American Style Ales

Amber/Red Ale - American style ale generally using colored malts in addition to pale malts which creates a beer colored anywhere from medium copper to light brown. Recent examples are tending to be on the hoppy side with a fair amount of bitterness as opposed to the traditional red ales of Ireland. Generally the ABV ranges from 4.5% - 7.5%. (back to top)

American Pale Ale - American Style Pale Ales use almost exclusively pale colored malts and as such are generally pale golden to medium copper in color. Routinely, the hops have a citrus and/or piney character as is common with many american hop varieties. Many have subtle fruity undertones as well. Generally, the ABV ranges from 4.5% - 6.5%. (back to top)

American Strong Ale - Any beer that is brewed in an american style but is deemed too strong in terms of ABV to fit neatly within the constraints of an actual american style. A number of hoppy american red ales of high ABV overwhelm the list which will naturally lead to the creation of a new style in the future called Imperial American Amber/Red Ale. (back to top)

Barleywine - A high gravity, high alcohol ale made with barley, traditionally to the strength of wine. American Barleywines tend to be a bit hazy and range from medium copper to dark brown in color. They also tend to be much hoppier than the traditional barleywines of Britain. Usually between 8% and 12% ABV, but some american brewers are making stronger examples of the style. (back to top)

Brown Ale - Traditionally a medium to low alcohol dark ale from England. The American versions usually kick the ABV up to around 6% plus while increasing the hoppiness yet still maintaining the traditional maltiness. (back to top)

Cream Ale - Usually a beer that is pale to golden in color, Cream ales are made to be light. While brewed with an ale yeast, they are generally lagered to give a cleaner taste. These beers are famous for their smooth texture and weigh in around 4% to 6% ABV. (back to top)

Golden Ale - A golden colored light ale brewed to achieve a light malty flavor with a bit of a light hoppy finish. Usually lighter bodied with an average ABV between 4% and 7%. (back to top)

Imperial India Pale Ale - Also known as Double IPA's, these beers are amped up version of India Pale Ales that use more malts and more hops, and thusly create a beer of higher ABV that generally has a more complex character. The mouthfeel is full for the majority of these beers with the ABV starting around 7.5% with the aggressive breweries pushing the boundaries to 12% and even higher in some cases. (back to top)

Imperial Stout - Originally brewed in England for export to Russia, these big high alcohol warmers are also known as Russian Imperial Stouts. However, the style has become quite diverse and many newer beers bear no resemblence to the Russian Imperial Stouts of old. Usually black as night with huge amounts of roasted malts and bittering hops these beers have very complex flavors and aromas that can include chocolate, coffee, and dark fruits among other flavors. A recent trend is for many of these beers to be aged in bourbon casks before bottling. (back to top)

India Pale Ale - Traditionally brewed in England for shipment to the English Colonies in India, IPA's have an elevated ABV and hop character that allowed them to sustain the long voyage to India. IPA's range from pale golden to deep ruby in color. Many IPA's from the British Isles are considered to be English Bitter Ales by comparison to the high alpha hop IPA's of North America. The North American versions tend to be very hoppy with a good amount of malts to balance the beer. Generally, the ABV's range from 6% - 8%. (back to top)

Porter - Generally a deep ruby, brown, or even black beer traditionally using an ale yeast, though not nearly as much as in the past. A wide variety of both hop and malt flavors span the spectrum of porters, but generally a roasty malt and bitter hop dominate. ABV ranges from 4% to 8%. (back to top)

Pumpkin Ale - Fall seasonal american beers that either use actual pumpkin in the wort, or use a blend of spices that traditionally would be used in pumpkin pie. Most have a pumpkin like flavor. (back to top)

Stout - An American interpretation of the classic English and Irish styles. Any stout that does not strictly fall into any of the classic stout catagories is simply called a stout. Generally these are american craft plays on the original styles that come in at around 4% to 8% ABV. (back to top)

Wheat Ale - An American play usually on either a hefeweizen or a witbier, but can also be a word used to indicate a beer that uses wheat malt instead of barley in part or in full. These beers can either be filtered or unfiltered, and weigh in between 4% and 6% ABV usually.(back to top)

 

Belgian Style Ales

Abbey Dubbel - One of the three classic Belgian Trappist Styles. Abbey Dubbel is traditionally a murky dark brown beer with a distinct malty character and notes of spices and fruits. Generally in Belgian beers, the use of belgian yeasts and candi sugars creates the backbone of the well known belgian beer flavors. Most Dubbels are medium bodied and weigh in at 6% to 9% ABV. (back to top)

Abbey Quadrupel - Generally speaking, the biggest of the belgian beer styles with the ABV usually weighing in at upwards of 10% ABV. Bold, complex flavors usually on the maltier side but with a great variety of flavors and aromas make these deep dark brews some of the most sought after beers in the world. (back to top)

Abbey Tripel - One of the three classic Belgian Trappist Styles. The Tripel classically used three times as much malt as the belgian 'enkel', or single. Most Tripels are a hazy golden color with a notably yeast/fruity aroma with a bit of spiciness. The flavors are a bit bitter with the notes from the aroma shining through the complex weave of flavors while the alcohol, usually around 8% to 10% ABV is masked very well. (back to top)

Belgian Ale - Can be either pale or dark. Belgian Ales are characterized by the yeasts and sugars moreso than the hops and the malts, though most tend more to the malty side than the hoppy side. The noted exception is the emerging style of Belgian IPA which uses belgian yeasts and sugars in conjunction with high alpha american hops. ABV's usually weigh in at 4% to 8%. (back to top)

Belgian Strong Ale - Can either be dark or light in color. Belgian Strong Ales essentially have the characteristics of Belgian Ales but with the noted exception of having a higher ABV and higher degree of complexity. (back to top)

Biere de Garde - Though generally brewed in France, these beers have their roots in the Belgian Saison Style. Usually medium bodied with modest amounts of both malt and hops, many of these beers are notorious for their fruity undertones. The color of the beer can range from golden to ruby. Generally, the ABV ranges from 5% - 8%. (back to top)

Flemish Sour Ale - Usually one of two styles, Flanders Red Ale or Flanders Oud Bruin, Flemish Sour Ales generally use wild yeast and are blended and aged for long periods of time usually in oak cask in order to create their individual sour notes. Most are quite complex in both flavor and aroma. They differ greatly between examples as to the defining flavors and aromas though all have noticable sourness and fruity notes. Hops are generally unnoticed, while ABV can range from 4% to 8%. (back to top)

Gueuze - Gueuze is a blended lambic beer that is a blend of 1 year old lambic and usually a 2 - 3 year old lambic. Generally dry and fruity, Gueuze has a tendency to be more sour than other styles of lambic, and the ABV varies from 4% - 7%. (back to top)

Lambic - Fruit - Lambics are belgian ales which use wild yeasts and are spontaneously fermented. Fruit lambics are lambics in which whole fruits are added to the wort after fermentation has started. The ABV is the low side while the beers tend to be a bit tart, though some are quite sweet. (back to top)

Lambic - Unblended - Most Lambics are blends of young lambics and older lambics which reduces the tartness of the young lambics. These brews as the name suggests are not a blend. They are however aged to reduce greatly the general harshness that young lambics have. ABV is low. (back to top)

Saison - Commonly referred to as Belgian Farmhouse ales, these refreshing hazy golden ales were traditionally brewed to be low in alcohol for the summer months. Though many newer interpretations of the style push the boundaries of ABV to 8% and even beyond. (back to top)

Witbier - Belgian inspired wheat beer usually using coriander and orange peel creating a slightly fruity, mildly hoppy beer generally made to be a summertime beverage. Usually 4% - 6% ABV. Hoegaarden Witbier and Blue Moon Belgian White are two famous year round examples. (back to top)

 

German Style Ales

Altbier - Clean, crisp german style ale which uses ale yeast and is lagered cold after fermention the way a lager would be. Can range in color from pale to dark, but generally always clear and with a distinct large head. Generally very good balance between the malts and hops and 4% to 7%. (back to top)

Berliner Weissbier - A relatively sour beer from the city of Berlin in Germany. Berliner Weisse is typically a low alcohol summer refresher traditionally flavored with a syrup and is served with a straw. The most famous example 1809 Berliner Weisse is 2.8% ABV. (back to top)

Dunkelweizen - Darker version of a hefeweizen. Usually a cloudy brownish beer with a medium body characterized by a modest amount of malt and a lower hop presence. Dunkelweizen beers are known for their yeasty quality with flavors of clove and banana generally present. (back to top)

Hefeweizen - Means Cloudy Wheat. German style beer using wheat malt and left unfiltered to keep the yeast in the beer. Notes of banana are often present while the beer has a relatively low hop presence coupled with a noticably wheat malt taste. ABV is generally between 4% and 6%. (back to top)

Kristalweizen - Means Clear Wheat. Kristalweizens are Hefeweizens which have been filtered and are thusly clear. (back to top)

Kolsch - Traditional Kolsch beers are brewed solely in the German city of Cologne. Kolsch almost always is a clear yellow with a large head and should be served in a glass known as a stange. Brewed with ale yeast, it is then lagered for a period of time cold as a lager should be. A noticeable hop presence followed by a dry finish, Kolsch usually has an ABV between 4% and 6%. (back to top)

Weizen Bock - A wheat beer that is generally darker and stronger than a Dunkelweizen. Usually more complex with deeper layers of flavor. The color is usually a very cloudy dark brown and the ABV is usually upwards of 7%. (back to top)

 

United Kingdom Style Beers

Baltic Porter - Historically, a baltic porter was a high alcohol porter to be shipped across the North Sea from the British Isles. They tend to be stronger and more roasty and bitter than the versions served in Britain. These days, the beers are similar to the traditions of their roots and weigh in on average between 8% and 11% ABV. (back to top)

Dry Stout - Also known as an Irish Stout, a la Guinness Draught Stout. Dry Stouts are stouts that have a dark, almost velvety color, with a light roasted flavor, but has a moderate to low ABV and has a dry finish. (back to top)

English Bitter - English term for a pale ale that has an ABV of up to 4.7%. Usually they have a light copper to light amber color and have a moderate hop bitterness. Very likely to be served cask conditioned in England. (back to top)

English Mild - While traditionally dark colored, English Mild Ales can also be pale. Traditionally a low alcohol malt forward ale that meant a 'young' beer, it has now come to mean a 'mildly hopped' ale. A recent revival of Yards Brawler ale is an excellent example of the style. (back to top)

English Pale Ale - Term traditionally used to describe pale colored ales for the city of Burton on the river Trent. A city known for its hard water, this water created the backbone for the English hop forward beers from the area, though nowadays through technology these beers can be made anywhere. The ABV usually comes in at around 4% to 6%. (back to top)

English Premium Bitter/Extra Special Bitter - Generally, not an overwhelmingly bitter beer at all. ESB's are the big brother to English Bitters, and the little brother to English Strong Ales. Usually around 5% - 7% ABV, ESB's rely on medium to dark malts combined with traditional English hops to create a balanced medium dark ale in the English mold. Generally, the malts take the forefront with the hops playing a supporting role. (back to top)

English Strong Ale - A malt forward big brother to ESB's, ESA's tend to be more suited to the winter than the summer with spicier versions being called Winter Warmers. The hops usually take a back seat to the malts with the ABV's being between 6% and 8%. (back to top)

Foreign Stout - A high alcohol stout traditionally brewed in England that was to be shipped to the tropical areas of the world. The ABV usually ranges from 8% to 10% with a classic example being the Lion Stout from Sri Lanka. (back to top)

Irish Ale - A malt forward red ale originally produced in Ireland. ABV is generally between 4% and 6% with Smithwick Red Ale for Guinness being one of the most famous examples. (back to top)

Old Ale - Traditional ale with a full body that is generally quite malty. Usually quite dark in color with a vast range of ABV's, Old Ales tend to showcase a mild fruitiness along with the maltiness while keeping the hops quite subtle. (back to top)

Scotch Ale - AKA Wee Heavy. Usually a dark beer, Scotch ales are noted for their full bodied maltiness with a caramel sweetness and are usually moderately high in ABV at around 6% to 9%. (back to top)

Scottish Ale - Usually a dark beer, though some are light in color as well. Medium bodied with a malty sweet taste, Scottish Ale are the little brother to Scotch Ales in most ways, especially when it comes to ABV, though some beers push the boundary. (back to top)

Sweet Stout - Also known as Milk Stout or Cream Stout, these stouts contain some form of unfermentable sugars, commonly lactose, which adds sweetness to the beer, while the ABV remains in the 5% - 7% range. (back to top)

 

American Style Lagers

American Dark Lager - Darker version of Pale Lagers, though some of these beers use additional ingredients such as rice and corn while others do not. ABV's usually range from 4% to 6%. (back to top)

California Common - Lager beer made by using lager yeast which are typically brewed at low temperature at high temperatures instead. Few examples exist, but most famously is Anchor Brewing Steam Beer. (back to top)

Low Alcohol - Similar to Pale Lagers with the noted exception of the ABV being minimal. Some definitions put the ABV's at below 1.0%, while other say they must be below 2.5%. (back to top)

Malt Liquor - An american macro pale lager that is high in alcohol while using ingredients such as corn or rice in addition to barley. (back to top)

Pale Lager - Pale lager beers are beers made by most large breweries throughout the world that use additional ingredients such as corn and rice in addition to the traditional barley. This generally boosts production while lowering cost. Most of these beers have minimal hop and malt characteristics while the ABV's usually are around 3.5% to 6%. (back to top)

Premium Lager - Similar to Pale Lagers, however, the ingredients consist solely of malts, hops, yeast, and water. ABV's range from 3.5% to 6%, while unlike pale lagers, some have a bit darker color due to the quality and color of the malts. (back to top)

 

German Style Lagers

Classic German Pilsener - Generally a light colored, filtered, clear, moderately hop forward beer which uses hops known as Noble hops. These hops have a drying bitterness and are generally a bit spicy as opposed to the American high alpha citrusy or piney hops found in American Pale Ales. The ABV's are relatively low as Classic German Pilseners are often sessionable beers. Generally, these beers tend to be a bit more on the bitter side compared to the original Bohemian Pilseners. (back to top)

Doppelbock - Usually a medium dark to very dark lager beer, though a few lighter examples do exist. A very malt forward brew, doppelbocks tend to be very full bodied with a high level of alcohol. Many versions have roasted and chocolate notes. ABV's usually are between 7% and 10% (back to top)

Dortmunder/Helles Lager - Pale colored lager with a mild hop spiciness that balances the malts nicely. The finish is generally a bit dry with the ABV ranging from 4% to 6%. (back to top)

Dunkel Lager - Generally a darker fuller bodied version of a Dortmunder/Helles Lager. Though, the ABV remains about the same, a bit more robust character is the result. (back to top)

Dunkler Bock - Dark, full bodied, generally quite malty bock with roasted flavors. ABV is lower than doppelbocks. (back to top)

Eisbock - A style of beer made by freezing part of the wort and removing the ice formed during the brewing process. This results in a beer that is more concentrated and is higher in alcohol. (back to top)

Heller/Mai Bock - Generally, a Maibock is a lighter version of a traditional bock beer that is brewed for the month of May. While most bock beers are quite malty, maibocks may be more to the hoppy side with ABV's between 5% and 7%. (back to top)

Marzen Style Lager/Oktoberfest - Traditionally brewed in March(Marzen) to be ready for the annual Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, Germany. Oktoberfestbiers are characterized by being pale to medium amber in color, mildly hopped, and tending toward the malty side. American interpretations tend to be darker and more aggressive than their German counterparts. The ABV tends to be between 5% and 7%. (back to top)

Schwarzbier - Black Lager. Generally black in color with a roasty flavor characterized by subtle notes of chocolate and coffee. Similar to Porters and Stouts though generally less creamy and with a less sustained finish. Schwarzbiers tend to be on the low end of the ABV scale at between 4% and 6%, though many stronger examples exist. (back to top)

Rauchbier - German beer in which the malts are dried over open flames before being added to the brewing process. (back to top)

Vienna - A copper or amber colored lager that has a modest malt sweetness coupled with a slight malt toastiness. The hops generally are clean but rather mild. Usually between 4% and 6% ABV, with classic american examples being Brooklyn Lager and Lakefront Riverwest Stein Beer. (back to top)

Zwickel/Kellerbier - German style of beer that is unfiltered and unpasteurized and has been aged in open casks in the 'keller'(cellar). Most kellerbiers or zwickels are unfiltered Classic German Pilseners. (back to top)

 

Other Lagers

Bohemian Pilsener - Generally, a pilsener brewed using the traditional Saaz hop. This hop produces a distinct dry spicyness, but the bitterness tends to be less than that of the Classic German Pilseners. ABV's are usually around 4% to 6%. (back to top)

European Strong Lager - A stronger version of a lager beer that is usually above 6% ABV. Generally pale in color and related to pale lagers or premium lagers. (back to top)

Pilsener - Any pilsener style beer that doesnt conform strictly to the definition of a Bohemian Pilsener or a Classic German Pilsener. (back to top)

 

Other Styles

Cider - An alcoholic brew fermented with apple juice. Generally from either England, France, or North America. (back to top)

Fruit Beer - Any beer that uses fruit, whether it be actual fruits of syrups, to flavor the beer. These beers range from very simple straightforward beers to highly complex and likewise the ABV varies greatly from beer to beer. (back to top)

Rye Beer - Any beer that uses rye malt. More prevalent examples of this style in the United States are quite hoppy, though these beers can be of any beer style. (back to top)

Spiced Beer - Any beer that is intentionally spiced to give the beer a distinct spicy finish above and beyond normal levels. These beer range in ABV percentage greatly. (back to top)

Smoked Beer - A beer in which a smokey flavor is distinct enough to classify the beer as a smoked beer instead of the style of beer in would generally be classified as. The smoke can be added in a number of different ways. (back to top)

Traditional Ale - Any beer brewed in an ancient or an antique style usually using recipes that are many centuries old. (back to top)