Though beer is produced throughout the world, there are a few regions--mostly European--who blazed the brewing trail and set the standards.

Belgium Beer production began in Belgian monasteries over the Middle Ages, and the tradition has continued and multiplied in the formation of over 1,000 different beers. Presentation is very important to Belgian brewers; many beers are bottled, wired and corked with active yeast so that they may be laid down to mature further. Like wine, their beers are served in glasses ranging from flutes to goblets, depending on the beer. Belgian specialties include lambics, white beers, Trappist ales, and spicy golden brews.

Czech Republic It makes sense that the country with the highest consumption per capita of beer would have a long and involved history with the beverage. The two most prominent cities known for beer--Plzen and Ceske Budejovice (or Pilsen and Budweiser in German)--have brewed beer since the 13th century. Pilsners were first produced in Plzen, when a brewer experimenting with fermenting processes developed the first light-colored beer in 1843. Today "pilsner" has become a fairly generic term, and the city of Ceske Budejovice lost the right to market their beer as "Budweiser" due to disputes with Anheuser-Busch.

Germany The German influence on beer really can't be overstated. With over 1,300 breweries and the strictest guidelines in the world for beer production, Germany is a country where beer is more than a beverage; it's a part of the culture. The Bavarian Reinheitsgebot (Purity Requirement) allows only water, hops and barley-malt for ingredients in beer with few variations. The oldest brewery (still in existence) is a Benedictine monastery which has been brewing since 1040. There are many beer festivals held throughout Germany, but the crowning beerfest is Munich's Oktoberfest, where within two weeks six million people are expected to consume six million liters of beer.

United Kingdom Stouts are the especial product of the UK, particularly Ireland. A darker porter, stouts were produced in London as early as the 18th century, but Ireland soon surpassed and supplanted England as the world's leading producer of stouts with emerging brands like Guinness, Murphy's, and Beamish. England is also one of the top producers of pale ales, the result of brewers in Burton-Upon-Trent looking for a way to create a more consistent, lighter beer. The result was Bass Ale, whose distinctive red triangle logo was the first registered trademark in English history.

USA In each boatload of colonists making landfall in the 17th and 18th centuries, one of first structures each built was a brewery--at the time, it was generally safer to drink the ales of their homelands than the unfiltered water. With the majority of colonists coming from England and the Benelux region, along with the later German, Czech and Irish, the early settlers were well-versed in the brewing process with traditions that continue today. What emerged out of these styles was a strong American pilsner, which has gradually been phased out for the more mild lager produced by the mega-breweries. In recent years there has been a huge surge of craft brews, led by Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Dogfish Head, and many others.

Information gathered from
http://www.beerhunter.com
http://www.europeanbeerguide.net
http://www.beerhistory.com