The IBS Guide to Beer and Brewing Styles: All Styles

The IBS Guide to Beer Styles:
Full One-page Chart
by the Institute for Brewing Studies
Last updated 08/00

Overview | Ales | Lagers | Specialties | One-Page Chart

This page represents the complete I.B.S. guide to beer styles. It is provided for printing or saving to disk as a handy reference. This guide to the various styles of beer is provided and copyrighted by the Institute for Brewing Studies, and is reprinted here from their Beer Sellers Guide. Canadian beer fans, be aware that this guide has as very strong American bias and omits a few of our own styles such as Canadian lager, Canadian Pilsener and Canadian export ale. Some newer international styles, such as the popular dry lager, are also absent.

Ales

Style	Color	Malt Character	Hop Character	Body/Other Characteristics	Alc./vol.	What Makes It Unique
Light ales
Light Ale	Very pale	Light	Low but discernible bitterness and hop flavor	Light in body, slightly fruity	Less than 4.0%	Developed by craft brewers for customers who prefer a light beer
Mild Ale	Amber to brown	Light to sweet with some toasty or caramel character	Low levels of bitterness and hop flavor	Fairly light in body	3.2-4.0%	British tax laws encourage low alcohol beer production, and mild ale is one result.
Golden or Blonde Ale	Pale golden	Fleeting malt flavor	Light floral hop aroma and low to medium bitterness	Light body, usually crisp with little fruitiness	4.0-5.0%	Sometimes this beer is called extra pale or Canadian-style ale
Cream ales
Cream Ale	Quite pale	Somewhat dry with mild pale malt flavor	Low to moderate in bitterness with little or no hop flavor and aroma	Light body, may have low levels of fruitiness	4.4-5.7%	Originally a blend of ale and lager unique to North America, Canadian cream ales are usually dark in color.
Kölsch
Kölsch	Pale golden	Light and dry	Medium bitterness, may exhibit some hop flavor and aroma	Light body, rarely has any fruity characteristics	4.4-5.0%	Centuries of resistance to lager brewing in the German city of Cologne resulted in this unique ale/lager hybrid style.
Wheat ales
American-style Wheat Ale	Golden to light amber	Usually includes a mild malt/wheat character	Low to moderate bitterness	Light to medium body, often with a light fruity character	3.5-4.5%	This style gives an American twist to German wheat ales.
American-style Hefeweizen	Cloudy and opaque, golden to orange	Light with wheat notes	Very low in bitterness and hop flavor	Light to medium body; may have noticeable fruit character as well as some yeasty-breadlike notes	3.5-4.5%	"Hefe" means "yeast", so beers made in this style still contain much of the yeast used in fermentation.
Weizen or Bavarian Weiss Beer	Pale to golden	Light with wheat notes	Low in bitterness	Light body with distinct clove and banana flavors; high in carbonation; usually displays a thick, creamy, white foam head	4.8-5.5%	Once reserved for the Bavarian nobility, the pronunciation still retains a German character where the "W" sounds like a "V".
Hefeweizens
Hefeweizen	Cloudy with yeast, pale to amber	Light and crisp	Very low	Light body, clove and banana notes dominant	4.8-5.5%	Some customers like a slice of lemon in wheat beer, but beware because purists dislike this practice. Servers, ask before you garnish!
Dunkelweizens
Dunkelweizen	Cloudy, light brown	Often includes toasted and chocolatelike flavors	Low bitterness and no hop flavor and aroma	Light body; often sweet with low levels of clove and banana flavor	4.8-5.4%	This beer is a dark version of the classic German hefeweizen.
Weizenbock	Cloudy, amber to dark brown	Definite malty sweetness, may have some roasty or chocolatelike flavor	Low bitterness with no hop flavor and aroma	Medium to full body; banana and clove character noticeable but not assertive	6.5-7.5%	A strong dark weizen with increased alcohol, this ale is a hybrid of weizen and bock styles.
Bitters
Bitter	Amber to copper	Malt generally plays a secondary role and is often accented by caramellike, nutty or woody flavors	Moderate to high levels of hop bitterness with medium to high hop flavor and aroma	Low to medium body	4.0-4.8%	The bitter ales of England are the centerpiece of pub fare, which are traditionally served only on draft.
Pale ales
English-Style Pale Ale	Pale golden to amber	Firm malt base	Assertive hop flavor and bitterness	Medium body	4.5-5.5%	The "pale" designation recalls a day when most beers were brown to black.
North American craft pale ales
American-Style Pale Ale	Light amber to amber	Moderate to assertive and may include caramel or toasted notes	Medium bitterness and hop flavor; aroma may be spicy, resinous or citruslike	Medium body	4.5-5.5%	This ale is the U.S. interpretation of the classic English ale.
Amber or red ales
Amber or Red Ale	Copper to light brown with a slight red cast	Medium to high maltiness, usually with a noticeable to assertive caramel character	Bitterness ranges widely, from low to high, as does hop flavor and aroma	Medium body	4.5-5.5%	Although these beers are derived from classic British ales, their names are strictly American.
Extra special bitters
Strong or Extra Special Bitter (ESB)	Copper	A high level of maltiness with nutty, woody, caramellike flavors common	Increased hop bitterness, flavor and aroma	Medium to full body	4.5-5.8%	This beer is a stronger version of the classic English bitter.
India Pale Ales
India Pale Ale (IPA)	Golden to copper	Medium to high in malt flavor	High hop bitterness, flavor and aroma	Medium to full body, moderate fruit esters and high alcohol flavor	5.0-7.5%	The granddaddy of pale ales, this style got its start as a special brew for English soldiers living in India.
Altbiers
Altbier or Alt	Amber to copper	Medium to high maltiness, but little or no caramel flavor	Medium to high bitterness, but usually fairly low in hop flavor and aroma	Medium body; little or no ale fruitiness	4.3-5.0%	"Alt" means "old", and this German style relies on the old method of brewing that employed ale rather than lager yeast.
Belgian white beers
Wit or White Beer	Pale to golden and usually cloudy	Light malt character with wheat notes	Low to medium hop bitterness and flavor	Low to medium body; spiced with coriander and orange peel	4.8-5.2%	The combination of wheat, orange and coriander spices provides a distinctive, but light and refreshing flavor.
Belgian-style strong ales
Belgian-Style Strong Ale	Varies from light to dark	Moderate to low malt character	Low to high bitterness; low hop aroma and flavor	Full body; alcoholic strength is evident with vinous or winelike character	7.0-11.0%	Because they couldn't serve hard liquor by law, Belgian cafes offered strong beers instead, giving rise to the strong ale style.
Abbey ales
Abbey Dubbel or Double	Copper to brown	A malt accented beer with nutty, toasty and chocolatelike flavors	Low hop bitterness and no hop flavor or aroma	Full body; often somewhat fruity/bananalike in aroma	6.0-7.5%	The Trappist monks of Belgium have made these distinctive beers for centuries.
Abbey Trippel or Triple	Golden to pale	Somewhat sweet with no toasted or dark malt flavor	Moderate bitterness and low hop flavor and aroma	Full body; assertive fruity aroma that includes banana and clove traits; evident alcoholic strength	7.0-10.0%	This is the strongest Abbey-style beer.
Lambics
Lambic	Varies from amber to fruity-colored, often cloudy	Dry and light	Low levels of hop bitterness, aroma and flavor	Most are dry and light bodied, making for a tart, refreshing drink; fruit-flavored versions vary from sweet and syrupy to intensely sour	5.0-7.0%	Rather than adding brewer's yeast, lambic makers throw open the doors of the brewery and allow their beers to be fermented by wild yeast and other organisms.
Scottish ales
Scottish-Style Ale	Gold to dark brown	The malt profile includes an assertive caramel character and may display a hint of smoke flavor	Low bitterness and little or no hop flavor and aroma	Medium to full body; they generally lack the fruitiness common in ales	2.8-4.5%	The three common varieties were once known as "60-", "70-" and "80-shilling ales" and may also be called "light", "heavy" and "export". The weakest versions are rarely seen in North America.
Strong ales
Strong Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy	Amber to very dark brown	Malt-dominated flavor profile, and caramel character is medium to high	Low in hop bitternes with little or no hop flavor and aroma	Full bodied with some alcoholic warmth	6.2-8.0%	This is a big, strong Scottish ale that has enjoyed a worldwide reputation for several centuries.
American Style Strong Ale	Pale to deep amber	Medium to high	Medium to high bitterness and medium to high hop flavor and aroma	Full bodied; apparent alcoholic strength	6.0-8.5%	This ale is an emerging U.S. style that still shows a lot of variation.
Old Ale	Amber to brown	Assertive and full bodied malt flavor that often includes a definite caramel character	Medium bitterness plus low to medium hop flavor and aroma	Full bodied; most display a fruity ale aroma and noticeable alcoholic strength	6.0-8.0%	This style is descended from the strong English ales of the 17th and 18th centuries, which were aged for up to a year before serving.
Barley wines
Barley Wine	Copper to medium brown	Intensely malty and often sweet with low to medium caramel flavor	Hop bitterness and character vary widely from low to intensely high	Full bodied	8.4-12.0%	Sometimes vintage dated, these beers are often good for years after they are bottled.
Brown ales
English-Style Brown Ale	Copper to brown	Malty with low levels of caramel flavor, and some have a distinctive nutty or woody flavor	Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are low	Medium body with some characteristic ale fruitiness	4.0-5.5%	This beer is the modern descendant of the ales drunk by Mary Queen of Scots and Robin Hood.
American-Style Brown Ale	Brown to dark brown	Malt still dominates, but the character is toasted or chocolatelike rather than caramel- or nutlike	Medium to high hop bitterness with noticeable hop aroma and flavor	Medium body with low levels of ale fruitiness	4.0-5.9%	This is the Americanized version of an English classic, common in brewpubs and microbreweries.
Porters
Porter	Light brown to black	Noticeable dark-malt flavor, may be toasty, chocolatelike or sharp and slightly burnt	Hop bitterness is medium to high; hop flavor and aroma is faint to moderate	Medium to high body; generally differentiated from stouts by their lack of roasty/coffeelike flavor	4.5-6.5%	Porter was the first industrial beer, coming of age with the Industrial Revolution in 18th century England.
Stouts
Dry Stout or Irish Stout	Black and opaque	Dry, roasty, coffeelike malt character; caramel and sweet malt flavors may also be present	Medium to high bitterness, but little or no hop flavor and aroma	Medium bodied; little if any ale fruitiness; some interpretations (called foreign-style) are stronger and more full bodied with more malt sweetness	3.8-5.0% (dry) Up to 7.5% (export)	This classic Dublin stout began life as a strong version of porter and has become the better known of the two styles
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout	Black and opaque	Assertive malt sweetness that is often caramellike	Low levels of hop bitterness; no hop flavor or aroma	Mild roasty, coffeelike flavor; medium to full body	3.0-6.0%	A sweet interpretation of stout, this beer sometimes has an addition of lactose or milk sugar.
Oatmeal Stout	Black and opaque	Malt flavor dominates with caramel and chocolatelike notes	Hop bitterness is moderate; hop flavor and aroma may be present in moderate amounts	Medium to full body	3.8-6.0%	Once added to boost claims that stout had healthful or medicinal values (some Canadian stouts were sold as "tonic stouts" -Ed.), oats still help to give stout a smooth, mellow character.
Imperial Stout or Russian Stout	Dark copper to black and opaque	Rich, intense maltiness with caramel and coffeelike roasted flavors	Medium to high hop bitternes; hop aroma and flavor can be subtle to overwhelming	Full body	7.0-9.0%	A strong version of the style was once exported to the royal court of Russia and enjoyed by Catherine the Great.

Lagers

Style	Color	Malt Character	Hop Character	Body/Other Characteristics	Alc./vol.	What Makes It Unique
Light lagers
Light Beer	Pale straw	Very light	Very light	Very light in body	3.5-4%	The inventiveness of American marketing led to development of a beer with fewer calories than a regular American lager.
American lagers
American Lager	Straw to golden	Corn or rice in addition to barley malt lightens the flavor; no caramel flavor	Hop flavor is minimized as is hop flavor and aroma	Light body; highly carbonated; no fruitiness	3.8-5.0%	The majority of beers produced in the United States are this style.
Malt liquors
Malt Liquor	Pale to golden	Some residual malt sweetness	Very low bitterness with little to no hop flavor or aroma	Medium body; slightly alcoholic	6.25-7.5%	Made with corn or rice in addition to barley, this style exhibits significantly higher alcohol levels than most mass-produced lagers.
Pilseners
Classic Pilsener	Golden to light amber	Malty with a noticeable caramel accent	Medium to high hop bitterness, and medium hop flavor and aroma	Medium to full body	4.0-5.0%	This widely imitated classic was created in 1842 in the town of Pilsen, Czech Republic.
German Pilsener	Straw to golden	Medium malt flavor	Medium to high hop bitterness; low to medium hop flavor and aroma	Light to medium body	4.0-5.0%	German examples of the Pilsener style are relatively light colored, but full flavored.
Helles'
Munich Helles	Pale to golden	Very malty	Low hop bitterness, flavor and aroma	Medium body	4.5-5.5%	"Helles" is German for "light" or "pale".
Export lagers
Dortmunder/Export	Pale to golden	Medium	Medium bitterness	Medium body; very balanced flavor; may display a noticeable alcoholic warmth	4.8-6.0%	The brewers of Dortmund make a strong pale lager that has found such great success outside of Germany that it is known as "export".
Oktoberfest lagers
Oktoberfest/Märzen	Light amber to reddish brown	Typically includes a toasted aroma and flavor; caramel flavor is generally absent.	Bitterness is low to medium; hop flavor and aroma are generally low, but may be noticeable.	Medium body; this style contains more alcohol than most.	4.8-6.5%	These special beers were called "Märzen", or "March" for the month in which they were brewed. When brewing resumed again in the fall, the remaining stocks of Märzen were brought out for Oktoberfest. By this means, a single style of beer came to be known by the two names "Märzen" and "Oktoberfest".
Vienna lagers
Vienna	Amber to reddish-brown	Light toasted malt flavor and aroma; caramel flavor is generally absent	Low to medium hop bitterness; low levels of hop flavor and aroma may be present	Light to medium body	4.4-6.0%	Vienna is the "everyday" version of the celebration beer best known as Märzen or Oktoberfest.
Amber and red lagers
American-style Amber or Red Lager	Amber, copper or reddish-brown	Caramel malt flavor	Some examples have low hop bitterness and little hop flavor, while others have medium to high bitterness and high hop flavor and aroma.	Medium body	4.8-5.2%	This home-grown innovation still displays a very American diversity.
California common beers
California Common Beer	Light amber to copper	Toasted or caramel character	Bitterness is medium to high, and hop flavor and aroma are high	Medium body; may have low levels of ale fruitiness	3.6-5.0%	During the California Gold Rush, brewers made a lager style without benefit of refrigeration.
Dark lagers
American-Style Dark	Deep copper to medium brown	Some caramel malt flavor and aroma	Low hop bitterness, flavor and aroma	Light body	4.0-5.5%	Like other mass-produced American-style lagers, this one is often made using corn or rice.
Munich Dunkel	Copper to brown	Malty with toasted chocolate-like or bready components	Low to medium bitterness, and low hop flavor and aroma	Light body	4.0-5.5%	"Dunkel" means dark, and this malty brew is the "everyday" beer of Munich.
Schwarzbier	Black	Toasted and dry without being acrid or burnt; may have a slight caramel character	Hop bitterness is low to medium with with a low level of hop flavor and aroma	Light to medium body	3.8-5.0%	The name literally means "black beer" in German.
Bocks
Bock	Deep copper to dark brown	Either sweet or dry; often displays toasted, chocolate-like or nutty flavors	Hop bitterness is low, and some low level of hop flavor may be found; hop aroma is rarely detected	Medium to full body	6.0-7.5%	Tapped in early spring, these strong and malty brews help to fortify those who brave the beer gardens while there is still a nip in the air.
PaleBock/Maibock	Pale to golden amber	Very malty, but no toasted or chocolatelike character is found	Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma may be low to medium and is often noticeable	Medium body	6.0-7.5%	After drinking dark bocks in March and April, Germans switch to a "helles" or pale bock often named for the month of May.
Doppelbock	Deep amber to nearly black	Malty sweet	Hop bitterness and flavor are low with no hop aroma	Alcoholic strength is apparent; some fruitiness may be noticeable	6.5-8.0%	A stronger version of the basic bock, these beers were first brewed to sustain monks during their Lenten and Advent fasts.
Eisbock	Deep amber to nearly black	Malty sweet	Low bitterness and hop flavor/aroma	Alcoholic strength is apparent, and some fruitiness is often present	8.6-14.4%	This strongest of all bocks is typically fortified by freezing and removing the water.

Specialties

Style	Color	Malt Character	Hop Character	Body/Other Characteristics	Alc./vol.	What Makes It Unique
Fruit beers
Fruit Beer	Pale with hints of fruit or berry color	Very light, often with high wheat content	Very light	Light body; fruit flavors ranging from subtle to assertive, depending on the type and amount of fruit used	4.0-5.0%	Dozens of different fruit beers are brewed in small breweries around the United States today.
Chili beers
Chili Beer	Pale golden	Light malt sweetness to balance heat of chilies	Hop bitterness and flavor; hop aroma low	Light to medium body	4.0-5.0%	Technically a fruit, chili peppers chili peppers have found their way into a number of commercial beers.
Honey beers
Honey Beer	Pale straw to golden	Light, depending on the percentage of honey used.	Light	Light to medium body; sweetness is generally removed during fermentation, but honey character can often be detected in both the aroma and the flavor of the beer	4.0-7.5%	Honey may be added to any beer to add a subtle, but distinctive, character, and brewers often add it to an American-style wheat ale. When honey accounts for more than half the sugar in beer, the resulting beverage is called "mead".
Spiced ales
Herb/Spice Beer	Pale to brown	Light to medium	Low	May contain one or more of the following spices: ginger, coriander, spruce	4-8%	(n/a)
Holiday Beer	Amber to brown	Rich, often complex	Hop flavor and aroma often subdued, but may be assertive	Medium to full body	5.0-8.0%	This style typically combines several different "pumpkin pie" spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice to create a unique and complex flavor profile.
Smoke-flavored beers
Rauchbier	Amber to brown	Malty with smoked flavor that can be mild and elusive or assertive and nearly overwhelming.	Little hop bitterness; no hop flavor or aroma	Medium to full body	4.3-4.8%	This is a classic German beer made with malt that has been smoked over a hardwood fire.
Smoked Porter	Brown to black	Rich malt profile with a complex combination of toasted, chocolatelike and smoked flavors	Bitterness moderate; hop flavor and aroma low to medium	Medium body	4.5-6.5%	This beer has become increasingly popular among American craft brewers. Some brewers use a peat-smoked malt instead of a hardwood-smoked malt.
Peat-smoked Scottish Ale	Amber to dark brown	Rich malt profile with earthy peat-smoked flavor similar to flavor of Lowland or Islay single-malt scotch	Bitterness moderate; hop flavor and aroma low to medium	Medium to full body	5.0-6.0%	Peat-smoked malt, which is used in the production of Scotch whiskeys, has found favor with many craft brewers.
Stone beers
Stone Beer	Amber to brown	Malty with caramel flavors	Light hop bitterness, flavor and aroma	Light to medium body; although not made with smoked malts, stone beer has a faintly smoky flavor profile.	4.5-5.5%	During brewing, large stones are heated in a wood fire and added directly to boiling beer. Afterwards, the stones are put in the aging tank with the beer.

The material on this page is Copyright ©2000 The Institute for Brewing Studies, reprinted by permission. To the best of my knowledge, print copies of this guide are available on request to members of the IBS.