Beer Styles and Categorisation

Dark Ale - Standard

• Brown
  Warm fermented, malty aroma and palate, often with chocolate, coffee and liquorice notes. Light hops throughout but not dominating. Bittersweet finish with biscuity, malt and chocolate/coffee notes. Generally 3-3.4% ABV
   
• Mild
  Warm fermented dark ale. Tend to have more hop character and more restrained malt than brown ales. Generally 3.2-3.6% ABV
   

Dark Ale - Strong

• Abbey (Dark)
  Warm fermented. As with Trappist, no distinct style and range in colour from pale to dark. Big floral and herbal hop character, balancing rich malt and citrus fruit. Generally 6-9% ABV
   
• Barley Wine
  Warm fermented. Massive vinous fruit on aroma and palate with biscuity malt and spicy hops throughout. Bittersweet in finish but with good bitter hop balance. Generally 6-12% ABV
   
• Old Ale
  Dark amber to brown in colour, old ales are medium to full-bodied with a malty sweetness. Hop aroma should be minimal and flavour varies from none to medium in character intensity.They undergo an aging process (often for many years) on their yeast either in bulk storage or through conditioning in the bottle, which contributes to a rich and often sweet oxidation character. Generally 6-9% ABV
   
• Oud Bruin
  Warm fermented, dark fruit, roasted grain and peppery hops on aroma and palate. Some sourness from the yeast culture. Bittersweet finish with spicy hops, sourness and dark malts. Generally 4.8-6% ABV
   
• Standard Dark Strong
  Warm fermented, vinous fruit and roasted grain on the nose with peppery hop resins. Fruit and grain dominate the palate but bitter hops balance fruit and malt in the finish. The ABV ranges can vary
   

Lager - Dark

• Dark Lager
  Also known as black lager or dunkel. Cold fermented, malt-accented with dark grain, chocolate and coffee notes. Hops are light but give good solid underpinning to the malt. Generally 4.4-5.6% ABV
   

Lager - Premium

• Dortmunder / Helles
  Cold fermented, rich and mellow toasted malt on aroma and palate, with spicy hops and some light citrus fruit in the mouth and the palate. Generally 5-6.5% ABV
   
• Low Carb / Low Sugar
  Lagers that have been specifically brewed to contain a low carbohydrate content. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Marzen & Oktoberfestbier
  Cold fermented, amber, big floral hop bouquet balanced by biscuity malt. Spicy hops build in the mouth with juicy malt. Hop bitterness and juicy malt combine in finish. Generally 5-6% ABV
   
• Pils / Pils(e)ner
  Cold fermented, pale gold colour. Toasted malt and floral, herbal, grassy hops aroma. Ripe, juicy malt and tangy hops with light citrus fruit in the mouth. Long, lingering finish, balanced between malt and tart hops. Generally 4.8-5.2% ABV
   
• Rice
  Cold fermented and brewed with high proportion of rice (but not enough to be classified as Happoshu). The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Standard Premium
  Cold fermented. Golden with malt aromas and a light hop bitterness. Generally between 4.6-5.5% ABV
   
• Vienna Red
  A red-amber lager with an emphasis on a rich toasted malt aroma and flavour. Generally 4.6%-5.5% ABV
   

Lager - Standard

• Lager 2.5% & Under
  Cold fermented, light aroma and palate of toasted malt and floral hops. Gentle, short finish, quenching, light mild, gentle hop bitterness. Must be 2.5% ABV and under
   
• Lager 2.6% to 4.5%
  Cold fermented. Toasted malt and floral and “noble” hop aroma and palate. Slight hint of citrus and vanilla. Finish is malt-driven but with good balance of floral and grassy hops. Must be between 2.6% and 4.5%
   

Lager - Strong

• Bock
  Cold fermented, can be pale or dark. Big malt loaf aroma and palate with a vinous fruitiness and a gentle but sustained noble hop bitterness. Hints of figs, dates and coffee in darker versions. Generally 6-6.8% ABV
   
• Doppel Bock
  Cold fermented, massive malt bouquet with powerful hints in the mouth of coffee and figs, all balanced by good hop bitterness. Big, lingering bittersweet finish with ripe grain and spicy hops. Generally 6.9-7.5% ABV
   

Pale Ale - Standard

• Best Bitter
  Warm fermented, pronounced malt and fruit, balanced by generous hop aroma and bitterness. Generally 4-4.8% ABV
   
• Bitter
  Warm fermented, big hop aroma and palate, some fruit, juicy and biscuity malt. Generally 3.4-3.9% ABV
   
• Blonde/Golden
• Golden
• Golden Ale
  Warm fermented, light malt, citrus fruit, big hop aroma and bitterness. Juicy malt on palate and finish with continuing hop bitterness and fruit. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Kölsch
• Premium Bitter
  Some malt aroma, often with a caramel quality. Mild to moderate fruitiness, medium gold to medium copper appearance with medium to high bitterness. Balance is often decidedly bitter. Generally 3.8-4.6% ABV
   
• Red
  Deep red, burgundy to reddish-brown in colour. Complex fruitiness with complementary malt. The sour, acidic aroma ranges from complementary to intense. Intense fruitiness commonly includes plum, orange, black cherry or red currant flavours. A mild vanilla and/or chocolate character is often present. A complex, sour, red wine-like Belgian-style ale. Generally 5-5.5% ABV
   
• Rye
  Beer made with a high proportion of rye. Warm fermented, big dark and spicy malt aroma with dark fruit and peppery hops. Bready, biscuity, grainy palate with dark fruit and hops. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Summer
  Warm fermented, pale gold colour, juicy malt balanced by resinous hops and tart citrus fruit. Long, quenching finish with big hop character. The ABV ranges can vary
   

Pale Ale - Strong

• Abbey (Pale)
  Warm fermented. As with Trappist, no distinct style and range in colour from pale to dark. Big floral and herbal hop character, balancing rich malt and citrus fruit. Generally 6-9% ABV
   
• Amber
  Warm fermented, rich malt aroma and palate balanced by light fruit and aromatic hops. Bittersweet finish with malt to the fore but with good lingering hop notes. Generally 4.8-6% ABV
   
• Biere de Garde
  Warm fermented but may use lager yeast. Big malt aroma and palate but balanced by spicy hops. Bittersweet finish but with good spicy and resinous hop notes. May be pale, copper, or russet. Generally 6.5-8.5% ABV
   
• Blonde
  Light yellow to deep gold in colour, clear to brilliant. Light to moderate sweet malty aroma, with low to medium white head with fair to good retention. Medium-light to medium-full body. Generally 3.8-5.5% ABV
   
• Harvest
  Brewed with fresh grain and hops from the autumn harvest. Generally more than 5% ABV
   
• Imperial IPA
  Bigger, rounder and maltier version of IPA with malt and fruit more to the fore but with profound hop bitterness. Generally 7-8.5% ABV
   
• IPA
  Warm fermented, powerful hop resins and tart fruit on the nose with light malt. Juicy malt in the mouth but main character comes from hop resins and citrus fruit. Pale or light bronze. Generally 5.5-6.5% ABV
   
• Saison
  Warm fermented, fruity aroma and palate balanced by spicy and bitter hops. Bittersweet in the finish withy biscuity malt and lingering hop bitterness. Generally 5.5-6.5% ABV
   
• Sour
  Sour lactic aroma and palate, balanced by biscuity malt and big hop bitterness. Woody and vanilla notes in the mouth, tannic and sour. Generally 4.8-6% ABV
   
• Standard Dark Strong
  Full definition being revised. Generally xxxx-xxxx% ABV
   
• Strong / Extra Special
  Warm fermented, massive marmalade fruit on aroma and palate, balanced by juicy and biscuity malt and a big spicy and peppery hop note. Generally more than 5.5% ABV
   
• Strong Pale Ale
  Full definition being revised. Generally xxxx-xxxx% ABV
   
• Trappist
  Warm fermented, bottle conditioned. No Trappist “style” – range from gold to deep bronze and brown. Some, such as Orval, have deep hop bitterness, others have pronounced fruit and rich malt. Generally 5-11% ABV
   
• Vintage
  Warm fermented, deep fruit, often raisin and sultana on aroma and palate, with biscuity malt and hop resins and spices. Long, bittersweet finish with biscuity malt, vinous fruit and bitter hops. Generally 6-9% ABV
   

Speciality Flavoured

• Chocolate
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with the addition of chocolate. Aroma and palate determined ingredient used. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Coffee
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with the addition of coffee. Aroma and palate determined ingredient used. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Experimental
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with an unusual ingredient or process that does not fit into any other Speciality category. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Fruit & Vegetable
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with addition of fruit such as cherry, raspberry and peach – aromas and palate determined by type of fruit added. NB: not made by spontaneous fermentation. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Herb & Spice
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with addition of ingredients such as heather or ginger – aromas and palate determined by type of adjunct used. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Honey
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with addition of honey – aromas and palate determined by type of adjunct used. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Kriek
  Cherry flavoured beer. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Lambic & Gueuze
  Spontaneous fermentation. Sour, vinous and cidery aromas and palates. Tart but quenching finish. Addition of fruit – usually cherries and raspberries – adds additional sourness and fruitiness. Generally 4-6% ABV
   
• Wood Aged

Speciality Non-Flavoured

• Experimental
  Any cold or warm fermented beer made with an unusual ingredient or process that does not fit into any other Speciality category. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Gluten free
  Any cold or warm fermented beer brewed without ingredients containing gluten ie. barley, wheat, spelt, oats, rye or their derivatives. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Low Carb / Low Sugar
• Smoked
  Any cold or warm fermented beer. Lager beers are associated with Bamberg region of Germany, using malt kilned over beechwood fires. Intense smoky aroma and palate balanced by grassy hops. Long, refreshing finish with smoky malt, hop bitterness and light fruit. Generally 4.8-5.2% ABV
   
• Wood Aged
  Beer that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood. Aromas and palate determined by type of wood, such as new oak, used sherry, bourbon, scotch, port, wine etc. The ABV ranges can vary
   

Stout/Porter

• Baltic Porter
  Dark reddish copper to opaque dark brown with rich malty sweetness containing caramel, toffee, nutty to deep toast, and licorice notes. Generally 5.5-9.5% ABV
   
• Dry Stout
  Warm fermented classic-style stout. Roasted grain to the fore, with dark, burnt fruit and powerful hop bitterness. A light caramel sweetness can also be evident. Generally 4-4.6% ABV
   
• Export Stout
  The same typical stout character but brewed at a slightly higher alcoholic strength than classic dry stout. Generally 6-8.5% ABV
   
• Flavoured Porter
  Porters made with the addition of other ingredients. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Flavoured Stout
  Stouts made with the addition of other ingredients. The ABV ranges can vary
   
• Imperial Stout
  Warm-fermented with extremely rich flavour and dark colour. Generally 7.5-9% ABV
   
• Oatmeal Stout
  Warm fermented with the addition of oatmeal to the grist. Moderate bitterness and a smooth profile. Genrally 3.8-4.5% ABV
   
• Oyster Stout
  Warm fermented. Brewed with the addition of oysters or the juice. Beers called Oyster Stout but do not actually contain this ingredient must enter another category. Generally 4-4.6% ABV
   
• Porter
  Rich dark grain, coffee and chocolate aroma and palate with solid hop bitterness. Long and quenching finish, becoming dry and hoppy but with rich dark grain character
   
• Stout
  Warm fermented classic-style stout. Roasted grain to the fore, with dark, burnt fruit and powerful hop bitterness. A light caramel sweetness can also be evident. Generally 4-4.6% ABV
   
• Sweet / Milk Stout
  Residual/added sugars eg. lactose give a sweetness that counters the traditional stout bitterness. Full bodied mouthfeel with sweet caramel flavours. Generally 3.2-4.8% ABV
   

Wheat Beer

• Dark Wheat Beer
  Colour is dark amber to dark brown, and the body should be light to medium in character. Aromatic toffee-like, caramel, or biscuit-like characters may be part of the overall flavour and aroma profile. Generally 3.8-5% ABV
   
• Wheat Flavoured
  As above but flavoured with spices and fruit in the Belgian style. Often darker and stronger than grain only wheat beers. ABV ranges can vary
   
• Wheat Grain Only
  Warm fermented. Light hop character. Aroma and palate dominated by creamy grain, banana, bubblegum and cloves. Long quenching finish with grain and fruit to the fore. Spices, raisins and sultanas in darker and stronger versions. Belgian-style wheat beers may use spices and fruit.