BJCP Styles: Appearance (Beer Only)

Question 1

1A: Lite American Lager, appearance?

Answer 1

Appearance: Very pale straw to pale yellow color. White, frothy head seldom persists. Very clear.

Question 2

1B: Standard American Lager, appearance?

Answer 2

Appearance: Very pale straw to medium yellow color. White, frothy head seldom persists. Very clear.

Question 3

1C: Premium American Lager, appearance?

Answer 3

Appearance: Pale straw to gold color. White, frothy head may not be long lasting. Very clear.

Question 4

1D: Munich Helles, appearance?

Answer 4

Appearance: Medium yellow to pale gold, clear, with a creamy white head.

Question 5

1E: Dortmunder Export, appearance?

Answer 5

Appearance: Light gold to deep gold, clear with a persistent white head.

Question 6

2A: German Pilsner (Pils), appearance?

Answer 6

Appearance: Straw to light gold, brilliant to very clear, with a creamy, long-lasting white head.

Question 7

2B: Bohemian Pilsener, appearance?

Answer 7

Appearance: Very pale gold to deep burnished gold, brilliant to very clear, with a dense, long-lasting, creamy white head.

Question 8

2C: Classic American Pilsner, appearance?

Answer 8

Appearance: Yellow to deep gold color. Substantial, long lasting white head. Bright clarity.

Question 9

3A: Vienna Lager, appearance?

Answer 9

Appearance: : Light reddish amber to copper color. Bright clarity. Large, off-white, persistent head.

Question 10

3B: Oktoberfest/Märzen, appearance?

Answer 10

Appearance: Dark gold to deep orange-red color. Bright clarity, with solid, off-white, foam stand.

Question 11

4A: Dark American Lager, appearance?

Answer 11

Appearance: Deep amber to dark brown with bright clarity and ruby highlights. Foam stand may not be long lasting, and is usually light tan in color.

Question 12

4B: Munich Dunkel, appearance?

Answer 12

Appearance: Deep copper to dark brown, often with a red or garnet tint. Creamy, light to medium tan head. Usually clear, although murky unfiltered versions exist.

Question 13

4C: Schwarzbier (Black Beer), appearance?

Answer 13

Appearance: Medium to very dark brown in color, often with deep ruby to garnet highlights, yet almost never truly black. Very clear. Large, persistent, tan-colored head.

Question 14

5A: Maibock/Helles Bock, appearance?

Answer 14

Appearance: Deep gold to light amber in color. Lagering should provide good clarity. Large, creamy, persistent, white head.

Question 15

5B: Traditional Bock, appearance?

Answer 15

Appearance: Light copper to brown color, often with attractive garnet highlights. Lagering should provide good clarity despite the dark color. Large, creamy, persistent, off-white head.

Question 16

5C: Doppelbock, appearance?

Answer 16

Appearance: Deep gold to dark brown in color. Darker versions often have ruby highlights. Lagering should provide good clarity. Large, creamy, persistent head (color varies with base style: white for pale versions, off-white for dark varieties). Stronger versions might have impaired head retention, and can display noticeable legs.

Question 17

5D: Eisbock, appearance?

Answer 17

Appearance: Deep copper to dark brown in color, often with attractive ruby highlights. Lagering should provide good clarity. Head retention may be impaired by higher-than-average alcohol content and low carbonation. Off-white to deep ivory colored head. Pronounced legs are often evident.

Question 18

6A: Cream Ale, appearance?

Answer 18

Appearance: Pale straw to moderate gold color, although usually on the pale side. Low to medium head with medium to high carbonation. Head retention may be no better than fair due to adjunct use. Brilliant, sparkling clarity.

Question 18

6B: Blonde Ale, appearance?

Answer 18

Appearance: Light yellow to deep gold in color. Clear to brilliant. Low to medium white head with fair to good retention.

Question 19

6C: Kölsch, appearance?

Answer 19

Appearance: Very pale gold to light gold. Authentic versions are filtered to a brilliant clarity. Has a delicate white head that may not persist.

Question 20

6D: American Wheat or Rye Beer, appearance?

Answer 20

Appearance: Usually pale yellow to gold. Clarity may range from brilliant to hazy with yeast approximating the German hefeweizen style of beer. Big, long-lasting white head.

Question 21

7A: Northern German Altbier, appearance?

Answer 21

Appearance: Light copper to light brown color; very clear from extended cold conditioning. Low to moderate off-white to white head with good retention.

Question 22

7B: California Common Beer, appearance?

Answer 22

Appearance: Medium amber to light copper color. Generally clear. Moderate off-white head with good retention.

Question 23

7C: Düsseldorf Altbier, appearance?

Answer 23

Appearance: Light amber to orange-bronze to deep copper color, yet stopping short of brown. Brilliant clarity (may be filtered). Thick, creamy, long-lasting off-white head.

Question 24

8A: Standard/Ordinary Bitter, appearance?

Answer 24

Appearance: Light yellow to light copper. Good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate white to off-white head. May have very little head due to low carbonation.

Question 25

8B: Special/Best/Premium Bitter, appearance?

Answer 25

Appearance: Medium gold to medium copper. Good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate white to off-white head. May have very little head due to low carbonation.

Question 26

8C: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale), appearance?

Answer 26

Appearance: Golden to deep copper. Good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate white to off-white head. A low head is acceptable when carbonation is also low.

Question 27

9A: Scottish Light 60/-, appearance?

Answer 27

Appearance: Deep amber to dark copper. Usually very clear due to long, cool fermentations. Low to moderate, creamy off-white to light tan-colored head.

Question 28

9B: Scottish Heavy 70/-, appearance?

Answer 28

Appearance: Deep amber to dark copper. Usually very clear due to long, cool fermentations. Low to moderate, creamy off-white to light tan-colored head.

Question 29

9C: Scottish Export 80/-, appearance?

Answer 29

Appearance: Deep amber to dark copper. Usually very clear due to long, cool fermentations. Low to moderate, creamy off-white to light tan-colored head.

Question 30

9D: Irish Red Ale, appearance?

Answer 30

Appearance: Amber to deep reddish copper color (most examples have a deep reddish hue). Clear. Low off-white to tan colored head.

Question 31

9E: Strong Scotch Ale, appearance?

Answer 31

Appearance: Light copper to dark brown color, often with deep ruby highlights. Clear. Usually has a large tan head, which may not persist in stronger versions. Legs may be evident in stronger versions.

Question 32

10A: American Pale Ale, appearance?

Answer 32

Appearance: Pale golden to deep amber. Moderately large white to off-white head with good retention. Generally quite clear, although dry-hopped versions may be slightly hazy.

Question 33

10B: American Amber Ale, appearance?

Answer 33

Appearance: Amber to coppery brown in color. Moderately large off-white head with good retention. Generally quite clear, although dry-hopped versions may be slightly hazy.

Question 34

10C: American Brown Ale, appearance?

Answer 34

Appearance: Light to very dark brown color. Clear. Low to moderate off-white to light tan head.

Question 35

11A: Mild, appearance?

Answer 35

Appearance: Copper to dark brown or mahogany color. A few paler examples (medium amber to light brown) exist. Generally clear, although is traditionally unfiltered. Low to moderate off-white to tan head. Retention may be poor due to low carbonation, adjunct use and low gravity.

Question 36

11B: Southern English Brown, appearance?

Answer 36

Appearance: Light to dark brown, and can be almost black. Nearly opaque, although should be relatively clear if visible. Low to moderate off-white to tan head.

Question 37

11C: Northern English Brown Ale, appearance?

Answer 37

Appearance: Dark amber to reddish-brown color. Clear. Low to moderate off-white to light tan head.

Question 38

12A: Brown Porter, appearance?

Answer 38

Appearance: Light brown to dark brown in color, often with ruby highlights when held up to light. Good clarity, although may approach being opaque. Moderate off-white to light tan head with good to fair retention.

Question 39

12B: Robust Porter, appearance?

Answer 39

Appearance: Medium brown to very dark brown, often with ruby- or garnet-like highlights. Can approach black in color. Clarity may be difficult to discern in such a dark beer, but when not opaque will be clear (particularly when held up to the light). Full, tan-colored head with moderately good head retention.

Question 40

12C: Baltic Porter, appearance?

Answer 40

Appearance: Dark reddish copper to opaque dark brown (not black). Thick, persistent tan-colored head. Clear, although darker versions can be opaque.

Question 41

13A: Dry Stout, appearance?

Answer 41

Appearance: Jet black to deep brown with garnet highlights in color. Can be opaque (if not, it should be clear). A thick, creamy, long-lasting, tan- to brown-colored head is characteristic.

Question 42

13B: Sweet Stout, appearance?

Answer 42

Appearance: Very dark brown to black in color. Can be opaque (if not, it should be clear). Creamy tan to brown head.

Question 43

13C: Oatmeal Stout, appearance?

Answer 43

Appearance: Medium brown to black in color. Thick, creamy, persistent tan- to brown-colored head. Can be opaque (if not, it should be clear).

Question 44

13D: Foreign Extra Stout, appearance?

Answer 44

Appearance: Very deep brown to black in color. Clarity usually obscured by deep color (if not opaque, should be clear). Large tan to brown head with good retention.

Question 45

13E: American Stout, appearance?

Answer 45

Appearance: Generally a jet black color, although some may appear very dark brown. Large, persistent head of light tan to light brown in color. Usually opaque.

Question 46

13F: Russian Imperial Stout, appearance?

Answer 46

Appearance: Color may range from very dark reddish-brown to jet black. Opaque. Deep tan to dark brown head. Generally has a well-formed head, although head retention may be low to moderate. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in ‘legs’ when beer is swirled in a glass.

Question 47

14A: English IPA, appearance?

Answer 47

Appearance: Color ranges from golden amber to light copper, but most are pale to medium amber with an orange-ish tint. Should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. Good head stand with off-white color should persist.

Question 48

14B: American IPA, appearance?

Answer 48

Appearance: Color ranges from medium gold to medium reddish copper; some versions can have an orange-ish tint. Should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. Good head stand with white to off-white color should persist.

Question 49

14C: Imperial IPA, appearance?

Answer 49

Appearance: Color ranges from golden amber to medium reddish copper; some versions can have an orange-ish tint. Should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. Good head stand with off-white color should persist.

Question 50

15A: Weizen/Weissbier, appearance?

Answer 50

Appearance: Pale straw to very dark gold in color. A very thick, moussy, long-lasting white head is characteristic. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in an unfiltered beer, although the level of haze is somewhat variable. A beer ‘mit hefe’ is also cloudy from suspended yeast sediment (which should be roused before drinking). The filtered Krystal version has no yeast and is brilliantly clear.

Question 51

15B: Dunkelweizen, appearance?

Answer 51

Appearance: Light copper to mahogany brown in color. A very thick, moussy, long-lasting off-white head is characteristic. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in this traditionally unfiltered style, although the level of haze is somewhat variable. The suspended yeast sediment (which should be roused before drinking) also contributes to the cloudiness.

Question 52

15C: Weizenbock, appearance?

Answer 52

Appearance: Dark amber to dark, ruby brown in color. A very thick, moussy, long-lasting light tan head is characteristic. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in this traditionally unfiltered style, although the level of haze is somewhat variable. The suspended yeast sediment (which should be roused before drinking) also contributes to the cloudiness.

Question 53

15D: Roggenbier (German Rye Beer), appearance?

Answer 53

Appearance: Light coppery-orange to very dark reddish or coppery-brown color. Large creamy off-white to tan head, quite dense and persistent (often thick and rocky). Cloudy, hazy appearance.

Question 54

16A: Witbier, appearance?

Answer 54

Appearance: Very pale straw to very light gold in color. The beer will be very cloudy from starch haze and/or yeast, which gives it a milky, whitish-yellow appearance. Dense, white, moussy head. Head retention should be quite good.

Question 55

16B: Belgian Pale Ale, appearance?

Answer 55

Appearance: Amber to copper in color. Clarity is very good. Creamy, rocky, white head often fades more quickly than other Belgian beers.

Question 56

16C: Saison, appearance?

Answer 56

Appearance: Often a distinctive pale orange but may be golden or amber in color. There is no correlation between strength and color. Long-lasting, dense, rocky white to ivory head resulting in characteristic ‘Belgian lace’ on the glass as it fades. Clarity is poor to good though haze is not unexpected in this type of unfiltered farmhouse beer. Effervescent.

Question 57

16D: Bière de Garde, appearance?

Answer 57

Appearance: Three main variations exist (blond, amber and brown), so color can range from golden blonde to reddish-bronze to chestnut brown. Clarity is good to poor, although haze is not unexpected in this type of often unfiltered beer. Well-formed head, generally white to off-white (varies by beer color), supported by high carbonation.

Question 58

16E: Belgian Specialty Ale, appearance?

Answer 58

Appearance: Variable. Color varies considerably from pale gold to very dark. Clarity may be hazy to clear. Head retention is usually good. Generally moderate to high carbonation.

Question 59

17A: Berliner Weisse, appearance?

Answer 59

Appearance: Very pale straw in color. Clarity ranges from clear to somewhat hazy. Large, dense, white head with poor retention due to high acidity and low protein and hop content. Always effervescent.

Question 60

17B: Flanders Red Ale, appearance?

Answer 60

Appearance: Deep red, burgundy to reddish-brown in color. Good clarity. White to very pale tan head. Average to good head retention.

Question 61

17C: Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin, appearance?

Answer 61

Appearance: Dark reddish-brown to brown in color. Good clarity. Average to good head retention. Ivory to light tan head color.

Question 62

17D: Straight (Unblended) Lambic, appearance?

Answer 62

Appearance: Pale yellow to deep golden in color. Age tends to darken the beer. Clarity is hazy to good. Younger versions are often cloudy, while older ones are generally clear. Head retention is generally poor. Head color is white.

Question 63

17E: Gueuze, appearance?

Answer 63

Appearance: Golden in color. Clarity is excellent (unless the bottle was shaken). A thick rocky, mousse-like, white head seems to last forever. Always effervescent.

Question 64

17F: Fruit Lambic, appearance?

Answer 64

Appearance: The variety of fruit generally determines the color though lighter-colored fruit may have little effect on the color. The color intensity may fade with age. Clarity is often good, although some fruit will not drop bright. A thick rocky, mousse-like head, sometimes a shade of fruit, is generally long-lasting. Always effervescent.

Question 65

18A: Belgian Blond Ale, appearance?

Answer 65

Appearance: Light to deep gold color. Generally very clear. Large, dense, and creamy white to off-white head. Good head retention with Belgian lace.

Question 66

18B: Belgian Dubbel, appearance?

Answer 66

Appearance: Dark amber to copper in color, with an attractive reddish depth of color. Generally clear. Large, dense, and long-lasting creamy off-white head.

Question 67

18C: Belgian Tripel, appearance?

Answer 67

Appearance: Deep yellow to deep gold in color. Good clarity. Effervescent. Long-lasting, creamy, rocky, white head resulting in characteristic ‘Belgian lace’ on the glass as it fades.

Question 68

18D: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, appearance?

Answer 68

Appearance: Yellow to medium gold in color. Good clarity. Effervescent. Massive, long-lasting, rocky, often beady, white head resulting in characteristic ‘Belgian lace’ on the glass as it fades.

Question 69

18E: Belgian Dark Strong Ale, appearance?

Answer 69

Appearance: Deep amber to deep coppery-brown in color (‘dark’ in this context implies ‘more deeply colored than golden’). Huge, dense, moussy, persistent cream- to light tan-colored head. Can be clear to somewhat hazy.

Question 70

19A: Old Ale, appearance?

Answer 70

Appearance: Light amber to very dark reddish-brown color (most are fairly dark). Age and oxidation may darken the beer further. May be almost opaque (if not, should be clear). Moderate to low cream- to light tan-colored head; may be adversely affected by alcohol and age.

Question 71

19B: English Barleywine, appearance?

Answer 71

Appearance: Color may range from rich gold to very dark amber or even dark brown. Often has ruby highlights, but should not be opaque. Low to moderate off-white head; may have low head retention. May be cloudy with chill haze at cooler temperatures, but generally clears to good to brilliant clarity as it warms. The color may appear to have great depth, as if viewed through a thick glass lens. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in ‘legs’ when beer is swirled in a glass.

Question 72

19C: American Barleywine, appearance?

Answer 72

Appearance: Color may range from light amber to medium copper; may rarely be as dark as light brown. Often has ruby highlights. Moderately-low to large off-white to light tan head; may have low head retention. May be cloudy with chill haze at cooler temperatures, but generally clears to good to brilliant clarity as it warms. The color may appear to have great depth, as if viewed through a thick glass lens. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in ‘legs’ when beer is swirled in a glass.

Question 73

20A: FRUIT BEER, appearance?

Answer 73

Appearance: Appearance should be appropriate to the base beer being presented and will vary depending on the base beer. For lighter-colored beers with fruits that exhibit distinctive colors, the color should be noticeable. Note that the color of fruit in beer is often lighter than the flesh of the fruit itself and may take on slightly different shades. Fruit beers may have some haze or be clear, although haze is a generally undesirable. The head may take on some of the color of the fruit.

Question 74

21A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer, appearance?

Answer 74

Appearance: Appearance should be appropriate to the base beer being presented and will vary depending on the base beer. For lighter-colored beers with spices, herbs or vegetables that exhibit distinctive colors, the colors may be noticeable in the beer and possibly the head. May have some haze or be clear. Head formation may be adversely affected by some ingredients, such as chocolate.

Question 75

21B: Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer, appearance?

Answer 75

Appearance: Generally medium amber to very dark brown (darker versions are more common). Usually clear, although darker versions may be virtually opaque. Some chill haze is acceptable. Generally has a well-formed head that is often off-white to tan.

Question 76

22A: Classic Rauchbier, appearance?

Answer 76

Appearance: This should be a very clear beer, with a large, creamy, rich, tan- to cream-colored head. Medium amber/light copper to dark brown color.

Question 77

22B: Other Smoked Beer, appearance?

Answer 77

Appearance: Variable. The appearance should reflect the base beer style, although the color of the beer is often a bit darker than the plain base style.

Question 78

22C: Wood-Aged Beer, appearance?

Answer 78

Appearance: Varies with base style. Often darker than the unadulterated base beer style, particularly if toasted/charred oak and/or whiskey/bourbon barrels are used.

Question 79

23A: Specialty Beer, appearance?

Answer 79

Appearance: Appearance should be appropriate to the base beer being presented and will vary depending on the base beer (if declared). Note that unusual ingredients or processes may affect the appearance so that the result is quite different from the declared base style. Some ingredients may add color (including to the head), and may affect head formation and retention.