Forget the fancy names and snobby descriptions – we’re diving headfirst into the wide world of beer styles, no passport required. Whether you’re a hophead, a malt maniac, or just curious about what the hell a gose is, we’ve got you covered. So grab a pint, kick back, and get ready to discover your new favorite brew.
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Ales: From the pale and hoppy to the dark and roasty, ales are the rebels of the beer world. We’ll explore the full spectrum of flavors and aromas, from citrusy IPAs to rich, chocolatey stouts.
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Lagers: Crisp, clean, and refreshing, lagers are the workhorses of the beer industry. We’ll delve into the subtle nuances of pilsners, bocks, and Oktoberfest brews, and discover why these understated beauties deserve a place in your fridge.
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Hybrid Beers: These rule-breakers blur the lines between ales and lagers, offering the best of both worlds. Get ready to meet some fascinating characters like cream ales, kölsch, and altbier, each with its own unique story to tell.
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Mead & Cider: Honey or apples? Why not both? We’ll journey beyond the world of barley and hops to explore the sweet, tart, and complex flavors of mead and cider.
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Other Styles: The beer world is full of surprises, from Belgian-style ales with their funky yeast notes to sour beers that’ll pucker your lips. We’ll take you on a wild ride through the lesser-known styles that are pushing the boundaries of brewing.
Beers By Region and Classic Style
I note the BJCP category for each of the styles below according to the 2021 guidelines in brackets for easy cross reference.
- American Beer
- American Light Lager [BJCP: 1A]
- American Lager [BJCP: 1B]
- Cream Ale [BJCP: 1C]
- American Wheat Beer [BJCP: 1D]
- International Lagers
- International Pale Lager [BJCP: 2A]
- International Amber Lager [BJCP: 2B]
- International Dark Lager [BJCP: 2C]
- Czech Lagers
- Czech Pale Lager [BJCP: 3A]
- Czech Premium Pale Lager [BJCP: 3B]
- Czech Amber Lager [BJCP: 3C]
- Czech Dark Lager [BJCP: 3D]
- German Lagers
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Munich Helles [BJCP: 4A]
- Festbier [BJCP: 4B] (e.g., Oktoberfest)
- Helles Bock [BJCP: 4C]
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- Bitter German Beers
- German Leichtbier [BJCP: 5A]
- Kölsch [BJCP: 5B]
- German Helles Exportbier [BJCP: 5C]
- German Pils [BJCP: 5D]
- Amber German Beers
- Märzen [BJCP: 6A]
- Rauchbier [BJCP: 6B]
- Dunkles Bock [BJCP: 6C]
- German and Austrian Bitter Ambers
- Vienna Lager [BJCP: 7A]
- Altbier [BJCP: 7B]
- Dark European Lagers
- Munich Dunkel [BJCP: 8A]
- Schwarzbier [BJCP: 8B]
- Strong European Beers
- Doppelbock [BJCP: 9A]
- Eisbock [BJCP: 9B]
- Baltic Porter [BJCP: 9C]
- German Wheat Beer
- Weissbier [BJCP: 10A]
- Dunkles Weissbier (a.k.a. dunkelweizen) [BJCP: 10B]
- Weizenbock [BJCP: 10C]
- British Bitters
- Ordinary Bitter [BJCP: 11A]
- Best Bitter [BJCP: 11B]
- Strong Bitter [BJCP: 11C]
- Pale “Commonwealth” Beer
- British Golden Ale [BJCP: 12A]
- Australian Sparkling Ale [BJCP: 12B]
- English IPA [BJCP: 12C]
- Brown British Beer
- Dark Mild [BJCP: 13A]
- British Brown Ale [BJCP: 13B]
- English Porter [BJCP: 13C]
- Scottish Ale
- Scottish Light [BJCP: 14A]
- Scottish Heavy [BJCP: 14B]
- Scottish Export [BJCP: 14C]
- Irish Beer
- Irish Red Ale [BJCP: 15A]
- Irish Stout [BJCP: 15B]
- Irish Extra Stout [BJCP: 15C]
- Dark British Beer
- Sweet Stout [BJCP: 16A]
- Oatmeal Stout [BJCP: 16B]
- Tropical Stout [BJCP: 16C]
- Foreign Extra Stout [BJCP: 16D]
- Strong British/Irish Ale
- British Strong Ale [BJCP: 17A]
- Old Ale [BJCP: 17B]
- Wee Heavy [BJCP: 17C]
- English Barley Wine [BJCP: 17D]
- Pale American Ale
- Blonde Ale [BJCP: 18A]
- American Pale Ale [BJCP: 18B]
- Amber and Brown American Beer
- American Amber Ale [BJCP: 19A]
- California Common [BJCP: 19B]
- American Brown Ale [BJCP: 19C]
- American Porter and Stout
- American Porter [BJCP: 20A]
- American Stout [BJCP: 20B]
- Imperial Stout [BJPC: 20C]
- American IPAs
- American IPA [BJCP: 21A]
- Specialty IPA [BJCP: 21B]
- Specialty IPA: Belgian IPA
- Specialty IPA: Black IPA
- Specialty IPA: Brown IPA
- Specialty IPA: Red IPA
- Specialty IPA: Rye IPA
- Specialty IPA: Brut IPA
- Specialty IPA: White IPA
- Hazy IPA [BJCP: 21C]
- Strong American Ales
- Double IPA [BJCP: 22A]
- American Strong Ale [BJCP: 22B]
- American Barleywine [BJCP: 22C]
- Wheatwine [BJCP: 22D]
- European Sour Ale
- Berliner Weisse [BJCP: 23A]
- Flanders Red Ale [BJCP: 23B]
- Oud Bruin [BJCP: 23C]
- Lambic [BJCP: 23D]
- Gueuze [BJCP: 23E]
- Fruit Lambic [BJCP: 23F]
- Gose [BJCP: 23G]
- Belgian Ale
- Witbier [BJCP: 24A]
- Belgian Pale Ale [BJCP: 24B]
- Bière de Garde [BJCP: 24C]
- Strong Belgian Ales
- Belgian Blond Ale [BJCP: 25A]
- Saison [BJCP: 25B]
- Belgian Golden Strong Ale [BJCP: 25C]
- Monastic Ales
- Belgian Single [BJCP: 26A]
- Belgian Dubbel [BJCP: 26B]
- Belgian Tripel [BJCP: 26C]
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale [BCJP: 26D]
Strange And Wonderful Beers
- Historical Beers
- Historical Beer: Kellerbier
- Historical Beer: Kentucky Common
- Historical Beer: Lichtenhainer
- Historical Beer: Piwo Grodziskie
- Historical Beer: Pre-Prohibition Lager
- Historical Beer: Pre-Prohibition Porter
- Historical Beer: Roggenbier
- Historical Beer: Sahti
- American Wild Ales
- Brett Beer [BJCP: 28A]
- Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer [BJCP: 28B]
- Wild Specialty Beer [BJCP: 28C]
- Straight Sour Beer [BJCP: 28D]
- Fruit Beers
- Fruit Beer [BJCP: 29A]
- Fruit and Spice Beer [BJCP: 29B]
- Specialty Fruit Beer [BJCP: 29C]
- Grape Ale [BJCP: 29D]
- Spiced Beers
- Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer [BJCP: 30A]
- Autumn Seasonal Beer [BJCP: 30B]
- Winter Seasonal Beer [BJCP: 30C]
- Specialty Spice Beer [BJCP: 30D]
- Alternative Fermentables
- Alternative Grain Beer [BJCP: 31A]
- Alternative Sugar Beer [BJCP: 31B]
- Smoked Beer
- Classic Style Smoked Beer [BJCP: 32A]
- Specialty Smoked Beer [BJCP: 32B]
- Wood Beer
- Wood-Aged Beer [BJCP: 33A]
- Specialty Wood-Aged Beer [BJCP: 33B]
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