I like craft beer, but I’ll admit that some beer descriptions set off my pretension meter, “Earthy, with ripe lavender undertones and a hint of rutabaga.” Come on.
But it’s worthwhile to have a handle on the basics of beer flavors. Beer styles can be confusing. One brewery’s IPA isn’t necessarily like another’s. This quick guide, based on Greg Engert’s beer flavor profile system, lists the seven basic beer flavors and the typical styles associated with them.
I found this guide in a great article on Citylab, The Non-Beer Snob’s Guide to Ordering at a Craft Beer Bar.