American Pale Ales

Amer. Pale Ale: Range from golden to light copper color. The style is characterized by American-variety hops used to produce high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. American pale ales have medium body and low to medium maltiness. Low caramel character is allowable. Fruity-ester flavor and aroma should be moderate to strong. Diacetyl should be absent or present at very low levels. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Amer. Amber Ale: American amber ales range from light copper to light brown in color. Amber ales are characterized by American-variety hops used to produce medium to high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Amber ales have medium to high maltiness with medium to low caramel character. They should have medium body. The style may have low levels of fruity-ester flavor and aroma. Diacetyl should be absent or barely perceived. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

English Pale Ales

Ordinary Bitter: Ordinary bitter is gold to copper colored with medium bitterness, light to medium body, and low to medium residual malt sweetness. Hop flavor and aroma character may be evident at the brewer's discretion. Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity-ester character and very low diacetyl (butterscotch) character are acceptable in aroma and flavor but should be minimized in this form of bitter. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Special (Best) Bitter: Special bitter is more robust than ordinary bitter. It has medium body and medium residual malt sweetness. It is gold to copper colored with medium bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma character may be evident at the brewer's discretion. Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity-ester character and very low diacetyl (butterscotch) character are acceptable in aroma and flavor. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Extra Special Bitter: Extra special bitter possesses medium to strong hop qualities in aroma, flavor and bitterness. The residual malt sweetness of this richly flavored, full-bodied bitter is more pronounced than in other bitters. It is gold to copper colored with medium bitterness. Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity-ester character and very low diacetyl (butterscotch) character are acceptable in aroma and flavor. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

India Pale Ale: Characterized by intense hop bitterness with a high alcohol content. A high hopping rate and the use of water with high mineral content results in a crisp, dry beer. This golden- to deep-copper-colored ale has a full, flowery hop aroma and may have a strong hop flavor (in addition to the hop bitterness). India pale ales possess medium maltiness and body. Fruity-ester flavors and aromas are moderate to very strong. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Dark Lagers

Traditional Bock: Traditional bocks are made with all malt and are strong, malty, medium- to full-bodied, bottom-fermented beers with moderate hop bitterness that should increase proportionately with the starting gravity. Hop flavor should be low, and hop aroma should be very low. Bocks can range in color from deep copper to dark brown. Fruity esters may be perceived at low levels.

Helles Bock/Maibock: The German word "helles" means light colored, and, as such, a helles bock is light in color. Maibocks also are light-colored bocks. The malty character should come through in the aroma and flavor. Body is medium to full. Hop bitterness should be low while "noble-type" hop aroma and flavor may be at low to medium levels. Bitterness increases with gravity. Fruity esters should be minimal. Diacetyl levels should be very low. Chill haze should not be perceived.

Doppelbock: Malty sweetness is dominant, but should not be cloying. Doppelbocks are full-bodied and deep amber to dark brown color. Astringency from roasted malts is absent. Alcoholic strength is high, and hop rates increase with gravity. Hop bitterness and flavor should be low and hop aroma absent. Fruity esters are commonly perceived, but at low to moderate levels.

Vienna: Beers in this category are reddish-brown or copper colored. They are light to medium in body. The beer is characterized by malty aroma, slight malt sweetness and clean hop bitterness. "Noble-type" hop aromas and flavors should be low to medium. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

Märzen/Oktoberfest: Märzens are characterized by a medium body and broad range of color. Oktoberfests can range from golden to reddish-brown. Sweet maltiness should dominate slightly over a clean, hop bitterness. Malt character should be toasted rather than strongly caramel. Hop aroma and flavor should be low but notable. Fruity esters are minimal, if perceived at all. Diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

Munich Dunkel: These beers have a pronounced malty aroma and flavor that dominates over the clean, crisp moderate hop bitterness. A classic Muenchner dunkel should have a chocolatelike, roasted malt, breadlike aroma that comes from the use of Munich dark malt. Chocolate or roast malts can be used, but the percentage should be minimal. "Noble-type" hop flavor and aroma should be low, but perceptible. Diacetyl is acceptable at very low levels. Fruity esters and chill haze should not be perceived.

Schwarzbier: Dark brown to black. Medium body. Roasted malt evident. Low sweetness in aroma and flavor. Low to medium bitterness. Low bitterness from roast malt. Hop flavor and aroma, "noble-type" OK. No fruitiness, esters. Low diacetyl OK.

Porter

Brown Porter: Brown porters are mid to dark brown (may have red tint) in color. No roast barley or strong burnt malt character should be perceived. Low to medium malt sweetness is acceptable along with medium hop bitterness. This is a light- to medium-bodied beer. Fruity esters are acceptable. Hop flavor and aroma may vary from being negligible to medium in character.

Robust Porter: Robust porters are black in color and have a roast malt flavor but no roast barley flavor. These porters have a sharp bitterness of black malt without a highly burnt/charcoal flavor. Robust porters range from medium to full in body and have a malty sweetness. Hop bitterness is medium to high, with hop aroma and flavor ranging from negligible to medium. Fruity esters should be evident and balanced with roast malt and hop bitterness.

Stout

Irish-Style Dry Stout: Dry stouts have an initial malt and caramel flavor profile with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Dry stouts achieve a dry-roasted character through the use of roasted barley. Some slight acidity may be perceived, but is not necessary. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. Dry stouts have medium body. Fruity esters are minimal and overshadowed by malt, hop bitterness and roasted barley character. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be very low or not perceived. Head retention and rich character should be part of its visual character.

Foreign-Style Stout: Foreign-style stouts have an initial malt sweetness and caramel flavor with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Some slight acidity is permissible and a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel is appropriate. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. The perception of fruity esters is low. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be negligible or not perceived. Head retention is excellent.

Sweet Stout: Sweet stouts, also referred as to cream stouts, have less roasted bitter flavor and more full-bodied mouthfeel than dry stouts. The style can be given more body with milk sugar (lactose) before bottling. Malt sweetness, chocolate and caramel flavor should dominate the flavor profile. Hops should balance sweetness without contributing apparent flavor or aroma.

Oatmeal Stout: Oatmeal stouts typically include oatmeal in their grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor and smooth profile that is rich without being grainy. Roasted malt character of caramel and chocolate should be evident, smooth and not bitter. Bitterness is moderate -- not high. Hop flavor and aroma are optional, but should not overpower the overall balance. This is a medium- to full-bodied beer with minimal fruity esters.

Barleywine / Wheatwine

Barleywine: Tawny copper to dark brown in color with a full body and high residual malty sweetness. Complexity of alcohols and fruity-ester characters are often high and counter-balanced by the perception of medium to assertive bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content. Hop aroma and flavor may be medium to very high. Diacetyl should be very low. A caramel and vinous aroma and flavor is part of the character. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Wheatwine: Pale to deep copper. Malty sweetness. Medium to high bitterness. Wheat flavor evident. Hop flavor and aroma OK. Alcoholic taste. Low to medium diacetyl OK.

Holiday Beer

A beer specially brewed for the Winter holidays. Usually spices or herbs differentiate this beer from traditional styles. Color can range from light to dark. Anchor Christmas Ales of Lind Jolly Roger are examples of this style.

Please specify spices, herbs, or other special ingredients used.

Mead

A fermented beverage containing honey.

Sub-category must be specified:

Traditional, Metheglin (with spices), Melomel (with fruit), Pyment (with grapes), Cyser (with apples), Hippocras (spiced Pyment).

Please specify whether mead is still or sparkling and types of spice, herb, or fruit, if necessary