Are you ready to embark on a journey into the fascinating world of beer? From hazy IPAs to robust stouts, the universe of beer styles is as diverse as it is alluring. But with so many options available, how can beer enthusiasts navigate the vast world of craft brewing?
Enter the Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines, a comprehensive and authoritative resource that sheds light on the characteristics and parameters of various beer styles.
Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or a curious novice, this ultimate style guide is here to help you navigate through the vast landscape of flavors and aromas.
Get ready to learn about the refreshing crispness of lagers, the floral and fruity notes of pale ales, the complex flavors of Belgian ales, and so much more. With this guide in hand, you’ll be equipped to navigate the beer menu confidently and discover new brews that suit your palate. So join us as we bring the world of beer styles to life, one sip at a time. Cheers to your beer exploration adventure!
Ale Recipe Styles
British Origin Ale Styles | North American Origin Ale Styles | Belgian and French Origin Ale Styles |
Ordinary Bitter | Golden or Blonde Ale | Belgian-Style Table Beer |
Special Bitter or Best Bitter | Session India Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Session Ale |
Extra Special Bitter | American-Style Amber/Red Ale | Belgian-Style Speciale Belge |
Scottish-Style Light Ale | American-Style Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Blonde Ale |
Scottish-Style Heavy Ale | Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Strong Blonde Ale |
Scottish-Style Export Ale | American-Style Strong Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Strong Dark Ale |
English-Style Summer Ale | Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Dubbel |
Classic English-Style Pale Ale | American-Style India Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Tripel |
British-Style India Pale Ale | Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Quadrupel |
Strong Ale | American-Belgo-Style Ale | Belgian-Style Witbier |
Old Ale | American-Style Brown Ale | Classic French & Belgian-Style Saison |
English-Style Pale Mild Ale | American-Style Black Ale | Specialty Saison |
English-Style Dark Mild Ale | American-Style Stout | French-Style Bière de Garde |
English-Style Brown Ale | American-Style Imperial Porter | Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale |
Brown Porter | American-Style Imperial Stout | Belgian-Style Lambic |
Robust Porter | Double Hoppy Red Ale | Traditional Belgian-Style Gueuze |
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout | Imperial Red Ale | Contemporary Belgian-Style Spontaneous Fermented Ale |
Oatmeal Stout | American-Style Imperial or Double India Pale Ale | Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic |
Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy | Juicy or Hazy Imperial or Double India Pale Ale | Other Belgian-Style Ale |
British-Style Imperial Stout | American-Style Barley Wine Ale | |
British-Style Barley Wine Ale | American-Style Wheat Wine Ale | |
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer | Smoke Porter | |
American-Style Sour Ale | ||
American-Style Fruited Sour Ale | ||
West Coast-Style India Pale Ale | ||
Irish Origin Ale Styles | German Origin Ale Styles | Other Origin Ale Styles |
Irish-Style Red Ale | German-Style Koelsch | Grodziskie |
Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout | German-Style Altbier | Adambier |
Export-Style Stout | Berliner-Style Weisse | Dutch-Style Kuit, Kuyt or Koyt |
Leipzig-Style Gose | International-Style Pale Ale | |
Contemporary-Style Gose | Classic Australian-Style Pale Ale | |
South German-Style Hefeweizen | Australian-Style Pale Ale | |
South German-Style Kristal Weizen | New Zealand-Style Pale Ale | |
German-Style Leichtes Weizen | New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale | |
South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen | Finnish-Style Sahti | |
South German-Style Dunkel Weizen | Swedish-Style Gotlandsdricke | |
South German-Style Weizenbock | Breslau-Style Schoeps | |
German-Style Rye Ale | ||
Bamberg-Style Weiss Rauchbier | ||
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier |
Lager and Hybrid Beer Styles
European Origin Lager Styles | North American Origin Lager Styles | Other Origin Lager Styles |
German-Style Leichtbier | American-Style Lager | Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager |
German-Style Pilsener | Contemporary American-Style Lager | International-Style Pilsener |
Bohemian-Style Pilsener | American-Style Light Lager | Baltic-Style Porter |
Munich-Style Helles | Contemporary American-Style Light Lager | Chocolate or Cocoa Beer |
Dortmunder/European-Style Export | American-Style Pilsener | |
Vienna-Style Lager | Contemporary American-Style Pilsener | |
Franconian-Style Rotbier | American-Style India Pale Lager | |
German-Style Maerzen | American-Style Malt Liquor | |
German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn | American-Style Amber Lager | |
Munich-Style Dunkel | American-Style Maerzen/Oktoberfest | |
European-Style Dark Lager | American-Style Dark Lager | |
German-Style Schwarzbier | ||
Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier | ||
Bamberg-Style Maerzen Rauchbier | ||
Bamberg-Style Bock Rauchbier | ||
German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock | ||
Traditional German-Style Bock | ||
German-Style Doppelbock | ||
German-Style Eisbock | ||
All Origin Hybrid/Mixed Lagers or Ale | ||
Session Beer | Coffee Beer | Aged Beer |
American-Style Cream Ale | Chili Pepper Beer | Experimental Beer |
California Common Beer | Herb and Spice Beer | Experimental India Pale Ale |
Kentucky Common Beer | Specialty Beer | Historical Beer |
American-Style Wheat Beer | Specialty Honey Beer | Wild Beer |
American-Style Fruit Beer | Rye Beer | Smoke Beer |
Fruit Wheat Beer | Brett Beer | Other Strong Ale or Lager |
Belgian-Style Fruit Beer | Mixed-Culture Brett Beer | Gluten-Free Beer |
Field Beer | Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast Beer | Non-Alcohol Malt Beverage |
Pumpkin Spice Beer | Fresh Hop Beer | Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout |
Pumpkin/Squash Beer | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer | Coffee Beer |
Chili Pepper Beer | Herb and Spice Beer | Specialty Beer |
Specialty Honey Beer | Brett Beer | Fresh Hop Beer |
Rye Beer | Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast Beer | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer |
Specialty Beer | Mixed-Culture Brett Beer | Experimental India Pale Ale |
Aged Beer | Experimental Beer | Historical Beer |
Wild Beer | Smoke Beer | Other Strong Ale or Lager |
Gluten-Free Beer | Non-Alcohol Malt Beverage | Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout |