Style Comparison Flashcards
1A American Light Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: A lighter-bodied, lower-alcohol, lower calorie version of an American Lager. Less hop character and bitterness than a German Leichtbier.
1B American Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Stronger, more flavor and body than an American Light Lager. Less bitterness and flavor than an International Pale Lager. Significantly less flavor, hops, and bitterness than traditional European Pilsners.
1C Cream Ale Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Similar to a Standard American Lager, but with more character. Lighter body, smoother, and more carbonated than a Blonde Ale. May seem like a somewhat subtle Kölsch.
1D American Wheat Beer Style Comparison
Style Comparison: More hop character and less yeast character than Weissbier. Never with the banana and clove character of Weissbier. Generally has the same range and balance as Blonde Ales, but with a wheat character as the primary malt flavor.
2A International Pale Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Generally more bitter and filling than American Lager. Less hoppy and bitter than a German Pils. Less body, malt flavor, and hop character than a Czech Premium Pale Lager. More robust versions can approach a Munich Helles in flavor, but with more of an adjunct quality.
2B International Amber Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Less well-developed malt flavor than a Vienna Lager, often with an adjunct taste. Less robust flavor and bitterness than Altbier.
2C International Dark Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Less flavor and richness than Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier, or other dark lagers. Frequently uses adjuncts, as is typical of other International Lagers.
3A Czech Pale Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: A lighter-bodied, lower-intensity, refreshing, everyday version of Czech Premium Pale Lager.
3B Czech Premium Pale Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: More color, malt richness, and body than a German Pils, with a fuller finish and a cleaner, softer impression. Stronger than a Czech Pale Lager.
3C Czech Amber Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: The style can be similar to a Vienna Lager but with stronger Czech late hop character, or that approaching a British Bitter but significantly richer with more of a deep caramel character. Large brewery versions are generally similar to Czech Premium Pale Lager with slightly darker malt flavors and less hop, while smaller breweries often make versions with considerable hop character, malt complexity, or residual sweetness.
3D Czech Dark Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: The beer is the Czech equivalent of a dark lager ranging in character from Munich Dunkel to Schwarzbier, but typically with greater malt richness and hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness.
4A Munich Helles Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Similar in malt balance and bitterness to Munich Dunkel, but less malty-sweet in nature and pale rather than dark and rich. More body and malt presence than a German Pils, but less crisp and with less hop character throughout. Similar malt profile as a German Helles Exportbier, but with fewer hops in the balance and slightly less alcohol. Less body and alcohol than a Festbier.
4B Festbier Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Less intense and less richly toasted than a Märzen. Stronger than a Munich Helles, with a bit more body, and hop and malt flavor. Less rich in malt intensity than a Helles Bock. The malt complexity is similar to a higher- gravity Czech Premium Pale Lager, although without the associated hops.
4C Helles Bock Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Can be thought of as either a pale version of a Dunkles Bock, or a Munich Helles or Festbier brewed to bock strength. While quite malty, this beer typically has less dark and rich malt flavors, and can be drier, hoppier, and more bitter than a Dunkles Bock. Less strong than a pale Doppelbock, but with similar flavors.
5A German Leichtbier Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Like a lower-alcohol, lighter-bodied, slightly less aggressive German Pils or Munich Helles. More bitter and flavorful than an American Light Lager.
5B Kölsch Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Can be mistaken for a Cream Ale or somewhat subtle German Pils.
5C German Helles Exportbier Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Less finishing hops and more body than a German Pils. More bitter and drier than a Munich Helles. Stronger, drier, but less hoppy than a Czech Premium Pale Lager.
5D German Pils Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Lighter in body and color, drier, crisper, more fully attenuated, more lingering bitterness, and higher carbonation than a Czech Premium Pale Lager. More hop character, malt flavor, and bitterness than International Pale Lager. More hop character and bitterness with a drier, crisper finish than a Munich Helles; the Helles has more malt intensity, but of the same character as the German Pils.
6A Märzen Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Not as strong and rich as a Dunkles Bock. More malt depth and richness than a Festbier, with a heavier body and slightly less hops. Less hoppy but equally malty as a Czech Amber Lager, but with a different malt profile.
6B Rauchbier Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Like a Märzen with but with a balanced, sweet, smoky aroma and flavor and a somewhat darker color.
6C Dunkles Bock Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Darker, with a richer malty flavor and less apparent bitterness than a Helles Bock. Less alcohol and malty richness than a Doppelbock. Stronger malt flavors and higher alcohol than a Märzen. Richer, less attenuated, and less hoppy than a Czech Amber Lager.
7A Vienna Lager Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Similar malt flavor as a Märzen, but lighter in intensity, and body, with a touch more bitterness and dryness in the balance. Lower in alcohol than Märzen or Festbier. Less rich, malty, and hoppy than Czech Amber Lager.
7B Altbier Style Comparison
Style Comparison: More bitter and malty than International Amber Lagers. Somewhat similar to California Common, both in production technique and finished flavor and color, though not in ingredients. Less alcohol, less malty richness, and more bitterness than a Dunkles Bock. Drier, richer, and more bitter than a Vienna Lager.
8A Munich Dunkel Style Comparison
Style Comparison: Not as intense in maltiness or as strong as a Dunkles Bock. Lacking the more roasted flavors and often the hop bitterness of a Schwarzbier. Richer, more malt-centric, and less hoppy than a Czech Dark Lager.