Craft Beer Categories
BRITISH ORIGIN ALE STYLES
Ordinary Bitter
Special Bitter or Best Bitter
Extra Special Bitter
Scottish-Style Light Ale
Scottish-Style Heavy Ale
Scottish-Style Export Ale
English-Style Summer Ale
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
English-Style India Pale Ale
Strong Ale
Old Ale
English-Style Pale Mild Ale
English-Style Dark Mild Ale
English-Style Brown Ale
Brown Porter
Robust Porter
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Scotch Ale
British-Style Imperial Stout
British-Style Barley Wine Ale
NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN ALE STYLES
Golden or Blonde Ale
American-Style Amber/Red Ale
American-Style Pale Ale
American-Style Strong Pale Ale
American-Style India Pale Ale
Session India Pale Ale
Pale American-Belgo-Style Ale
Dark American-Belgo-Style Ale
American-Style Brown Ale
American-Style Black Ale
American-Style Stout
American-Style Imperial Stout
American-Style Imperial Porter
Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
Double Red Ale
Imperial Red Ale
American-Style Barley Wine Ale
American-Style Wheat Wine Ale
Smoke Porter
American-Style Sour Ale
Northeast-Style Pale Ale **NEW**
Northeast-Style India Pale Ale **NEW**
Northeast-Style Imperial or Double IPA **NEW**
BELGIAN AND FRENCH ORIGIN ALE STYLES
Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
Belgian-Style Pale Ale
Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale
Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale
Belgian-Style Dubbel
Belgian-Style Tripel
Belgian-Style Quadrupel
Belgian-Style Witbier
Classic French & Belgian-Style Saison
French-Style Bière de Garde
Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale
Belgian-Style Lambic
Belgian-Style Gueuze Lambic
Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic
Other Belgian-Style Ale
Belgian-Style Table Beer
GERMAN ORIGIN ALE STYLES
German-Style Kölsch
German-Style Altbier
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier Ale
Berliner-Style Weisse
Berliner-Style Weisse with Fruit or Flavor Added **NEW**
Leipzig-Style Gose
South German-Style Hefeweizen
South German-Style Kristal Weizen
German-Style Leichtes Weizen
South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen
South German-Style Dunkel Weizen
South German-Style Weizenbock
German-Style Rye Ale
Bamberg-Style Weiss Rauchbier
OTHER ORIGIN ALE STYLES
Grodziskie
Adambier
Dutch-Style Kuit, Kuyt or Koyt
Australian-Style Pale Ale
International-Style Pale Ale
Contemporary Gose
Specialty Saison
Finnish-Style Sahti
Swedish-Style Gotlandsdricke
Breslau-Style Pale Schöps
Breslau-Style Dark Schöps
IRISH ORIGIN ALE STYLES
Irish-Style Red Ale
Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout
Export-Style Stout
LAGER STYLES
EUROPEAN-GERMANIC ORIGIN LAGER STYLES
German-Style Pilsener
Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Münchner (Munich)-Style Helles
Dortmunder/European-Style Export
Vienna-Style Lager
German-Style Märzen
German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn
Münchner Dunkel
European-Style Dark Lager
German-Style Schwarzbier
German-Style Leichtbier
Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier
Bamberg-Style Märzen Rauchbier
Bamberg-Style Bock Rauchbier
German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock
Traditional German-Style Bock
German-Style Doppelbock
German-Style Eisbock
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier Lager
NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN LAGER STYLES
American-Style Lager
American-Style Light Lager
American-Style Amber Light Lager
American-Style Pilsener
American-Style Ice Lager
American-Style Malt Liquor
American-Style Amber Lager
American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest
American-Style Dark Lager
OTHER ORIGIN LAGER STYLES
Baltic-Style Porter
Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager
International-Style Pilsener
HYBRID/MIXED LAGERS OR ALES
ALL ORIGIN HYBRID/MIXED LAGERS OR ALES
Session Beer
American-Style Cream Ale
California Common Beer
Light American Wheat Beer with Yeast
Light American Wheat Beer without Yeast
Dark American Wheat Beer with Yeast
Dark American Wheat Beer without Yeast
American-Style Fruit Beer
Fruit Wheat Beer
Belgian-Style Fruit Beer
Field Beer
Chili Pepper Beer
Pumpkin Spice Beer
Pumpkin/Squash Beer
Chocolate or Cocoa Beer
Coffee Beer
Herb and Spice Beer
Specialty Beer
Specialty Honey Beer
Rye Beer
Brett Beer
Mixed-Culture Brett Beer
Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast Beer
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Aged Beer
Experimental Beer
Historical Beer
Wild Beer
Smoke Beer
Other Strong Ale or Lager
Gluten-Free Beer
Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage
2017 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines used with permission of Brewers Association