Make Beer At Home

So many beers, so little time comes to mind when thinking about all the various types of beer. But why are there are so many different kinds of beer with such a variety of flavors when, for the most part, beer is brewed everywhere from similar materials? The uniqueness comes from the mineral content of the water used, the types of ingredients employed, and the difference in brewing methods. But mainly, there are two classical beer styles, ales and lagers. A beer is classified ale or a lager by the kind of yeast used during the fermentation process that transforms sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. One could argue the addition of a third group called specialty or hybrids that consist of a combination of brewing techniques and/or ingredients from both ales and lagers. Oh yeah, let's not forget about lambics either, which deserve their own group as well.