American Beer Styles

Front 1

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Lager (Light/Standard/Premium)

Back 1

Type: Lager
PB: Low (8 - 25 IBU)
C: Straw to Very Pale (2 - 6 SRM)
ABV: Lower to Normal (2.8% - 6%)
Comments: A lower gravity and lower calorie beer than standardinternational lagers. Strong flavors are a fault. Designedto appeal to the broadest range of the general public as possible.
Mouthfeel: Light body from use of a high percentage of adjunctssuch as rice or corn. Very highly carbonated with slightcarbonic bite on the tongue.
Overall Impression: Very refreshing and thirst quenching.

Front 2

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
California Common Beer

Back 2

Type: Lager
PB: Pronounced (30 - 45 IBU)
C: Light Amber to Dark Amber (10 - 14 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4.5% - 5.5%)
History: American West Coast original. Large shallow openfermenters (coolships) were traditionally used to compensatefor the absence of refrigeration and to take advantage of thecool ambient temperatures in the San Francisco Bay area. Fermentedwith a lager yeast, but one that was selected to thriveat the cool end of normal ale fermentation temperatures.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium to medium-high carbonation.
Overall Impression: A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainymaltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasingthe signature Northern Brewer varietal hop character.

Front 3

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Wheat Beer

Back 3

Type: Ale
PB: Moderate (15 - 30 IBU)
C: Straw to Gold (3 - 6 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4% - 5.5%)
Comments: Different variations exist, from an easy-drinkingfairly sweet beer to a dry, aggressively hopped beer with astrong wheat or rye flavor. Dark versions approximating dunkelweizens(with darker, richer malt flavors in addition to thecolor) should be entered in the Specialty Beer category.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Medium-high tohigh carbonation. May have a light alcohol warmth in strongerexamples.
Overall Impression: Refreshing wheat or rye beers that candisplay more hop character and less yeast character than theirGerman cousins.

Front 4

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Blonde Ale

Back 4

Type: Ale
PB: Moderate (15 - 28 IBU)
C: Straw to Gold (3 - 6 SRM)
ABV: Lower to Normal (3.8% - 5.5%)
History: Currently produced by many (American) microbreweriesand brewpubs. Regional variations exist (many WestCoast brewpub examples are more assertive, like pale ales) butin most areas this beer is designed as the entry-level craft beer.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Medium to highcarbonation. Smooth without harsh bitterness or astringency.
Overall Impression: Easy-drinking, approachable, malt orientedAmerican craft beer.

Front 5

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Pale Ale

Back 5

Type: Ale
PB: Pronounced (30 - 45 IBU)
C: Gold to Amber (5 - 14 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4.5% - 6.2%)
History: An American adaptation of English pale ale, reflectingindigenous ingredients (hops, malt, yeast, and water). Oftenlighter in color, cleaner in fermentation by-products, andhaving less caramel flavors than English counterparts.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Carbonationmoderate to high. Overall smooth finish without astringencyoften associated with high hopping rates.
Overall Impression: Refreshing and hoppy, yet with sufficientsupporting malt.

Front 6

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Amber Ale

Back 6

Type: Ale
PB: Pronounced (25 - 40 IBU)
C: Amber to Dark Amber (10 - 17 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4.5% - 6.2%)
History: Known simply as Red Ales in some regions, thesebeers were popularized in the hop-loving Northern Californiaand the Pacific Northwest areas before spreading nationwide.
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. Carbonation moderateto high. Overall smooth finish without astringency oftenassociated with high hopping rates. Stronger versions mayhave a slight alcohol warmth.
Overall Impression: Like an American pale ale with morebody, more caramel richness, and a balance more towards maltthan hops (although hop rates can be significant).

Front 7

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American India Pale Ale

Back 7

Type: Ale
PB: Assertive (40 - 70 IBU)
C: Gold to Dark Amber (6 - 15 SRM)
ABV: Elevated (5.5% - 7.5%)
History: An American version of the historical English style,brewed using American ingredients and attitude.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium-bodied mouthfeelwithout hop-derived astringency, although moderate tomedium-high carbonation can combine to render an overalldry sensation in the presence of malt sweetness. Some smoothalcohol warming can and should be sensed in stronger (butnot all) versions. Body is generally less than in English counterparts.
Overall Impression: A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderatelystrong American pale ale.

Front 8

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
Imperial IPA

Back 8

Type: Ale
PB: Highly Assertive (60 - 120 IBU)
C: Dark Gold to Dark Amber (8 - 15 SRM)
ABV: High (7.5% - 10%)
History: A recent American innovation reflecting the trend ofAmerican craft brewers “pushing the envelope” to satisfy theneed of hop aficionados for increasingly intense products. Theadjective “Imperial” is arbitrary and simply implies a strongerversion of an IPA; “double,” “extra,” “extreme,” or any othervariety of adjectives would be equally valid.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium body. No harshhop-derived astringency, although moderate to medium-highcarbonation can combine to render an overall dry sensation inthe presence of malt sweetness. Smooth alcohol warming.
Overall Impression: An intensely hoppy, very strong pale alewithout the big maltiness and/or deeper malt flavors of anAmerican barleywine.

Front 9

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Brown Ale

Back 9

Type: Ale
PB: Moderate (20 - 40 IBU)
C: Light Brown to Dark Brown (18 - 35 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4.3% - 6.2%)
History/Comments: A strongly flavored, hoppy brown beer,originated by American home brewers. Related to AmericanPale and American Amber Ales, although with more of acaramel and chocolate character, which tends to balance thehop bitterness and finish. Most commercial American Brownsare not as aggressive as the original home-brewed versions,and some modern craft brewed examples.
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. More bitter versionsmay have a dry, resiny impression. Moderate to moderatelyhigh carbonation. Stronger versions may have some alcoholwarmth in the finish.
Overall Impression: Can be considered a bigger, maltier, hoppierinterpretation of Northern English brown ale or a hoppier,less malty Brown Porter.

Front 10

Type, PB, Color, ABV, History, Mouthfeel for:

Origin: American Styles
American Stout

Back 10

Type: Ale
PB: Assertive (35 - 75 IBU)
C: Black (30 - 40 SRM)
ABV: Normal to Elevated (5% - 7%)
Comments: Breweries express individuality through varyingthe roasted malt profile, malt sweetness and flavor, and theamount of finishing hops used. Generally has bolder roastedmalt flavors and hopping than other traditional stouts (exceptImperial Stouts).
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. Can be somewhat creamy,particularly if a small amount of oats have been used to enhancemouthfeel. Can have a bit of roast-derived astringency,but this character should not be excessive. Medium-high tohigh carbonation. Light to moderately strong alcohol warmth,but smooth and not excessively hot.
Overall Impression: A hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Foreign styleStout.

Front 11

Origin, Type, Style, PB, Color, ABV for:
Oatmeal Stout

Back 11

Type: Ale
PB: Moderate (25 - 40 IBU)
C: Black (22 - 40 SRM)
ABV: Normal (4.2% - 5.9%)
History: An English seasonal variant of sweet stout that isusually less sweet than the original, and relies on oatmeal forbody and complexity rather than lactose for body and sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full to full body, smooth, silky, sometimesan almost oily slickness from the oatmeal. Creamy. Mediumto medium-high carbonation.
Overall Impression: A very dark, full-bodied, roasty, malty alewith a complementary oatmeal flavor.

Front 12

Origin, Type, Style, PB, Color, ABV for:
American Barley Wine

Back 12

Type: Ale
PB: Assertive (50 - 120 IBU)
C: Light Amber to Light Brown (10 - 19 SRM)
ABV: High to Very High (8% - 12%)
History: Usually the strongest ale offered by a brewery, and inrecent years many commercial examples are now vintage dated.Normally aged significantly prior to release. Often associatedwith the winter or holiday season.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and chewy, with a velvety, luscioustexture (although the body may decline with long conditioning).Alcohol warmth should be present, but not be excessivelyhot. Should not be syrupy and under-attenuated. Carbonationmay be low to moderate, depending on age and conditioning.
Overall Impression: A well-hopped American interpretationof the richest and strongest of the English ales.

Front 13

Origin, Type, Style, PB, Color, ABV for:
Imperial Stout

Back 13

Type: Ale
PB: Pronounced (50 - 90 IBU)
C: Black (30 - 40 SRM)
ABV: High to Very High (8% - 12%)
History: Brewed to high gravity and hopping level in Englandfor export to the Baltic States and Russia. Said to be popularwith the Russian Imperial Court. Today is even more popularwith American craft brewers, who have extended the stylewith unique American characteristics.
Mouthfeel: Full to very full-bodied and chewy, with a velvety,luscious texture (although the body may decline with longconditioning). Gentle smooth warmth from alcohol should bepresent and noticeable. Should not be syrupy and under-attenuated.Carbonation may be low to moderate, dependingon age and conditioning.
Overall Impression: An intensely flavored, big, dark ale.