose, demonstrate New England’s penchant for tart and refreshing brews, while farmhouse ales and saisons draw inspiration from Belgian traditions, delivering complexity through spices, fruity yeast strains, and a nuanced malt blend.

In the realm of American Pale Ales (APA), New England adds its twist, striking a harmonious balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Barley wines, bold and high in alcohol content, find a home in the region, providing aficionados with sipping-worthy, age-worthy delights. Fruit-infused beers bring an extra layer of creativity, with blueberry ales, raspberry stouts, and citrus-infused IPAs showcasing the brewers’ imaginative flair.

The craft beer landscape in New England is not merely a collection of beverages; it’s an ever-evolving narrative of experimentation and artistry. Breweries in the region continually push boundaries, ensuring that enthusiasts can embark on a perpetual journey of discovery through the unique and evolving flavors crafted in the heart of New England.

New England IPA (NEIPA): This hazy and juicy style of IPA has become an icon of the region, known for its tropical fruit flavors, low bitterness, and a hazy appearance.

Lager Styles: Craft breweries in New England often produce various lager styles, including traditional German-style lagers, pilsners, and amber lagers, showcasing a commitment to quality and precision in brewing.

Porter and Stout: Rich and robust, New England breweries excel in crafting flavorful porters and stouts. These beers often feature notes of chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt, perfect for colder seasons.

Sour Ales: Embracing the trend of sour and wild ales, many New England breweries produce a variety of sour beer styles, including Berliner Weisse, Gose, and barrel-aged sour ales, offering a refreshing and tart experience.

Farmhouse Ales: Inspired by Belgian traditions, farmhouse ales, including saisons and farmhouse IPAs, are brewed with a mix of spices, fruity yeast strains, and a complex malt bill, creating unique and refreshing profiles.

American Pale Ale (APA): A classic style with a New England twist, APAs from the region often showcase a balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness, providing a more approachable option for beer enthusiasts.

Barleywine: Many New England breweries produce barley wines, offering bold and malt-forward beers with high alcohol content, perfect for sipping and aging.

Fruit-Infused Beers: Brewers in New England experiment with adding fruits to their beers, resulting in delightful combinations like blueberry ales, raspberry stouts, and citrus-infused IPAs.