Here in North America, one of the most popular types of beers is the lager. The word lager comes from the German word “lagern”, which means “to store”. Lager beers are usually served at a cold temperature. Other types of beers are served at room temperature. Lager beer is made by aging in large kegs and allowing the yeast to settle. This makes for a beer that is crisp and has a delicate flavor and usually a lighter color as well. It takes a greater amount of time to make a lager beer than other beers since lagers are aged for longer. Stout beers differ from lagers and ales as well. Stout beers can be sweet or dry, made from oats such as wheat and corn, roasted malt barley, or flavored with sweeteners such as sugar. Porters have a distinct deep coloring and depth in taste - which often makes it the preferred drink to go with meat or fish. A traditional meal in Europe is one of of oysters and stout beer. Another popular kind of beer is bock. The beer gets its name from the German beer town of Einbeck. Bock beer is usually heavier than lager beer. Its dark color is due in part to the malts and methods used in the brewing process. Ales are a kind of beer that have unique characteristics common to all ales. Ales have a fruitiness to them, a small bit of acidity, and a bitter aftertaste that is not unpleasant. Ales take less time to brew than lagers and the aging time is slightly less. Ales, like Guiness, are served at warmer temperature than lagers, generally at room temperature. Beer has become increasingly popular around the world. Micro breweries are opening up more and more in every country across the world. Micro breweries across the country are a great way of sampling some of the more local beers of various regions. Microbreweries can offer customers exposure to the taste and culture of a local city and country, embodied in the beers they brew and make. Sometimes a beer will be referred to as a “dry” beer. This has to do with the amount of sugar left in the beer after the fermentation process. Dry beers are usually fermented for a longer period of time than other varieties so most of the sugar contained in the beer will turn into alcohol. In the end, this fermentation process produces a beer that is crisp tasting with minimal aftertaste.