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Here is the descriptions of beer styles, that
exist in my collection. I took this info from
RateBeer site. To see
descriptions in Russian language, visit
www.nuBO.ru.
| Style |
Description |
| Abbey Dubbel |
These are dark, malty, yeasty strong ales in the
Trappist tradition, but produced (mainly) by secular
brewers. Dubbels range between 6.5-8% abv, and have a
dark brown, cloudy colour, and a palate mixing malt, a
lush fruitiness, and yeast. They are typically
bottle-conditioned. |
| Abbey Tripel |
Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty
beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop
profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical
abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the
hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry.
Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style,
and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales
will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have
the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol
flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in
just about any other style. |
| Abt/Quadrupel |
Abt, or quadrupel, is the name given to ultra-strong
Trappist and abbey ales. The name Abt was pioneered to
describe Westvleteren and the beer that would become St.
Bernardus. Quadrupel was pioneered by La Trappe. Abts
are the darker of the two, with more rich, deep fruity
notes. Quads are paler, with corresponding peachy notes.
Neither have much in the way of hop, and both are very
strong and malty. Though both are bottle-conditioned,
abts trend more towards yeastiness. Alcohol is very high
(10+% abv) for both. |
| Altbier |
Well hopped and malty with copper to dark-brown
color. Alt is the German word for "old" or "old style".
It is more or less the German equivalent to an English
ale. Traditionally fermented warm but aged at cold
temperatures. |
| Amber Ale |
A style without definition, amber ales range from
bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a
fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the
differentiation between a quality amber and an American
Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt
character, or a less assertive hop rate. |
| American Wheat |
Golden to light amber in color, the body is light to
medium. The wheat lends a crispness to the brew, often
with some acidity. Some hop flavour maybe be present,
but bitterness is low. Not as estery as German or
Belgian-style wheats. |
| Baltic Porter |
The historical remnants of the 19th c. Baltic trade
in imperial stouts, Baltic Porters are typically strong,
sweet and bottom-fermented. They lack the powerful roast
of an imperial stout, but have an intense malt
character. Alcohol ranges from 7-9.5% abv. Though they
are typically lagers, there are a handful of
top-fermented examples. |
| Barley Wine |
A Barley Wine is a strong, top-fermenting ale, with
an alcohol contents of at least 9% and up to 13% (or
more) by volume. Hops may be hardly noticeable at all or
very noticeable. Sip them out of the special glass, that
will concentrate the aroma. They are excellent with
cigars or with dessert. |
| Belgian Ale |
Belgian-style ales seldom fit neatly into classic
beer styles, but this category represents those
"session" ales (in Belgium this means under 7% abv!)
that do not fit other categories. Colour ranges from
golden to deep amber, with the occasional example coming
in darker. Body tends to be light to medium, with a wide
range of hop and malt levels. Yeastiness and acidity may
also be present. |
| Belgian Strong Ale |
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown
in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy
sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop
aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and
have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included
here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey
ales. |
| Belgian White |
Belgian style wheat beers, are very pale, opaque,
with the crisp character of wheat, plus the citric
refreshment of orange peel and coriander. Ingredients
sometimes also include oats for smoothness, and other
spices such as grains of paradise. Serve with light
cheeses or mussels. |
| Bitter |
A gold to copper color, low carbonation and medium
to high bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma may be
non-existent to mild. Great to drink with steak and
lobster. |
| Bohemian Pilsener |
Hallmarked by the generous use of the Saaz hop,
Bohemian (or Czech) pilsners are also noted for their
rich gold colour, fat maltiness and moderate to full
body. Regardless of origin, to be a pilsner a beer must
have at least 28 units of bitterness, and preferably
much more. |
| Brown Ale |
Color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown. Lower
in alcohol than porter, medium to full body flavor.
Appropriate foods are apple pie, pork with brown sauce,
beef vegetable soup and cheddar. |
| Classic German Pilsener |
German pilsners typically come in two varieties, the
northern and the southern. Southern examples are akin to
a Bohemian pilsner with German hops and less malt.
Northern examples are very well-attenuated (leaner in
body) and dry. |
| Doppelbock |
Doppel means double and while these are stronger
brews than the traditional German bocks, they are
typically not twice the strength. Color is light amber
to dark brown. Very full body with a high alcoholic
flavor. Low hop flavor and aroma. |
| Dortmunder/Helles |
These two styles are closely related, the former
hailing from Dortmund and the latter from Bavaria. Both
are slightly strong (5.0-5.6%), malt-accented pale
lagers. The cookie-like or bready maltiness should be
very much in evidence in a traditional example. These
beers are clean and easy to drink in quantity. Some
Dortmunders made in Denmark and the Netherlands are
stronger. |
| Dry Stout |
The “Irish-style” stout is typically a low-gravity
stout with bitterness ranging between 30-45 IBUs.
Roastiness is present, but restrained, and there should
not be hops in either the flavour or aroma. A little bit
of acidity can be present. Often, this type of stout is
serving via nitrogen, with all the effects that has on a
beer – low carbonation, extra-thick head, lifeless
palate and muted flavour and aroma. |
| Dunkel |
Copper to dark brown. Medium body. Nutty, toasted,
chocolatelike malty sweetness in aroma and flavor.
Medium bitterness. Low "noble-type" hop flavor and
aroma. No fruitiness or esters. |
| Dunkelweizen |
A dark take on the German wheat theme, dunkelweizens
have the same banana and clove notes of their pale
cousins, but also have earthy, toasty, chocolatey notes
from the addition of dark malts. They are "shoulder
season" wheat beers to many drinkers - something a
little more robust than a hefeweizen for the fall and
spring seasons, but not as rich as winter's weizenbocks.
Alcohol is between 4.8-5.6% generally, bitterness is
low, and carbonation is high. Occasionally, you will see
dark versions of American Wheats, but these are
uncommon. |
| Eisbock |
A stronger version of Doppelbock. Deep copper to
black. Very alcoholic. Typically brewed by freezing a
doppelbock and removing resulting ice to increase
alcohol content. |
| English Pale Ale |
The term 'pale' was originally intended to
distinguish beers of this type from the brown London
Porter. Classic English Pale Ales are not pale but
rather are golden to copper colored and display English
variety hop character. Distinguishing characteristics
are dryness and defined hop taste, but more malt balance
than what you’ll typically find in an American Pale Ale.
Great to drink with all sorts of meats including roast
beef, lamb, burgers, duck, goose, etc. Note that the
term 'pale ale' is used in England to signify a bottled
bitter, and in that way there is no such thing as
'English Pale Ale' to the English. The style is a North
American construct, borne of the multitude of pale ales
that pay homage to these bottled bitters – Bass in
particular – and therefore the majority of true examples
of the style are found outside Britain. |
| English Strong Ale |
Malty, with complex fruity esters. Some oxidative
notes are acceptable, akin to those found in port or
sherry. Hop aromas not usually present, due to extended
age. Medium amber to very dark red-amber color. Malty
and usually sweet. Alcoholic strength should be evident,
though not overwhelming. Medium to full body; alcohol
should contribute some warmth. An ale of significant
alcoholic strength, though usually not as strong or rich
as barleywine. Usually tilted toward a sweeter, more
malty balance. Often regarded as winter warmers, and
often released as seasonal beers. |
| European Strong Lager |
Most commonly found in Poland, but also in other
European countries as well, especially the East. These
are essentially stronger versions of pilsners, though
the increased malt and alcohol will noticeable reduce
the hop accent. Because these are usually all-malt, and
comfortably hopped, they are easily distinguishable from
malt liquors. Without the malt character of bocks, these
are worthy of a style all their own. |
| Flemish Sour Ale |
The style with no particular name generally
incorporates the light, fruity Rodenbach Red to the
richly malty, strong, but still acidic, Liefmans
Goudenband, and everything in between. No matter if the
beer occupies the red or brown end of the spectrum, it
should display a fruity, vinous character and a deft
balance between sweet malt flavours and acidity. |
| Foreign Stout |
Foreign Stout began with the beer that would become
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This was a stronger,
extra-hopped version of the basic Guinness Extra Stout,
brewed to survive long journeys overseas. The classic
FES still exists in a few different forms, but many of
the original destination countries (Jamaica, Sri Lanka,
etc.) now have their own, locally-produced versions.
Foreign stout occupies a position between basic stout
and imperial stout. It is sweeter than a basic stout,
but not as robust as an imperial. It is less fruity and
less hoppy as well. Foreign stouts are sometimes made
with local grains and adjuncts – sugar is not uncommon.
Alcohol ranges from 6-8%. |
| Fruit Beer |
Any ale or lager made with fruit. See beer
description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and
strength vary depending on the type of fruit used. |
| German Hefeweizen |
Depending on the style can range from pale and light
body to dark brown with full body. Wheat beer is
characterized by it's cloudy appearance and it's banana
and sometimes vanilla aftertaste. |
| German Kristallweizen |
Kristalweizens are the third member of the German
Wheat trifecta. Deriding by many beer lovers as
“castrated hefeweizens”, kristalweizens are known for
their filtered, sparkling colour. They have the classic
spritzy carbonation of wheat beers, and the same tart
wheat notes and signature components of banana,
bubblegum and spice. The body is light, and alcohol
ranging around the 5% mark, give or take half a point. |
| Golden Ale/Blond Ale |
There are a few different types of blond ale. The
first is the traditional “Canadian Ale”, an
adjunct-laden, macrobrewed, top-fermented equivalent of
the American Standard. The second is common in US
brewpubs – a light starter ale, with marginally more hop
and body than a macrobrew, fewer adjuncts, but still not
a flavourful beer by any means. The British
interpretation is easily the boldest, hoppiest blond ale
rendition. Some of these can almost be considered
American Pales they are so hopped up – very crisp,
refreshing, with relatively low alcohol compared with
their North American counterparts. |
| Heller Bock |
The pale Bock is dark golden to copper in color.
Medium to full-bodied with an emphasis on malt
sweetness. Hop flavor and aroma tend to be light.
Maibock often falls into this category. |
| India Pale Ale |
India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from
British brewers who were making beer for export to
India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was
used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India
Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium
maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very
strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of
chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine. |
| Irish Ale |
The red ales of Ireland have a gentle maltiness,
caramelly, earthy notes, and a generally restrained hop
character. They are session ales, so alcohol is
generally at 5% abv or less, though you will find the
occasion stronger example. |
| Irish Red |
The red ales of Ireland have a gentle maltiness,
caramelly, earthy notes, and a generally restrained hop
character. They are session ales, so alcohol is
generally at 5% abv or less, though you will find the
occasion stronger example. |
| Kolsch |
Golden, top-fermented style native to Köln, Germany.
The style has a very narrow profile and many beers that
consider themselves to be kölschbiers are not. Generally
they have a moderate bitterness, but fairly prominent
hop flavour (typically Spalt, Tettnang or Hallertau).
They have high effervescence, medium esters, but a
rounded, stylish character derived from lagering. |
| Lambic - Fruit |
One of the oldest styles of beer style produced
today, and one of the most complex. Lambics are wheat
beers made with stale hops and fermented with wild
yeasts and other microorganisms, traditionally only on
the Senne Valley in and around Brussels. The beer is
aged from one to three years in wooden barrels. Lambic
is occasionally available unblended from the barrel, but
is more commonly found as gueuze, a sparkling, vinous
blend of several barrels, or in versions where the beer
has been matured with fruit. The most traditional of the
fruit lambics are kriek (cherry) and framboise
(raspberry). In modern times, peaches (pêche),
blackcurrants (cassis), grapes, as well as more exotic
fruits are used. Traditional lambics are commonly
denoted by the term "oud", which is a reference to
"old-style", and these are the most sour. More commonly,
though, lambics are sweetened to cut the intense
acidity. Serve with sharp cheeses or pickled dishes, or
use in the preparation of mussels. |
| Low Alcohol |
Low alcohol beers range from the typical “Non-Alc”
beers, which typically contain 0.5%, to the various
European table beer styles. These include hvidtøl and
skibsøl from Denmark, kvass from Russia, the Dutch oud
bruins, svagdricka from Sweden, kalja from Finland,
various Klass I Scandinavian lagers and table beers from
the Teutonic countries as well. The base criteria is
that the beer should be under 3%, but still contain
alcohol (which rules out malta/malzbier). Otherwise, the
class can be a bit of a free-for-all stylistically,
ranging from bland lagers, to alcohol-free weizenbiers,
to the smoky skibsøl. |
| Oktoberfest / Marzen |
Amber to deep copper/orange. Malty sweetness,
toasted malt aroma and flavor dominant. Medium body. Low
to medium bitterness. Low hop flavor and aroma. |
| Old Ale |
Old Ale is a simple enough style to figure out. At
least, once you understand that there are three or four
different beer styles called Old Ale. The first is the
best known - the strong dark Old Peculier style. A malty
beer, between 6-7%, with a dark brown colour and notes
of molasses, toffee, and dark fruit. Hop profile is
minimal, though bitterness will creep up to 25-32 IBUs.
The second Old Ale is epitomized by Gale's Prize Old
Ale. This is not necessarily stronger than the other
version, but may be. It is dark brown, and made from a
blend of two or more beers. At least one of the beers
going into the blend will be aged for a couple of years
in oak casks. In terms of production, this beer is
related to Flemish Ales, and Lambics. But in character,
these are dark, fruity, sweet beers of distinction.
Other hallmarks of this type of Old Ale are low
carbonation, a developing acid presence, and a slightly
oily palate. Hop character is non-existent, and malty
notes ranging from raisins and brown sugar to vinuous
flavours abound.The third version of Old Ale is closely
related to the first. For me, these are robustly malty
beers, akin to a top-fermented version of a doppelbock.
They are differentiated from an English Strong Ale by
their lack of hop or yeast character. Alcohol tends to
be 6.5% or higher and the chewy malt predominates from
the warm nose to the long finish. The last are lower
alcohol beers (between 4 and maybe just north of 5%)
that are very dark, with chewy, malty flavours - almost
like a robust version of a mild. These are found in
small quantities in England, sometimes as a harvest ale. |
| Pale Lager |
Pale lager is the world's most popular style of
beer. Modeled on the three original, world-famous
examples Carlsberg, Heineken and Budweiser, these are
the mainstream of the beer world. The color ranges from
light bronze to nearly transparent and the alcohol
anywhere from 4-6%. Adjunct usage may be quite high,
though in some cases the beer is all-malt. Carbonation
is typically forced, though not always. One thing that
doesn't vary is that neither the malt nor the hops make
much of an impression on the palate. These beers are
brewed for minimum character, though faint traces of hop
or malt may show through. More likely though is that
adjuncts like corn will show through, or you'll find
notes of higher alcohols (fuel notes) due to the use of
high-gravity brewing. The body will be thin and watery,
and the finish is typically non-existent. |
| Pilsener |
While the definition of “pilsner” is open to much
debate in beer community, it generally refers to pale,
hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up. Pilsners that
do not meet the specific characteristics of a German or
Bohemian pils will be given this generic classification. |
| Porter |
Black or chocolate malt gives the porter it's dark
brown color. Porters are well hopped and heavily malted.
This is a medium-bodied beer. Porters can be sweet.
Hoppiness can range from bitter to mild. Porters are
often confused with stouts. |
| Premium Bitter/ESB |
In England, many breweries have a number of bitters
in their range. The style that has come to be known as
Premium Bitter generally includes the stronger
(4.3-6.0%) examples. These are mostly served in the
traditional way from the cask, but some are also found
in bottle form where the extra malt allows them to stand
up better than the more delicate ordinary Bitter. In the
US, the designation ESB is common for this style, owing
to the influence of Fuller's ESB, the London brew that
was among the first to be exported to the States. In the
US, some ESBs are made with American hops and a clean
yeast, but the alcohol range is the same, as is the
range of bitterness, usually between 25 and 35 but
occasionally creeping higher. |
| Premium Lager |
A beer that straddles between the mainstream Pale
Lager and Pilsner. Not all beers that call themselves
Premium Lager are, but those that are will typically
have a deep gold to light bronze colour, and distinct
influence of malt and hops. They should be free of
adjuncts and will have a softer carbonation than Pale
Lager or Classic German Pilsner. IBUs will typically
range in the 20's, and lagering times will typically be
4-6 weeks, more in line with what pilsners have. Overall
accent will be malty-to-balanced, alcohol in a slightly
tighter range than either Pale Lager or Pilsner
(4.5-5.5%). Most often the product of a microbrewery or
brewpub, but macrobreweries can make this style if they
jack up the hops a bit and make it all-malt. |
| 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. |
| Scotch Ale |
Though you won't find too many examples of this
style in Scotland, strong Scotch Ales have come into
their own in the New World. The term denotes a strong,
dark, malty ale typically ranging between 6.5-8.5%. The
malt character has caramel and toffee leanings, but is
most distinguished by the use of malt smoked over peat.
The overall character is sweet, sometimes earthy, smoky
or alcoholic as well. Yeast character is usually
restrained. |
| Smoked |
The classic smoked beers hail from Bamberg in
Franconia, Germany. These are made using malt that has
been smoked over beechwood. The insistent smokiness may
be applied to any lager style. In North America, the
same technique has been used to make smoked porter.
Whiskey malt beers are made using peat-smoked malt. |
| Spice / Herb / Vegetable |
Any ale or lager made with herbs, spices or
vegetables. The additive should be distinctive in the
aroma. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop
character and strength vary depending on the type of
spice, herb or vegetable used. |
| Stout |
Many stouts do not fit the classic “Irish”
definition as exemplified by Guinness, either due to
their hop or roast rates, or higher gravity (in the case
of many American stouts). They are still basic stouts,
however, not falling into any of the subclasses. |
| Sweet Stout |
Dark brown to black in colour. Sweet stouts come in
three main varieties - milk stout, oatmeal stout, and
foreign stout. Milk stouts are made with the addition of
lactose, and are sweet, low-alcohol brews. Oatmeal lends
a smooth fullness of body to stouts, while foreign
stouts are stronger (6.5-8% abv) and have a sweet malt
profile and high esters. All of the sweet stouts are
noted for their restrained roastiness in comparison with
other stouts, and low hop levels. |
| Traditional Ale |
A catch-all category that we use to classify all of
those ancient or resurrected styles of antiquity that
are appearing more and more in brewing today. From sahti
to heather ale to sorghum beer to gruit, and beers like
Adam and Midas Touch, these ales will vary tremendously
in character from one another. Many are unhopped,
strength can vary, but all are a glimpse into brewing's
past. |
| Vienna |
Given this name because the style was developed
around Vienna, Austria. A light to medium body, with a
malty aroma. Beers produced and labeled as Marzen or
Oktoberfest are likely to be of the Vienna Lager style. |
| Weizen Bock |
Strong, dark wheat beers. Weizenbocks typically have
a high ester profile, with more malt and alcohol than is
typically associated with a wheat beer. |
| Zwickel / Keller / Lanbier |
Three related, minor, lager styles most common in
Franconia. Essentially, these are hoppier versions of a
helles, served with natural carbonation and unfiltered -
they are the lager world's answer to real ale.
Kellerbier will on average be hoppier than zwickelbier.
There is also Landbier, which is more malt-accented, may
be filtered, but is similarly lacking in carbonation.
Gravity is standard, hop rates ranging from 22-40 IBUs,
the colour from pale to reddish-amber and the palate
should be balanced with a hop accent. |
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