Ordinary Bitter
- Color: Gold to copper-colored
- Clarity: Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium residual malt sweetness should be present
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium-low
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity esters are acceptable. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
- Body: Low to medium
- Original Gravity 1.033-1.038
- Final Gravity 1.006-1.012
- Alcohol by Volume 3.00%-4.20%
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-35
- Color SRM 5-12
- Commercial Examples:
Special Bitter or Best Bitter
- Color: Deep gold to deep copper
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium residual malt sweetness should be present
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium at the brewer’s discretion
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium and not harsh
- Fermentation Characteristics: Low carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity esters are acceptable. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
- Body: Medium
- Original Gravity 1.038-1.045
- Final Gravity 1.006-1.012
- Alcohol by Volume 4.20%-4.80%
- Bitterness (IBU) 28-40
- Color SRM 6-14
- Commercial Examples:
Extra Special Bitter
- Color: Amber to deep copper
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high
- Fermentation Characteristics: Low carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. The overall impression is refreshing and thirst-quenching. Fruity esters are acceptable. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
- Body: Medium
- Additional notes: Entries in this subcategory exhibit hop aroma and flavor attributes typical of traditional English hop varieties.
Original Gravity 1.046-1.06 - Final Gravity 1.01-1.016
- Alcohol by Volume 4.80%-5.80%
- Bitterness (IBU) 30-45
- Color SRM 8-17
Scottish-Style Light Ale
- Color: Gold to light brown
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malty, caramel aroma may be present. A low to medium-low, soft, and chewy caramel malt flavor should be present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be present
- Perceived Bitterness: Low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for lightly carbonated draft versions. Fruity esters, if present, are low.
- Body: Low
- Additional notes: These beers differ significantly from Scotch Ale, especially regarding original gravity, alcohol content, and malt attributes. While there are conflicting theories as to whether traditional Scottish Light Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat smoke character present at low to medium-low levels. Peat smoke attributes may be absent or present at low to medium-low levels. Versions exhibiting higher levels of smoke character are categorized as Smoke Beer.
Original Gravity 1.03-1.035 (7.6-8.8 °Plato) - Final Gravity 1.006-1.01
- Alcohol by Volume 2.80%-3.50%
- Bitterness (IBU) 9-20
- Color SRM 6-15
Scottish-Style Heavy Ale
- Color: Amber to dark brown
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malty, caramel aroma is present. The style exhibits a medium degree of sweet malt and caramel. The overall impression is smooth and balanced.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be present
- Perceived Bitterness: Perceptible but low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for lightly carbonated draft versions. Fruity esters, if present, are low.
- Body: Medium with a soft chewy character
- Additional notes: These beers differ significantly from Scotch Ale, especially regarding original gravity, alcohol content, and malt attributes. While there are conflicting theories as to whether traditional Scottish Heavy Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat smoke character present at low to medium-low levels. Peat smoke attributes may be absent or present at low to medium-low levels. Versions exhibiting higher levels of smoke character are categorized as Smoke Beer.
- Original Gravity 1.035-1.04
- Final Gravity 1.01-1.014
- Alcohol by Volume 3.50%-4.10%
- Bitterness (IBU) 12-20
- Color SRM 8-30
Scottish-Style Export Ale
- Color: Medium amber to dark chestnut brown
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Sweet malt and caramel aromas and flavors define the character of a Scottish Export
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be present
- Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters, if present, are low. Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for lightly carbonated draft versions.
- Body: Medium
- Additional notes: These beers differ significantly from Scotch Ale, especially regarding original gravity, alcohol content, and malt attributes. While there are conflicting theories as to whether traditional Scottish Export Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat smoke character present at low to medium-low levels. Peat smoke attributes may be absent or present at low to medium-low levels. Versions exhibiting higher levels of smoke character are categorized as Smoke Beer.
- Original Gravity 1.04-1.05
- Final Gravity 1.01-1.018
- Alcohol by Volume 4.10%-5.30%
- Bitterness (IBU) 15-25
- Color SRM 9-19
English-Style Summer Ale
- Color: Straw to gold
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Residual malt sweetness is low to medium. Torrified or malted wheat is often used in quantities of 25 percent or less. Malt attributes such as biscuity or low levels of caramel are present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium, expressed as floral, herbal, earthy, stone fruit, citrus, or other attributes. Hop flavor should not be assertive and should be well balanced with malt character.
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low to medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity esters are low to medium. Diacetyl and DMS should not be present.
- Body: Low to medium-low
- Additional notes: The overall impression is refreshing and thirst-quenching
- Original Gravity 1.036-1.05
- Final Gravity 1.006-1.012
- Alcohol by Volume 3.70%-5.10%
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-30
- Color SRM 3-6
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
- Color: Gold to copper
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium malt aroma and flavor is present. Low caramel character is allowable.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium-low to medium-high, expressed as floral, herbal, earthy, stone fruit, or other attributes.
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low to medium-high
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are medium to medium-high. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Medium
- Original Gravity 1.04-1.056
- Final Gravity 1.008-1.016
- Alcohol by Volume 4.40%-5.30%
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-40
- Color SRM 5-12
British-Style India Pale Ale
- Color: Gold to copper
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium malt flavor should be present
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium to high, expressed as floral, herbal, earthy, stone fruit or other attributes from high hopping rates.
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are medium to high. Traditional interpretations are characterized by medium to medium-high alcohol content. The use of water with high mineral content results in a crisp, dry beer with a subtle and balanced character of sulfur compounds. Diacetyl can be absent or may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Medium
- Additional notes: A wide range of hop varieties may be used for bitterness or for approximating traditional English hop characters. The use of water with high mineral content may result in a crisp, dry beer rather than a malt-accentuated version.
- Original Gravity 1.046-1.064
- Final Gravity 1.012-1.018
- Alcohol by Volume 4.50%-7.10%
- Bitterness (IBU) 35-63
- Color SRM 6-14
Strong Ale
- Color: Amber to dark brown
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to high malt and caramel sweetness. Very low levels of roast malt may be present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to very low
- Perceived Bitterness: Present but minimal, and balanced with malt flavors.
- Fermentation Characteristics: Rich, often sweet, and complex fruity ester attributes can contribute to the profile of Strong Ales. Alcohol types can be varied and complex. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Medium to full
- Original Gravity 1.06-1.125
- Final Gravity 1.014-1.04
- Alcohol by Volume 7.00%-11.30%
- Bitterness (IBU) 30-65
- Color SRM 8-21
Old Ale
- Color: Copper-red to very dark
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Fruity esters can enhance and complement the malt aroma and flavor profile. Old Ales have malt and sometimes caramel sweetness.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium
- Perceived Bitterness: Present but minimal, and balanced with malt flavors.
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters can contribute to the character of these beers. Alcohol types can be varied and complex. A distinctive quality of Old Ales is that they undergo an aging process, often for years. Aging can occur on their yeast either in bulk storage or through conditioning in the bottle. This contributes to a rich, wine-like, and often sweet, oxidized character. Complex estery attributes may also emerge. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Medium to full
- Additional notes: Low-level attributes typical of wood aging such as vanillin are acceptable. Brettanomyces and acidity reflect historical character; low-level attributes such as horsey, goaty, leathery, phenolic, etc., and acidity may be present and balanced with other flavors. Attributes arising from liquids previously aged in a barrel, such as bourbon or sherry, should not be present. Beers that exhibit such attributes are categorized as wood- and barrel-aged beers.
Original Gravity 1.058-1.088 - Final Gravity 1.014-1.03
- Alcohol by Volume 6.30%-9.10%
- Bitterness (IBU) 30-65
- Color SRM 12-30
English-Style Pale Mild Ale
- Color: Light amber to medium amber
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt flavor and aroma dominate the flavor profile
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to low
- Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels. Fruity esters are very low to medium-low.
- Body: Low to medium-low
- Original Gravity 1.03-1.036
- Final Gravity 1.004-1.008
- Alcohol by Volume 3.40%-4.40%
- Bitterness (IBU) 10-20
- Color SRM 6-9
English-Style Dark Mild Ale
- Color: Reddish-brown to very dark
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt attributes such as caramel, licorice, roast or others may be present in aroma and flavor.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low
- Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels. Fruity esters are very low to medium-low.
- Body: Medium-low to medium
- Original Gravity 1.03-1.036
- Final Gravity 1.004-1.008
- Alcohol by Volume 3.40%-4.40%
- Bitterness (IBU) 10-24
- Color SRM 17-34
English-Style Brown Ale
- Color: Copper to dark brown
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Roast malt may contribute to a biscuit or toasted aroma profile. Roast malt may contribute to the flavor profile. Malt profile can range from dry to sweet.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low
- Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Low to medium-low-level fruity esters are appropriate. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Medium
- Original Gravity 1.04-1.05
- Final Gravity 1.008-1.014
- Alcohol by Volume 4.20%-6.00%
- Bitterness (IBU) 12-25
- Color SRM 12-24
Brown Porter
- Color: Dark brown to very dark. May have red tint.
- Clarity: Beer color may be too dark to perceive clarity. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium malt sweetness. Caramel and chocolate attributes are acceptable. Strong roast barley or strong burnt or black malt character should not be present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are acceptable. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
- Body: Low to medium
- Original Gravity 1.04-1.05
- Final Gravity 1.006-1.014
- Alcohol by Volume 4.40%-6.00%
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-30
- Color SRM 20-35
Robust Porter
- Color: Very dark brown to black
- Clarity: Opaque
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high. Malty sweetness, roast malt, cocoa and caramel should be in harmony with bitterness from dark malts.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters should be present and balanced with all other characters. Diacetyl should not be present.
- Body: Medium to full
- Original Gravity 1.045-1.06
- Final Gravity 1.008-1.016
- Alcohol by Volume 5.10%-6.60%
- Bitterness (IBU) 25-40
- Color SRM 30+
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
- Color: Black
- Clarity: Opaque
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high. Malt sweetness, chocolate and caramel should contribute to the aroma and should dominate the flavor profile. Roast flavor may be present. Low to medium-low roasted malt-derived bitterness should be present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be present
- Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium-low and serves to balance and suppress some of the sweetness without contributing apparent flavor and aroma
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters, if present, are low. Diacetyl should not be present.
- Body: Full-bodied. The body can be increased with the addition of milk sugar (lactose).
- Original Gravity 1.045-1.056
- Final Gravity 1.012-1.02
- Alcohol by Volume 3.20%-6.30%
- Bitterness (IBU) 15-25
- Color SRM 40+
Oatmeal Stout
- Color: Dark brown to black
- Clarity: Beer color may be too dark to perceive. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Coffee, caramel, roasted malt, or chocolate aromas should be prominent. Roasted malt character of caramel or chocolate should be smooth without bitterness.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Optional, but if present should not upset the overall balance.
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Oatmeal is used in the grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor without being grainy. Fruity esters are not present to very low. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Full with an often-silky mouthfeel
- Original Gravity 1.038-1.056
- Final Gravity 1.008-1.02
- Alcohol by Volume 3.80%-6.10%
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-40
- Color SRM 20+
Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy
- Color: Light reddish-brown to very dark
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Scotch Ales are aggressively malty with a rich and dominant sweet malt aroma and flavor. A caramel character is often part of the profile. Dark roasted malt flavors may be present at low levels.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to very low
- Perceived Bitterness: Not present to very low
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters, if present, are generally at low levels. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
- Body: Full
- Additional notes: Pleasant, low-level oxidation is acceptable in Scotch Ales. Examples exhibiting more prevalent oxidation are categorized as Aged Beer.
While there are conflicting theories as to whether traditional Scotch Ales exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat smoke character present at low to medium levels. Peat smoke attributes may be absent or present at low to medium levels. Versions exhibiting higher levels of smoke character are categorized as Smoke Beer. When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, competition organizers may create subcategories that reflect groups of entries based on the presence or absence of peat smoke-derived attributes. - Original Gravity 1.072-1.085
- Final Gravity 1.016-1.028
- Alcohol by Volume 6.60%-8.50%
- Bitterness (IBU) 25-35
- Color SRM 15-30
British-Style Imperial stout
- Color: Ranging from dark copper typical of some historic examples, to very dark more typical of contemporary examples
- Clarity: Opaque in darker versions. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Extremely rich malty flavor, often expressed as toffee or caramel, and may be accompanied by very low roasted malt astringency.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium, with floral, citrus or herbal qualities.
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium and should not overwhelm the overall balance. The bitterness may be higher in darker versions while maintaining balance with sweet malt.
- Fermentation Characteristics: High alcohol content is evident. Fruity esters if present are medium to high. Diacetyl should not be present.
- Body: Full
- Additional notes: This style was also originally called ‘Russian Imperial Stout’.
- Original Gravity 1.08-1.1
- Final Gravity 1.02-1.03
- Alcohol by Volume 7.00%-12.00%
- Bitterness (IBU) 45-65
- Original Gravity 1.085-1.12
- Color SRM 20-35+
British-Style Barley Wine Ale
- Color: Tawny copper to deep red/copper-garnet
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Residual malty sweetness is high
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor are very low to medium. English-type hops are often used but are not required for this style.
- Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Complexity of alcohols and fruity ester attributes are often high and balanced with the high alcohol content. Low levels of diacetyl are acceptable. Low carbonation is acceptable in this style. Caramel and some oxidized characters (vinous aromas or flavors) may be considered positive attributes.
- Body: Full
- Final Gravity 1.024-1.028
- Alcohol by Volume 8.50%-12.20%
- Bitterness (IBU) 40-65
- Color SRM 11-36
- Commercial Examples:
Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer
- Color: Varies with underlying style and can be influenced by the color of added fruit(s) if any
- Clarity: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Bitterness: Varies with underlying style
- Fermentation Characteristics: Typical of the underlying style of beer being aged
- Body: Varies with underlying style
- Additional notes: These are any traditional or experimental style of lager, ale, or hybrid beer aged in either a wooden barrel or in contact with wood chips, spirals, strips, or many other formats. These beers are aged to develop unique attributes imparted by the wood, or liquids that had previously been stored in contact with the wood. Wood-aging does not necessarily impart wood flavors but does result in distinctive sensory outcomes. Used sherry, rum, whiskey, tequila, port, wine, and other barrels are often used, imparting complexity and uniqueness to a beer. A balance of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel results from the marriage of new beer with attributes imparted by the wood or barrel. Categorizing these beers can be complex. Sour versions that do not exhibit attributes typical of Brettanomyces are categorized as Wood-Aged Sour Beer. Wood-aged beers that exhibit sensory attributes typical of Brettanomyces alone, or of Brettanomyces and other microbes, are categorized as Brett Beer or Mixed-Culture Brett Beer respectively. Wood-aged versions of various classic India Pale Ales are categorized as Experimental India Pale Ale. Belgian-style ales that exhibit attributes of wood-aging are categorized as Other Belgian Ale or within other Belgian categories. Various fruited Belgian-style beers that exhibit attributes of wood-aging are categorized as Belgian-style Fruit Beer; similarly, Saison aged in wood and which exhibits attributes of wood-aging is categorized as Specialty Saison.
- Original Gravity Varies with style
- Final Gravity Varies with style
- Alcohol by Volume Varies with style
- Bitterness (IBU) Varies with style
- Color SRM Varies with style
- Commercial Examples: