Styles Flashcards
Blonde Ale (classified as an American Pale Ale)
Easy-drinking, approachable, malt oriented
American craft beer, often with interesting fruit, hop,or character malt notes. Well-balanced and clean, is a refreshing pint without aggressive flavors.
Typically has more flavor than American
Lagers and Cream Ales. Less bitterness than an American Pale Ale.
ABV: 3.8 – 5.5%
American Pale Ale
A pale, refreshing and hoppy ale, yet
with sufficient supporting malt to make the beer balanced and drinkable. The clean hop presence can reflect classic or modern American or New World hop varieties with a wide range of
characteristics. An average-strength hop-forward pale American craft beer, generally balanced to be more accessible than modern American IPAs.
As far as hoppiness and strength, an American pale ale fits between a blonde ale and an American IPA. Typically lighter in color, cleaner in
fermentation by-products, and having less caramel flavors than English counterparts. There can be some overlap in color between American pale ale and American amber ale. The American pale ale will generally be cleaner, have a less caramelly malt profile, less body, and often more finishing
hops. Less bitterness in the balance and alcohol strength than an American IPA. More balanced and drinkable, and less intensely hop-focused and bitter than session-strength American IPAs (aka Session IPAs).
ABV: 4.5 – 6.2%
American Amber Ale
An amber, hoppy, moderate-strength American craft beer with a caramel malty flavor. The balance
can vary quite a bit, with some versions being fairly malty and others being aggressively hoppy. Hoppy and bitter versions should not have clashing flavors with the caramel malt profile.
Darker, more caramelly, more body, and
generally less bitter in the balance than American Pale Ales. Less alcohol, bitterness, and hop character than Red IPAs. Less strength, malt, and hop character than American Strong Ales.
Should not have a strong chocolate or roast character that might suggest an American brown ale (although small amounts are OK).
ABV: 4.5 – 6.2%
California Common (classified as an Amber / Brown American Beer)
A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainy maltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasing rustic, traditional American hop characteristics.
Superficially similar to an American Amber Ale, but with specific choices for malt and hopping–the hop flavor/aroma is traditional (not modern) American hops, malt flavors are more toasty, the hopping is always assertive, and a warm-fermented lager yeast is used. Less attenuated, less carbonated and less fruity than Australian
Sparkling ale.
ABV: 4.5 – 5.5%
American IPA
A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale, showcasing modern American or New World hop varieties. The balance is hop-forward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish, and clean, supporting malt allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through.
American IPA, like most American versions of English Styles, is bigger and bolder with a prodigious amount of citrusy, piney, resiny and fruity American hops.
Stronger and more highly hopped than
an American Pale Ale. Compared to an English IPA, has less of the “English” character from malt, hops, and yeast (less caramel, bread, and toast; more American/New World hops than English; less yeast-derived esters), less body, and often
has a more hoppy balance and is slightly stronger than most examples. Less alcohol than a Double IPA, but with a similar balance.
ABV: 5.5 – 7.5%
American Imperial IPA
An intensely hoppy, fairly strong pale ale without the big, rich, complex maltiness and residual
sweetness and body of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, dry, and lacking harshness. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping
beer.
Bigger than either an English or American IPA in both alcohol strength and overall hop level
(bittering and finish). Less malty, lower body, less rich and a greater overall hop intensity than an American Barleywine. Typically not as high in gravity/alcohol as a barleywine, since high alcohol and malt tend to limit drinkability.
ABV: 7.5 – 10.0%
American Strong Ale
A strong, full-flavored American ale that challenges and rewards the palate with full malty and hoppy flavors and substantial bitterness. The flavors are bold but complementary, and are stronger and richer than average strength
pale and amber American ales.
Generally not as strong and as rich as an American Barleywine. More malt balanced than an American or Double IPA with more American hop intensity than an English Strong Ale style would tolerate.
ABV: 6.3 – 10.0%
American Brown Ale
A malty but hoppy beer frequently with chocolate and caramel flavors. The hop flavor and aroma
complements and enhances the malt rather than clashing with it.
More chocolate and caramel type flavors
than American Pale or Amber Ales, typically with less prominent bitterness in the balance. Less bitterness, alcohol, and hop character than Brown IPAs. More bitter and generally hoppier than English Brown Ales, with a richer malt presence,
usually higher alcohol, and American/New World hop character.
ABV: 4.3 – 6.2%
American Stout
A fairly strong, highly roasted, bitter, hoppy dark stout. Has the body and dark flavors typical of
stouts with a more aggressive American hop character and bitterness.
American brewers sometimes highly hop the brew or add coffee or chocolate to complement the roasted flavors associated with this style. Some are even barrel aged in bourbon or whiskey barrels.
Like a hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Extra or Export Stout. Much more roast and body than a Black IPA. Bigger, stronger versions belong in the Russian Imperial Stout style. Stronger and more assertive, particularly in the dark malt/grain additions and hop character, than American
Porter.
ABV: 5.0 – 7.0%
American Imperial Stout
An intensely-flavored, big, dark ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. Despite the intense flavors, the components need to meld together to create a complex, harmonious beer, not a hot mess.
Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play. More complex, with a broader range of possible flavors than lower-gravity stouts.
ABV: 8.0 – 12.0%
Milk Stout (aka Sweet Stout, Cream Stout)
Stouts that have a large amount of residual dextrins and unfermented sugars that give the brew more body and a sweetness that counters the roasted characters.
Much sweeter and less bitter than other
stouts (except the stronger tropical stout). The roast character is mild, not burnt like other stouts. Somewhat similar in balance to oatmeal stouts, albeit with more sweetness.
ABV: 3.2 - 6.3%
Oatmeal Stout
A very dark, full-bodied, roasty, malty ale with a complementary oatmeal flavor. The sweetness,
balance, and oatmeal impression can vary considerably.
The oats add not only a lot of smoothness to the mouth feel but give a touch of sweetness that is unlike any other type of stout.
Most are like a cross between an Irish Extra Stout and a Sweet Stout with oatmeal added. Several
variations exist, with the sweeter versions more like a Sweet Stout with oatmeal instead of lactose, and the drier versions more like a more nutty, flavorful Irish Extra Stout. Both tend to emphasize the body and mouthfeel.
ABV: 4.2 – 5.9%
Scotch Ale
Also known as “Wee Heavy.”
Rich, malty, dextrinous, and usually caramel-sweet, these beers can give an impression that is suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt and alcohol flavors prevent a one-dimensional quality. Strength and maltiness can vary, but should not be cloying or syrupy.
Scotch Ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort. Compared to Scottish Ales, they’ll be sweeter and fuller-bodied and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor.
Somewhat similar to an English Barleywine.
ABV: 6.5 – 10.0%
American Porter
A substantial, malty dark beer with a complex and flavorful dark malt character. Modern-day Porters are typically brewed using a pale malt base with the addition of black malt, crystal, chocolate or smoked brown malt.
More bitter and often stronger with more dark malt qualities and dryness than English Porters or Pre-Prohibition Porters. Less strong and assertive than American Stouts.
ABV: 4.8 – 6.5%
Kölsch
A clean, crisp, delicately-balanced beer usually with a very subtle fruit and hop character. Subdued maltiness throughout leads into a pleasantly well-attenuated and refreshing finish. Freshness makes a huge difference with
this beer, as the delicate character can fade quickly with age. Brilliant clarity is characteristic.
To the untrained taster, easily mistaken
for a cream ale or somewhat subtle Pils.
ABV: 4.4 – 5.2%
