ABOUT THE WBC HOW TO ENTER CATEGORIES/STYLES INDEX HOME

Lagers: North American Origin

 

Guidelines to Beer Style Categories and Subcategories
By Charlie Papazian

These beer style descriptions are guidelines meant to aid in the decision of which category and subcategory to enter beer. Judges will evaluate the beers using their senses of smell, sight, taste and mouthfeel against the standards put forth in these guidelines.

LAGERS: NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN

50. American-Style Lager

Very light in body and color, American-style lagers are very clean and crisp and aggressively carbonated. Malt sweetness is absent. Corn, rice, or other grain or sugar adjuncts are often used. Hop aroma is absent. Hop bitterness is slight, and hop flavor is mild or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

51. American-Style Light Lager

According to the United States' FDA regulations, when used in reference to caloric content, "light" beers must have at least 25 percent fewer calories than the "regular" version of that beer. Such beers must have certain analytical data printed on the package label. These beers are extremely light colored, light in body and high in carbonation. Flavor is mild, and bitterness is very low. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

52. American-Style Premium Lager

Similar to the American-style lager, this style is a more flavorful, medium-bodied beer and may contain few or no adjuncts at all. Color may be deeper than the American-style lager, and alcohol content and bitterness may also be greater. Hop aroma and flavor are low or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent. NOTE: Some beers marketed as "premium" (based on price) may not fit this definition.

53. Dry Lager

This straw-colored lager lacks sweetness and is reminiscent of an American-style light lager. However, its starting gravity and alcoholic strength are greater. Hop rates are low, and carbonation is high. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

54. American-Style Ice Lager

This style is slightly higher in alcohol than most other light-colored, American-style lagers. Its body is low to medium and has a low residual malt sweetness. It has few or no adjuncts. Color is very pale to golden. Hop bitterness is low, but certainly perceptible. Hop aroma and flavor are low. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived. Typically these beers are chilled before filtration so that ice crystals (which may or may not be removed) are formed. This can contribute to a higher alcohol content (up to 0.5 percent more).

55. American-Style Malt Liquor

High in starting gravity and alcoholic strength, this style is somewhat diverse. Some American-style malt liquors are just slightly stronger than American lagers, while others approach bock strength. Some residual sweetness is perceived. Hop rates are very low, contributing little bitterness and virtually no hop aroma or flavor. Chill haze, diacetyl and fruity esters should not be perceived.

56. American-Style-Amber

American-style amber lagers are amber, reddish brown or copper colored. They are medium bodied. There is a noticeable degree of caramel-type malt character in flavor and often in aroma. This is a broad category in which the hop bitterness, flavor and aroma may be accentuated or may only be present at relatively low levels, yet noticeable. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should be absent.

57. American-Style Dark Lager

This beer's maltiness is less pronounced, and its body is light. Non-malt adjuncts are often used, and hop rates are low. Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are low. Carbonation is high and more typical of an American-style light lager than a European-style dark lager. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

Beer Style Guidelines © Charlie Papazian 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

BACK TO CATEGORIES/STYLES INDEX

ABOUT THE WORLD BEER CUP ··· HOW TO ENTER ··· WBC HOME PAGE