The Czech Republic may be the world's greatest per capita beer consumer, but even the biggest beer fans here often don't know what it is they're consuming. Unlike wines, which are categorized primarily by type of grape and region of production, beers are categorized by styles, with set methods much like recipes.

Thus, in order to understand Czech beer, it helps to know the style in which it's made. Here's an overview of what's in your mug.

Pilsner

Though the term is used around the world, in this country there is just one: Pilsner Urquell. Characterized by a deep golden-amber color and a rich, sugary malt body, Urquell has a strong hoppy bitterness in the finish from a healthy dose of Czech hops from Žatec, aka Saaz. As the original, Urquell remains the default standard for most Czech beers today. Urquell has moderate alcohol, just 4.4 percent, compared to the 5 percent content of other European beers made in a similar style. The remaining sugars that are not turned into alcohol contribute to the body's richness. Many drinkers used to watery lagers may find it too heavy, although it's clearly just as heavy as it's supposed to be.

Pilsner-style lager

Some 95 percent of Czech beers are pilsner-style lagers imitating Urquell to a greater or lesser degree, primarily in the amount of malt body (many of the best actually have even more malt and more corresponding hops). When such beers have less body, they require less hops to balance the malt sugar with bitterness. If they go too far in that direction, they are no longer within the parameters of the Czech (sometimes called "Bohemian pilsner") style. A Czech beer judge once told me that by the standards of Czech brewing, you could argue that Gambrinus is actually a German pilsner.

Dark lager

Most of the remaining beers — and the fastest-growing export segment — are dark lagers, meaning beers produced with the same yeast and similar techniques as pilsner-style beers, but with a larger portion of dark-roasted chocolate malt and less hops. They're generally around 5 percent alcohol, dark amber to nearly black in color with a sandy head and more sweetness in the mouth, often with coffee and chocolate notes, and far less hops than pilsner-style brews.

"Garnet" or amber lager

Staropramen brought back this century-old brew for the new millennium. It has since caught on with other brewers. Unlike pilsner-style brews (made with extremely soft water), these beers can be made with moderately hard water and higher carbonate content. Extremely clear and reddish amber in color, it's closest to the Vienna lager invented in the 19th century by master brewer Anton Dreher, with 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent alcohol, a lightly toasted taste and some serious malt complexity followed by a balanced hop finish.

Strong lager

Strong lagers here are all anomalies, as there is no regulatory definition for "strong beer," only the term "speciál," used for anything over 5.5 percent alcohol. However, since all of the country's strong beers are lagers, Czech strong lagers can be compared to German bock ("ram") beers; some producers here refer to their brews as "beran" or "ram." These can be light or dark, depending on the kind of malt used, and commonly range from 6 percent to 10 percent alcohol and beyond. Hop aroma is low to nonexistent. Hop flavor is similarly reduced, especially in the dark versions.

Wheat beer

Though the Czech lands were once famous for wheat beers, today just Herold and Primátor sell pšeničné pivo in bottles. Vanilla, clove and banana notes are common in the aroma. Wheat can make up 50 percent or more of the grist, creating a very light body with very little hop flavor and bitterness, though a crisp yeasty tartness is present. At 4.3 percent to 5.6 percent alcohol, this is one of the few Czech beers produced with top-fermenting (ale) yeast.

Yeast beer

What is called kvasnicové pivo is generally just a standard pilsner-style lager with yeast added back into it after lagering. It's generally found only at breweries: Smíchov's Na verandách pub even serves a yeast version of Staropramen. Yeast beers have the same basic flavor profiles as pilsner-style beers, with an additional breadlike yeast scent to the nose and a refreshing tartness in the mouth.

Porter