15 Must-Try Beers from Around the World

Pale lagers are the most-consumed beer variety in the world, but if you want to really appreciate this brew, it’s worth going back to where it all began: the Czech Republic. In 1842, Pilsner Urquell in Pilsen became the very first brewery to produce a pale lager. Today, the landmark brewery is still making its pilsner in the traditional way, which can be seen on a behind-the-scenes tour of its historic brewhouse. Tours typically include tasters, so you can savor the butterscotch-like malt flavors and zippy bitterness to see why pilsner continues to captivate drinkers around the world.

IPA has long been synonymous with the US’s craft beer movement, but before the rise of the now famous New England variety, there was the West Coast IPA. Pioneered by Californian breweries such as Russian River and Sierra Nevada, the style is traditionally made with C hops such as Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade, which lend a bracing bitterness atop citrus and pine resin notes. From the Sonoma Valley and San Francisco all the way down to San Diego, brewery tours are a great way to try a variety of West Coast IPAs on their home turf.

Belgium boasts dozens of its very own beer styles, from Trappist triples and quadrupels to saisons and blondes. But if there’s one drink that best represents the country’s brewing ingenuity, it’s lambic. Made for centuries in the Zenne Valley region near Brussels, lambic is a spontaneously fermented beer, sometimes made with fruit, and known to be tart, lively, and complex. Learn more about this long-standing brewing tradition on a Brussels beer tour and be sure to fit in a glass of gueuze—a double-fermented, age-blended lambic variety—along the way.

Germany’s brewing heartland of Bavaria is best known for its helles and pilsners, but the often-overlooked hefeweizen also deserves a toast. Literally meaning yeast wheat, this malted wheat brew is typified by a hazy appearance, creamy mouthfeel, and fluffy head of foam. Add in distinctive yeast characteristics, varyingly described as tasting like cloves, banana, and bubble gum, and you have one refreshing brew. Try it for yourself on a beer crawl around Munich, Bavaria’s state capital.

This hybrid beer may still be in its infancy, but it’s already making a big impression on drinkers from around the world. Directly influenced by Italy’s millennia-old winemaking traditions, grape ales can be made in a variety of ways using a variety of grapes, yet are all characterized by a distinctive and prominent vinous quality. Seek out these boundary-pushing beers in cultural hubs such as Rome or Tuscany, taking advantage of local brewery tours to learn more about Italy’s craft beer scene.

Though often derided as simply warm brown beer, England’s best bitter is tastiest when treated properly as a real ale, meaning it’s conditioned in the cask and served traditionally, without any extra gas pressure. Despite what the name suggests, these beers are rarely excessively bitter—rather, they’re typically malt-led, with flavor profiles that range from toffee and biscuits to marmalade. For the full English experience, head to a historic pub, order a pint, and nestle into a comfy corner to people-watch in peace.

Related: Pubs with History: London's Most Unusual Drinking Dens

Guinness is Ireland’s best-known beer and the best-known example of the Irish stout style. Any good Irish stout pours like black velvet and boasts roasty depths with notes of coffee or chocolate. Perhaps surprisingly, the style tops out at 4.5 percent ABV, making it ideal for session drinking, so whether you make a pilgrimage to the Guinness Storehouse or diving straight in on a Dublin pub tour, you’re free to indulge in a few pints.

Related: Pubs with History: 7 of Dublin's Most Storied Drinking Dens

One of the most obscure styles on this list, Finland’s sahti is among the oldest varieties of beer still brewed today. A farmhouse ale that was historically made on rural homesteads but is now also brewed commercially, sahti is a variable style that can range from light to dark in hue. It often features banana notes and is generally filtered through juniper branches, lending the drink a distinctly Finnish bitter-sweetness. If you’re keen to learn more about Finland’s unique culinary culture, look out for food and drink tours in Helsinki and beyond.

Global brands including Modelo and Corona dominate Mexico’s beer reputation, but there’s far more to the country’s brewing culture than those big names. Indigenous brewers have been making drinks such as tejuino—a malted corn beer—for thousands of years, while 19th-century German settlers brought their own brewing techniques to the mix. Today, a new crop of craft brewers blend these histories under the broad tent of "Mexican lager," a refreshing style typically made with flaked corn. Embark on a brewery bus trip from Puerto Vallarta or take a craft beer tour around Tijuana to taste the local varieties for yourself.

Given the Baltic’s long, dark winters, it’s no wonder the region developed such warming porters: the rich, chocolatey, and high-strength beers are still a welcome tonic in the cold. After British-brewed stouts arrived here in the 18th century, the generally sweeter and less roasty Baltic porter arose indigenously, brewed from local ingredients and lager yeast. Today, beer-loving Estonia is particularly known for its porters—hop on a beer tour to get acquainted with Tallinn’s tastiest offerings.

One of Scotland’s most celebrated styles and brewed here since the 18th century, a wee heavy packs a surprising punch. Typically dark, malt-driven, chewy, and high in alcohol, it’s served in small, or "wee" measurements to account for its potency. As cozy as a wool sweater in winter, the beer represents an important chapter in Scottish brewing history. Immerse yourself in the past and enjoy present-day samples on a beer history tour in Edinburgh.

Developed around the 14th century in western Poland, Grodziskie is typically made with 100 percent malted wheat, no barley required. But unlike its cloudy cousin hefeweizen, the beer is refined and filtered, leading to a more pilsner-like clarity and carbonation. That comparison stops at the taste, however, because this oat-smoked style has a flavor that’s all its own. Today, Grodziskie is seen as a quintessential Polish craft beer—learn more on a pub tour in Wroclaw or sample more national varieties in Warsaw.

New Zealand is known for its wine, but it’s also an essential destination for craft beer lovers. The southerly country is one of the top hop-producers in the world, with native varieties like Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Wai-iti widely celebrated for their vinous characteristics and striking lime, gooseberry, and spice notes. Those flavors are all showcased in the New Zealand pilsner, a newer style that’s delightfully hop-forward. Embark on a wide-ranging brewery tour of Queensland to discover for yourself what the fuss is about.

Often described as Australia’s only native beer style, sparkling ale originated with just one beer: Coopers Sparkling Ale. The family-owned Adelaide brewery first produced the drink in 1862, but it’s gone on to develop a whole style of its own. Today, sparkling ale is considered superficially similar to English pale ales, though its Australian ingredients and distinctive fermentation character also draw comparisons with Belgian saisons. No matter what, sparkling ale is always refreshing and climate-appropriate, making it a must-try during a trip Down Under.

Fruit sours are popular around the world, but nowhere makes them quite like Brazil. The Catharina sour was born in the mid 2010s in Santa Catarina state, the result of a collaboration project between home and professional brewers challenged with using local ingredients. Stronger than well-known varieties such as Berliner Weisse, these beers really stand out thanks to the variety of fresh fruits they feature: from popular tropical tastes including mango and guava to more obscure ingredients such as caju, taperebá, and carambola, international drinkers have the chance to encounter totally new flavor profiles in each bottle.