Beer Styles
Out of all the beautiful styles of beer, they can all be lumped into two categories: ales and lagers. Color is not a determination between ales and lagers, the main difference is the process and the yeast. Ale yeast ferments at a higher temperature (around 62ºF) and float at the surface during fermentation. Lager yeast sinks to the bottom and ferments at a colder temperature (around 50ºF). Ales take about two weeks to finish and age, while lagers typically take about four to six weeks.
Popular Styles of Beer
Ales
Amber – American amber ales range from light copper to light brown in color. They are characterized by American-variety hops used to produce medium to medium-high hop bitterness, flavor, and medium to high aroma. Amber ales have medium-high to high maltiness with medium to low caramel character. They should have medium to medium-high body. The style may have low levels of fruity-ester flavor and aroma. Diacetyl can be either absent or barely perceived at very low levels. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures. Slight yeast haze is acceptable for bottle-conditioned products.
Brown – American brown ales range from deep copper to brown in color. Roasted malt caramel-like and chocolate-like characters should be of medium intensity in both flavor and aroma. American brown ales have an evident hop aroma, medium to high hop bitterness, low to medium hop flavor and a medium body. Estery and fruity-ester characters should be subdued, diacetyl should not be perceived. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
India Pale Ale – India pale ales have intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma with medium-high alcohol content. The style is further characterized by fruity, floral and citrus-like American-variety hop character. Note that fruity, floral and citrus-like American-variety hop character is the perceived end, but may be a result of the skillful use of hops of other national origins. The use of water with high mineral content results in a crisp, dry beer. This pale gold to deep copper-colored ale has a full,
flowery hop aroma and may have a strong hop flavor (in addition to the hop bitterness). India pale ales possess medium maltiness which contributes to a medium body. Fruity-ester flavors and aromas are moderate to very strong. Diacetyl can be absent or may be perceived at very low levels. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Pale Ale – Pale ales range from deep golden to copper in color. The style is characterized by fruity, floral and citrus-like American-variety hop character producing medium to medium-high hop bitterness, flavor, and aroma. Note that “floral and citrus- like American-variety hop character†is the perceived end, but may be a result of the skillful use of hops of other national origins. American pale ales have medium body and low to medium maltiness. Low caramel character is allowable. Fruity-ester flavor and aroma should be moderate to strong. Diacetyl should be absent or present at very low levels. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Stout – Initial low to medium malt sweetness with a degree of caramel, chocolate and/or roasted coffee flavor with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Coffee-like roasted barley and roasted malt aromas are prominent. Some slight roasted malt acidity is permissible and a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel is appropriate. Hop bitterness may be moderate to high. Hop aroma and flavor is moderate to high with American citrus-type and/or resiny hop character. The perception of fruity esters is low. Roasted malt/barley astringency may be low but not excessive. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be negligible or not perceived. Head retention is excellent.
Wheat – Wheat beers display a low level of fruitiness. These beers focus on the soft almost nutty flavor of malted wheat in the mouth and may display a pronounced bitterness depending upon the preferences of the brewer.
Lagers
Bock – Traditional bocks are made with all malt and are strong, malty, medium- to full-bodied, bottom-fermented beers with moderate hop bitterness that should increase proportionately with the starting gravity. Hop flavor should be low and hop aroma should be very low. Bocks can range in color from deep copper to dark brown. Fruity esters should be minimal.
Pilsener – This classic and unique pre-Prohibition American-style Pilsener is straw to deep gold in color. Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are medium to high, and use of noble-type hops for flavor and aroma is preferred. Up to 25 percent corn and/or rice in the grist should be used. Malt flavor and aroma are medium. This is a light-medium to medium-bodied beer. Sweet corn-like dimethylsulfide
(DMS), fruity esters and citrus flavors or aromas should not be perceived. Diacetyl is not acceptable. There should be no chill haze.
- Beer descriptions provided by the 2009 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines.
