In the previous lesson we learned how to describe a beer by its qualitative and quantitative measurements. Now we can dig into the different styles of beer.

It’s important to know the defining characteristics for a variety of beer styles. As beer servers, we’ll not only need to speak in an educated manner of the products we’re selling, but sometimes we’ll also need to help customers decide which beer they want.

Beer tasting flight at Golden Road Brewing, Los Angeles, California, September 14, 2013.

Cicerone program uses BJCP Style Guidelines, which has more than a hundred different styles of beer, plus mead and cider! Luckily the Certified Beer Server syllabus requires us to know only 40 different styles.

I’ve heard from other Certified Beer Servers who have told me this is the main part of the exam. I’m familiar with many of the common styles, but there are a lot of nuances here. If I were start again, I would study this section first, and review the beer style flashcards every time that I reviewed flashcards from any of the other sections.

The information that we learned in the previous two lessons about understanding beer styles and the style parameters all comes together in this section. Again, I have presented the characteristics in the order we experience them.

C – Color

Straw, Gold, Amber, Brown, Black

PB – Perceived Bitterness

Low, Moderate, Pronounced, Assertive, Highly assertive

ABV (Alcohol By Volume) – Alcohol content

Lower, Normal, Elevated, High, Very high

Review the parameters for determining beer style

For the Certified Beer Server Exam, they want to simplify it a bit. It’s most important to memorize the qualitative descriptors from the syllabus. I’ve added the quantitative descriptors in case you want to geek out, and because I feel, aside from SRM, people more commonly speak in terms of IBU and ABV.

The exam will reference both qualitative descriptors and quantitative measurements, so you just need to memorize one or the other. Feel free to memorize the quantitative measurements for each style, it will certainly help you if you want to go on to the Certified Cicerone® level.

And we don’t need to memorize all the stats for every style. Get a good feel for each beer style.

Beer Style Flashcards

Descriptions of beer styles

Keep in mind that these styles are a general representation of most beers of the given style. That is, most beers in a style will follow these parameters and ranges that we’ll discuss. However, there will be some outliers, some beers that fall slightly outside of the strict parameters for a given style.

The style descriptions below follow this formula:

Style name: From CBS syllabus.

Category: From CBS syllabus.

Origin: From CBS syllabus.

C: Color from CBS syllabus. SRM from BJCP Style Guidelines.

PB: Perceived Bitterness from CBS syllabus. IBU from BJCP Style Guidelines.

Alcohol: Alcohol content from CBS syllabus. ABV from BJCP Style Guidelines.

Examples: From BJCP Style Guidelines and Beeradvocate beer styles.

Overall impression: From BJCP Style Guidelines “Overall Impression.”

History: From BJCP Style Guidelines “History.”

The style descriptions used below are taken from:

• Certified Beer Server Syllabus
• BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines; Beer, Mead, and Cider Style Guidelines with Special Ingredient Descriptions
• Beeradvocate beer styles

Commercial examples are professionally made beers that you can find and taste yourself to learn more about the specific styles. I tried to show examples that are most available in the largest area. Many of the examples in BJCP seem obscure to me (I haven’t heard of them). Whereas beeradvocate.com shows many more examples and it ranks the beers by number of ratings. I figure if it has a ton of reviews in Beeradvocate, probably it’s widely available enough that you could find a sample in your area. Sometimes I cross-referenced with Untappd to confirm that an example is still in production.

Thus, I used the following methods to pick 3 commercial examples for each beer style.

1. Look for examples on BJCP that are also shown on Beeradvocate.
2. Look for examples that I recognize as being widely available.
3. Try to pick examples that are listed high on Beeradvocate as having lots of ratings.

40 beer styles from Certified Beer Server Syllabus:

World Map by shaireproductions.com on flickr (CC BY 2.0) was modified from its original state.

Belgium and France

Gueuze (Lambic beers)

Fruit Lambic (Lambic beers)

Flanders Red Ale (Flanders ales)

Belgian Dubbel (Trappist and abbey ales)

Belgian Tripel (Trappist and abbey ales)

Belgian Blond Ale (Pale Belgian beers)

Belgian Golden Strong Ale (Pale Belgian beers)

Saison (Unique beers)

Witbier (Unique beers)

Britain and Ireland

Best Bitter (England, Pale ales)

English IPA (England, Pale ales)

British Brown Ale (England, Dark ales)

Sweet Stout (England, Dark ales)

Oatmeal Stout (England, Dark ales)

Wee Heavy (Scotland)

Irish Stout (Ireland)

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

German Pils (Pale lagers)

Munich Helles (Pale lagers)

Czech Premium Pale Lager (Pale lagers)

Märzen (Amber or dark lagers)

Helles Bock (Bock lagers)

Doppelbock (Bock lagers)

Weissbier (Wheat/rye ales)

Berliner Weisse (Wheat/rye ales)

Gose (Wheat/rye ales)

Kölsch (Rhine Valley ales)

United States

American Light Lager (Pale lagers)

American Wheat Beer (Pale ales)

American Blonde Ale (Pale ales)

American Pale Ale (Pale ales)

American Amber Ale (Pale ales)

American IPA (IPAs)

Double IPA (IPAs)

American Brown Ale (Dark ales)

American Porter (Dark ales)

American Stout (Dark ales)

Imperial Stout (Dark ales)

American Barleywine (Strong ales)

California Common (Historic styles)

International

International Pale Lager

Forget the insanity and just use the flashcards

Belgium and France

Lambic beers

Gueuze

Lambic beers

Belgium and France

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 3-7)

PB: Low (IBU: 0-10)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.0-8.0%)

Examples: Cantillon, Classic Gueuze 100% Lambic; Drie Fonteinen, Oude Geuze; The Lost Abbey, Duck Duck Gooze.

Overall impression: A Belgian wheat beer with spontaneous fermentation. Complex, pleasantly sour/acidic, balanced, and pale.

History: Comes from a farmhouse tradition near Brussels that is several centuries old. Numbers are dwindling. Some modern versions have sugar added post-fermentation to make it more palatable to a wider audience.

Fruit Lambic (Kriek, Framboise, etc.)

Lambic beers

Belgium and France

C: Varies with fruit (SRM: 3-7)

PB: Low (IBU: 0-10)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.0-7.0%)

Examples: Cantillon, Fou’ Foune (apricots); Lindemans, Framboise Lambic (raspberries); Cantillon, Kriek (cherries).

Overall impression: A Belgian wheat beer with spontaneous fermentation. A lambic with fruit, not just a fruit beer. Complex, pleasantly sour/acidic, balanced, and pale.

History: Originated when blenders or pub owners added fruit to lambic or gueuze, to increase the variety of beers available.

Flanders ales

Flanders Red Ale

Flanders ales

Belgium and France

C: Red-Brown (SRM: 10-16)

PB: Low (IBU: 10-25)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 4.6-6.5%)

Examples: Verhaeghe, Duchesse de Bourgogne; Rodenbach, Grand Cru; Bocker N.V. / Omer Vander Ghinste, Cuvée Des Jacobins Rouge.

Overall impression: A Belgian-style ale that is the most similar of beers to red wine. It is complex with a range of sour flavor. Often aged for 1-2 years in large oak barrels.

History: Indigenous to West Flanders. Used to be common practice to blend mature beers with young beers to balance the flavor, but it’s now done mostly at only the larger breweries.

Trappist and abbey ales

Belgian Dubbel

Trappist and abbey ales

Belgium and France

C: Light amber to dark amber (SRM: 10-17)

PB: Low (IBU: 15-25)

Alcohol: Elevated (ABV: 6.0-7.6%)

Examples: Chimay, Première (Red); Ommegang, Abbey Ale; Westmalle, Trappist Dubbel.

Overall impression: A Belgian ale that is deep reddish, moderately strong, malty, and complex.

History: Developed in monasteries during the Middle Ages. Revived in the mid-1800s after Napoleonic Era difficulties to the beer market ended.

Belgian Tripel

Trappist and abbey ales

Belgium and France

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 4.5-7)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 20-40)

Alcohol: High (ABV: 7.5-9.5%)

Examples: Unibroue, La Fin Du Monde; Victory, Golden Monkey; Westmalle, Trappist Tripel.

Overall impression: A Trappist ale that is pale, slightly spicy, and dry. Strong, high in alcohol, but doesn’t taste strong.

History: The Trappist monastery at Westmalle first made this popular.

Pale Belgian beers

Belgian Blond Ale

Pale Belgian beers

Belgium and France

C: Light gold to Gold (SRM: 4-7)

PB: Low (IBU: 15-30)

Alcohol: Elevated (ABV: 6.0-7.5%)

Examples: Leffe, Blonde; Affligem, Blonde; Aiken-Maes, Grimbergen Blonde.

Overall impression: A golden ale with subtle Belgian complexity. It is moderate-strength with slight malt flavor and dry finish.

History: Developed relatively recently for the fans of European Pils. It is becoming more popular and is now widely marketed and distributed.

Belgian Golden Strong Ale

Pale Belgian beers

Belgium and France

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 3-6)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 22-35)

Alcohol: High to Very high (ABV: 7.5-10.5%)

Examples: Duvel, Duvel; Huyghe, Delirium Tremens; Russian River, Damnation.

Overall impression: A strong Belgian-style ale that is golden, complex, and effervescent.

History: The Duvel Moortgat Brewery originally developed this after World War II in response to the growing popularity of Pilsner.

Unique beers

Saison

Unique beers

Belgium and France

C: Light gold to Amber (SRM: 5-22)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 20-35)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 3.5-9.5%)

Examples: Boulevard, Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale; Dupont, Saison Dupont; Fantôme, Saison.

Overall impression: A medium to strong fruity/spicy ale, usually citrus and pepper. Refreshing with high carbonation and a very dry finish. Can range from pale to dark in color, and lower to high in alcohol.

History: Originally from Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. It is a seasonal summer style. Before refrigeration was common, it was brewed at the end of the cool season to last through the summer months. Sturdy enough to last for months, but not too strong, so it’s still refreshing and quenching in the summer. Small artisanal breweries now brew this year-round. Also known as “Farmhouse Ale.”

Witbier

Unique beers

Belgium and France

C: Straw to Light gold, made white by haze (SRM: 2-4)

PB: Low (IBU: 8-20)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.5-5.5%)

Examples: Allagash, White; Hoegaarden, Wit Blanche; Samuel Adams, Cold Snap.

Overall impression: A wheat-based ale that is refreshing, elegant, tasty and moderate in strength.

History: A 400-year-old beer style that lost popularity in the 1950s. Milkman, Pierre Celis later revived this at Hoegaarden. It has steadily grown in popularity since then.

Britain and Ireland

England

Pale ales

Best Bitter

England pale ales

Britain and Ireland

C: Gold to Amber (SRM: 8-16)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 25-40)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 3.8-4.6%)

Examples: Goose Island, Honker’s Ale; Rogue, Younger’s Special Bitter; Fuller’s, London Pride.

Overall impression: A session beer that is flavorful, yet refreshing. Some have more prominent maltiness, but not overriding the overall bitterness. Very drinkable. Emphasis is still on the bittering hop aromas, as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping in American Ales.

History: A “real ale,” originally served at cellar temperature, under no pressure (only gravity or hand-pump). Created around the end of the 1800s as a draught alternative to country-brewed pale ale. Became widespread after brewers could “Burtonize” their water to brew pale beers and use crystal malts to add a full and round palate.

English IPA

England pale ales

Britain and Ireland

C: Gold to Amber (SRM: 6-14)

PB: Assertive (IBU: 40-60)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.0-7.5%)

Examples: Brooklyn, East India Pale Ale; Meantime, India Pale Ale; Thornbridge, Jaipur IPA.

Overall impression: A pale ale that is hoppy and moderately strong. Features characteristics from English malt, hops and yeast. Less hop character and more malt flavor than American counterparts.

History: Brewed to survive the sea voyage from England to India in the 1700s and 1800s. Temperature extremes and rolling of the seas mellowed the beer during voyage. English pale ales came from the India Pale Ale style.

Dark ales

British Brown Ale

England dark ales

Britain and Ireland

C: Amber to Brown (SRM: 12-22)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 20-30)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.2-5.4%)

Examples: Newcastle, Brown Ale; Samuel Smith, Nut Brown Ale; Abita, Turbodog.

Overall impression: A malty, brown ale with light to heavy caramel character. Color varies from light to darker. No roasted flavors.

History: Different from historical brown ales. Modern brown ales originated in the 1900s as bottled beer.

Sweet Stout

England dark ales

Britain and Ireland

C: Dark brown to Black (SRM: 30-40)

PB: Low to Moderate (IBU: 20-40)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.0-6.0%)

Examples: Left Hand, Milk Stout; Young’s, Double Chocolate Stout; Samuel Adams, Cream Stout.

Overall impression: A very dark ale that is sweet, full-bodied, and slightly roasty. Often has strong coffee notes.

History: This English style of Stout was historically called “milk” or “cream” stout. Now it’s illegal to use those designations in England, but it’s acceptable elsewhere. The “milk” name is from using lactose (milk sugar) as a sweetener.

Oatmeal Stout

England dark ales

Britain and Ireland

C: Brown to Black (SRM: 22-40)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 25-40)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.2-5.9%)

Examples: Samuel Smith, Oatmeal Stout; Anderson Valley, Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout; Firestone Walker, Velvet Merlin.

Overall impression: A dark, full-bodied oatmeal ale, with roasty and malty flavors. Varies from sweet to dry. American versions will have more hoppy flavors and less fruity flavors.

History: A seasonal variation of the English sweet stout, with more nourishing oatmeal added. It emphasizes oatmeal for body and complexity, rather than using lactose for body and sweetness.

Scotland

Wee Heavy

Scotland

Britain and Ireland

C: Amber to Brown (SRM: 14-25)

PB: Low (IBU: 17-35)

Alcohol: Elevated to High (ABV: 6.5-10.0%)

Examples: Orkney, Skull Splitter; Belhaven, Wee Heavy; Traquair House, Traquair House Ale.

Overall impression: This beer is rich, malty and usually sweet, so it’s nice as a dessert. Varies in strength and maltiness. Usually has complex secondary malt flavors.

History: Originates from strong Scottish ales of the 1700s and 1800s. Sometimes called “Strong Scotch Ale.” This is a premium product usually made for export.

Ireland

Irish Stout

Ireland

Britain and Ireland

C: Brown to Black (SRM: 25-40)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 25-45)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.0-4.5%)

Examples: Guinness, Guinness Draught (also in cans); Murphy, Murphy’s Irish Stout; Carlow, O’Hara’s Irish Stout.

Overall impression: An ale that is very dark, roasty, bitter, and creamy.

History: Originally called a “Stout Porter,” it evolved as attempts to capitalize on the popularity of London porters. Had a fuller, creamier, more “stout” body and strength, and was always stronger than a porter.

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

Lagers

Pale Lagers

German Pils

Pale lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Light gold (SRM: 2-5)

 andPB: Pronounced (IBU: 22-40)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.4-5.2%)

Examples: Tröegs, Sunshine Pils; Left Hand, Polestar Pilsner; Trumer, Pils.

Overall impression: A crisp, clean and refreshing beer. German malt and hops provide excellent head retention and floral aroma.

History: Copied the Czech Premium Pale Lager style, but adapted to brewing conditions in Germany.

Munich Helles

Pale lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Light gold (SRM: 3-5)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 16-22)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.7-5.4%)

Examples: Weihenstephan, Weinhenstephaner Original; Surly, Hell; Löwenbräu, Original.

Overall impression: A German lager that is clean and malty with a soft, dry finish. Subtle hops add spicy, floral, or herbal flavors. More body and malt than Pils. Less malty-sweet and more pale than a Munich Dunkel.

History: Spaten brewery in Munich created this in 1894 to compete with Pale beers like Pilsner. Even today it is the most popular style in Southern Germany.

Czech Premium Pale Lager

Pale lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 3.5-6)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 30-45)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.2-5.8%)

Examples: Plzensky Prazdroj, Pilsner Urquell; Sierra Nevada, Summerfest Lager; Budweiser, Budvar (Czechvar in the U.S.).

Overall impression: Crisp and complex. Well-balanced and refreshing.

History: Pilsner Urquell was first brewed in 1842, and still today in the Czech Republic it’s the only beer called a Pilsner.

Amber or dark

Märzen

Amber or dark lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Gold to Dark amber (SRM: 8-17)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 18-24)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.8-6.3%)

Examples: Samuel Adams, Oktoberfest; Paulaner, Oktoberfestbier-Märzen; Gordon Biersch, Märzen.

Overall impression: Clean and rich with a toasty and bready malt character. The maltiness is usually described as soft, elegant and complex, but never too strong.

History: Commonly brewed in the spring, at the end of the traditional brewing season, then served in autumnal celebrations. Historic versions were darker and toasty. Modern versions in the U.S. are golden, often labeled Oktoberfest (Festbier).

Bocks

Helles Bock

Bock lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Gold to Light amber (SRM: 6-11)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 23-35)

Alcohol: Elevated (ABV: 6.3-7.4%)

Examples: Rogue, Dead Guy Ale; Einbecker, Mai-Ur-Bock; Capital, Maibock.

Overall impression: A lager that is relatively pale, strong and malty, with a more prominent hop character than other bocks.

History: Sometimes called a Maibock. Developed relatively recently compared to the other bocks. Traditionally served in springtime and especially the month of May.

Doppelbock

Bock lagers

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Gold to Brown (SRM: 6-25)

PB: Low (IBU: 16-26)

Alcohol: Elevated to High (ABV: 7.0-10.0%)

Examples: Ayinger, Celebrator Doppelbock; Tröegs, Troegenator Double Bock; Paulaner, Salvator Doppel Bock.

Overall impression: A lager that is very strong and rich. Stronger, richer, and more full-bodied than a traditional bock or a Helles Bock. Dark ones have a more malty flavor. Paler ones are a little drier and have a little more hop flavor.

History: First brewed by monks in Munich. Historically, it was lower in alcohol, and they called it “liquid bread” because of the high sweetness and low alcohol levels. Consumers called it “doppel (double) bock.”

Ales

Wheat/rye ales

Weissbier

Wheat/rye ales

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 2-6)

PB: Low (IBU: 8-15)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.3-5.6%)

Examples: Weihenstephaner, Hefeweissbier; Sierra Nevada, Kellerweis Hefeweizen; Paulaner, Hefe-Weizen Natural Wheat.

Overall impression: A wheat-based ale that is pale, spicy, fruity, and refreshing. Commonly features banana and clove flavors and aromas.

History: Originated in Bavaria (Southern Germany) as a traditional wheat-based ale. Served especially during summer, but widely produced year-round.

Berliner Weisse

Wheat/rye ales

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw (SRM: 2-3)

PB: Low (IBU: 3-8)

Alcohol: Lower (ABV: 2.8-3.8%)

Examples: Dogfish Head, Festina Pêche; Bell’s, Oarsman; The Bruery, Hottenroth.

Overall impression: A pale, refreshing, highly-carbonated wheat beer that is sour. Sour aromas and sour flavor provide balance in place of hops.

History: Originally a regional specialty of Berlin, which Napoleon’s troops called “the Champagne of the North.” Becoming more rare in Germany, but American craft breweries are producing it more.

Gose

Wheat/rye ales

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Light gold (SRM: 3-4)

PB: Low (IBU: 5-12)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.2-4.8%)

Examples: Anderson Valley, The Kimmie, The Yink, & The Holy Gose; Sierra Nevada, Otra Vez; Samuel Adams, Verloren.

Overall impression: A wheat ale that is tart, fruity, and highly carbonated. Bright flavors, including coriander and salt.

History: Originated in the Middle Ages in the town of Goslar, Germany on the Gose River. Popularity declined after World War II so much that it wasn’t made from 1966 until the 1980s.

Rhine Valley ales

Kölsch

Rhine Valley ales

Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria

C: Straw to Light gold (SRM: 3.5-5)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 18-30)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.4-5.2%)

Examples: Goose Island, Summertime; Ballast Point, California Kölsch; Reissdorf, Reissdorf Kölsch.

Overall impression: Clean, crisp and delicately balanced. Usually has subtle fruit flavors and aromas. There is a subdued maltiness with pleasant, refreshing crisp finish.

History: The Kölsch Konvention limits the use of the name to the 20 or so breweries in and around Cologne (Kiln), Germany. Defined as a “light, highly attenuated, hop-accentuated, clear top-fermenting Vollbier.”

United States of America

Pale lagers

American Light Lager

Pale lagers

United States (USA)

C: Straw (SRM: 2-3)

PB: Low (IBU: 8-12)

Alcohol: Lower (ABV: 2.8-4.2%)

Examples: Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light; Coors, Coors Light; Miller, Miller Lite.

Overall impression: Very refreshing and thirst quenching with very light body and very high carbonation. May seem watery.

History: In the 1940s, Coors briefly made a light lager. In the 1960s, Rheingold tried to appeal to diet-conscious consumers. In the 1970s Miller used the same recipe and made it popular among sports fans. Since the 1990s, this style has been the largest seller in the U.S.

Pale ales

American Wheat Beer

Pale ales

United States (USA)

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 3-6)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 15-30)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 4.0-5.5%)

Examples: Bell’s, Oberon Ale; Samuel Adams, Summer Ale; Boulevard, Unfiltered Wheat Beer.

Overall impression: A refreshing wheat beer, sometimes with a “fluffy” mouthfeel. Some versions have more hop and less yeast character than German versions.

History: First popularized in the U.S. in the 1980s by Widmer. It is modeled after the German weissbier, but with cleaner yeast and more hops.

American Blonde Ale

Pale ales

United States (USA)

C: Straw to Gold (SRM: 3-6)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 15-28)

Alcohol: Lower to Normal (ABV: 3.8-5.5%)

Examples: Victory, Summer Love; Kona, Big Wave Golden Ale; Deschutes, Twighlight Summer Ale.

Overall impression: A malt-oriented style that is easy-drinking and approachable.

History: Currently produced by many American microbreweries and pubs. Varies by region. For example, more assertive on the West Coast. Usually designed as an “entry-level” craft beer.

American Pale Ale

Pale ales

United States (USA)

C: Light gold to Light amber (SRM: 5-10)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 30-50)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.5-6.2%)

Examples: Sierra Nevada, Pale Ale; Oskar Blues, Dale’s Pale Ale; Firestone Walker, Pale 31.

Overall impression: Refreshing. Hoppy with supporting malt.

History: The modern American version of the English pale ale. Reflects indigenous ingredients and is usually lighter in color, cleaner in fermentation byproducts, and has less caramel flavors.

American Amber Ale

Pale ales

United States (USA)

C: Light amber to Dark amber (SRM: 10-17)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 25-40)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.5-6.2%)

Examples: Tröegs, Hopback Amber Ale; North Coast, Ruedrich’s Red Seal Ale; Anderson Valley, Boont Amber Ale.

Overall impression: Similar to American Pale Ale, but is usally darker in color and has more body, more caramel flavor. The balance is usually more towards malt than hops, but sometimes the hop rates are significant.

History: Sometimes called Red Ale. Originated from the American Pale Ale in the hop-loving Northern California and Pacific Northwest, then spread nationwide.

India Pale Ales (IPAs)

American IPA

IPAs

United States (USA)

C: Gold to Amber (SRM: 6-14)

PB: Assertive (IBU: 40-70)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.5-7.5%)

Examples: Bell’s, Two Hearted Ale; Dogfish Head, 60 Minute IPA; Anchor, Liberty Ale.

Overall impression: An American pale ale that is noticeably hoppy and bitter, and moderately strong.

History: In 1975, Anchor made the first modern American IPA with their Liberty Ale. American ingredients and attitude go into brewing this American version of the historical English style.

Double IPA

IPAs

United States (USA)

C: Gold to Dark amber (SRM: 6-14)

PB: Highly assertive (IBU: 60-120)

Alcohol: High (ABV: 7.5-10.0%)

Examples: Dogfish Head, 90 Minute IPA; Russian River, Pliny the Elder; Firestone Walker, Double Jack.

Overall impression: A pale ale that is intensely hoppy and very strong, but without a lot of maltiness or the deeper malt flavors of American barleywine. It is strongly hopped, but clean, lacking harshness. Drinkable, not so heavy that it’s just for sipping.

History: A recent American innovation from the 1990s, “pushing the envelope” on bitterness to satisfy the desire of hop heads. Sometimes called “imperial,” it simply implies a stronger IPA; “double,” “extra,” “extreme,” or other similar adjectives would work.

Dark ales

American Brown Ale

Dark ales

United States (USA)

C: Dark amber to Black (SRM: 18-35)

PB: Moderate (IBU: 20-30)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.3-6.2%)

Examples: Big Sky, Moose Drool Brown Ale; Smuttynose, Old Brown Dog Ale; Brooklyn, Brown Ale.

Overall impression: A brown beer that is hoppy and strongly flavored. Like the English brown ale, but hoppier. Sometimes has the citrus-accented hop presence, characteristic of American hops.

History: Originated by American homebrewers. It is similar to American pale ales and American amber ales, although the hop bitterness and finish is balanced with more caramel and chocolate flavors. Most commercial versions are not as aggressive as the original homebrewed versions or some modern craft brewed examples.

American Porter

Dark ales

United States (USA)

C: Brown to Black (SRM: 22-40)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 25-50)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 4.8-6.5%)

Examples: Founders, Founders Porter; Great Lakes, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter; Deschutes, Black Butte Porter.

Overall impression: A substantial beer that is dark and malty, complex and flavorful.

History: A modern craft beer originating from weaker, pre-prohibition porters or English Porters.

American Stout

Dark ales

United States (USA)

C: Dark brown to Black (SRM: 30-40)

PB: Assertive (IBU: 35-75)

Alcohol: Normal to Elevated (ABV: 5.0-7.0%)

Examples: Deschutes, Obsidian Stout; Sierra Nevada, Stout; Avery, Out of Bounds Stout.

Overall impression: A dark ale that is strong, roasted, bitter, and hoppy. Varies from medium- to full-body. Hops are more pronounced than in English export stouts.

History: A modern craft beer originated from the English or Irish stout, but with American hops and more of them.

Imperial Stout

Dark ales

United States (USA)

C: Dark brown to Black (SRM: 30-40)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 50-90)

Alcohol: High to Very high (ABV: 8.0-12.0%)

Examples: North Coast, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout; Bell’s, Expedition Stout; Great Divide, Yeti Imperial Stout.

Overall impression: A big dark ale with intense flavors. Roasty, fruity, and sweet with a bitter aftertaste and prominent presence of alcohol. Typically has dark fruit flavors combining with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like flavors.

History: Historically brewed in England with high ABV and heavily hopped for export to Russia. The name comes from the alleged popularity with the “Russian Imperial Court.” Today it is even more popular in the U.S., where the style has wide variation.

Strong ales

American Barleywine

Strong ales

United States (USA)

C: Light amber to Light brown (SRM: 10-19)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 50-100)

Alcohol: High to Very high (ABV: 8.0-12.0%)

Examples: Sierra Nevada, Bigfoot; Great Divide, Old Ruffian; Avery, Hog Heaven.

Overall impression: An American version of the richest and strongest of the English ales. It is well-hopped, but not so much that it’s unbalanced. Has a very long finish from the high alcohol strength and hop bitterness.

History: This is usually a brewery’s strongest ale. In recent years, many examples often show a vintage (production year). Usually aged a bit before being released. Often released in winter or especially during the winter holiday season.

Historic ales

California Common

Historic ales

United States (USA)

C: Light amber to Amber (SRM: 10-14)

PB: Pronounced (IBU: 30-45)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.5-5.5%)

Examples: Anchor, Anchor Steam Beer; Widmer Brothers, Columbia Common; Steamworks, Steam Engine Lager.

Overall impression: A slightly fruity beer with strong, grainy maltiness, and toasty and caramel flavors. Typically showcases the signature character of Northern Brewer hops, definitely not modern American (citrusy) hops.

History: This style is an American West Coast original, narrowly defined around the standard: Anchor Steam. It is fermented with a lager yeast that thrives at the cooler end of temperatures where ales ferment. Because there was no refrigeration, they traditionally used large, shallow, open fermenters to utilize the cool ambient temperatures in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Other regions

International

International Pale Lager

International

Other regions

C: Straw to gold (SRM: 2-6)

 PB: Moderate (IBU: 18-25)

Alcohol: Normal (ABV: 4.6-6.0%)

Examples: Grupo Modelo, Corona Extra (Mexico); Heineken Nederland, Heineken (Netherlands); Desnoes & Geddes Limited, Red Stripe (Jamaica).

Overall impression: Very refreshing and thirst quenching with very light body and very high carbonation.

History: Outside USA, large industrial breweries created imitations of the highly popular American lager.

Conclusion

Wow. I sure was working on this section a long time. It is definitely the most intensive so far, there’s so much information. I’m glad I took so long with it, I was able to better wrap my head around it and I think the information and the notes are better organized this way.

If I had to do it again, I would start with this section on beer styles. There is a lot of information to memorize, so it would be good to practice these flashcards the whole time. Plus, a couple people who already took the exam told me to sort of focus on the beer styles.

Flashcards for this section

This whole lesson is put into flashcards. That’s going to be the best way to learn this material. Beer is not so much about reading. It’s a sensory experience. Holding the cards and seeing the imagery on the cards will help reinforce the information.

The flashcards for each of the beer styles above have been pre-formatted into a PDF so you can print them onto perforated sheets of business cards compatible with Avery 8371.

Or just print them onto regular printer paper and cut them out with scissors.

Either way, this is going to be daunting. Some of the data is minute, it has a lot of subtleties, so I better start reviewing these flashcards every day while I continue studying the other sections!

Get your flashcards now: Beer Style Flashcards

The post 013. History, characteristics, and flavor attributes of styles by region appeared first on Beer Exam School.

Beer styles can be measured qualitatively and quantitatively. Today’s lesson describes the different ways to measure the characteristics of a beer, and understand its style.

Best in Show by capnvynl on flickr (CC BY 2.0)

This isn’t psychology. I mean, who’s to say why people put things into categories.

Cars, trucks, SUVs. Apartments, condos, single-detached homes. Men and women. Dogs and cats. Ales and lagers.

Categories help us understand things and appreciate things. Beer styles are a way to understand the beer in hand.

Reading material for this section was found in the Certified Beer Server syllabus and the following sources.

Discussion of quantitative assessments come mostly from the BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines; Beer, Mead, and Cider Guidelines with Special Ingredient Descriptions.

Discussion of qualitative assessments, especially pertaining to beer character, come mostly from:

• Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide by Michael Jackson
• Tasting Beer; An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher

  

Knowledge requirements: qualitative measurements versus quantitative measurements

I first learned the terms qualitative and quantitative in university science classes. It’s a way to differentiate between a measurement that is subjective from a measurement that is objective.

Qualitative measurement is subjective to the observer. It’s usually described with adjectives. What one person calls brown, another might call beige. Therefore, a quality is descriptive and can be perceived slightly differently from person to person.

On the other hand, quantitative measurement is objective. It helps me to think of the word “quantity,” like a weight or a measurement. It’s quantifiable. Quantitative descriptors usually come in the form of numbers. Therefore, a quantitative measurement is the same for everyone.

We can say qualitatively that a person is tall. We can say quantitatively that she is 5’11”.

So it is in beer styles, they can be measured qualitatively and quantitatively.

NOTE: For all of the beer styles that we’ll be following, please keep in mind that these styles are a general representation of most beers of the given style. That is, most beers in a style will follow these parameters and ranges that we’ll discuss, but there will be some outliers, some beers that fall slightly outside of the strict parameters for a given style.

It’s a spectrum, it’s fluid, it’s artistic, and it’s open to some interpretation by the individual brewers.

The four parameters that define beer style: Color, perceived bitterness, alcohol content, and character

As described earlier, the Certified Beer Server syllabus goes by the BJCP Style Guidelines for beer styles. Allegedly, the BJCP Guidelines don’t change as often as other guidelines.

BJCP Style Guidelines have lots of prose describing each style, sometimes half a page or more. In the next lesson, we’ll get into the descriptions for each specific style. For now, we’re just outlining how the descriptions are measured.

I’m changing the order of these parameters from that shown in the syllabus. I present them in the order we perceive them when approaching a beer.

In fact, I’m going out a little further on that limb; I’m grouping this study not by measurement type, but by the different parameters. It makes more sense to me to look at one parameter at a time, and understand both qualitative and quantitative measurements for that parameter.

Parameters of beer styles fall into these categories:

1. Color
2. Perceived bitterness
3. Alcohol content

Often these parameters will be abbreviated as follows:

• C – color
• PB – perceived bitterness
• ABV – alcohol content (alcohol by volume)

These 3 parameters each can be measured qualitatively or quantitatively.

A fourth parameter, however—character— can be measured only qualitatively. That is, character has no quantitative measurements.

Color

The first thing we will notice when approaching a beer is its visual color.

BJCP uses 12 qualitative color categories and corresponds them to the quantitative “Standard Reference Method” (SRM) scale. For this exam, we need to know just the following 5 color descriptors:

1. Straw
2. Gold
3. Amber
4. Brown
5. Black

Each of the qualitative color descriptors above correlates to a quantitative range on the SRM scale. We don’t need to know SRM values for the Certified Beer Server exam, but I’m including the information in case you want to get nerdy about. I like to get nerdy about it.

SRM is often used as a quantitative measurement of beer color. It’s measured on a scale of 1-40+.

BJCP Style Guidelines describes SRM as “a measure of beer color or density more than hue/tint.”

A friend from the Beer Color Laboratories sent me a Beer Color Reference guide. The transparent card has a gradient of colors that you can compare to any beer and gauge the SRM number. It’s a handy way to hone your visual skills and beer knowledge.

Anyway, he says, “SRM is actually a measure of ‘darkness’ at one wavelength and not a good representation of ‘color’ by any means. You need to gather color data for many beers… to get a representative color for beers at those [SRM] values.”

Beer Color Reference by Beer Color Laboratories is a handy tool for measuring the SRM of beer.

How we perceive the color and the hue/tint of a beer can be affected by a number of factors such as lighting and backdrop. Therefore, it’s very difficult to correlate qualitative measurements of color directly to quantitative measurements.

Just know that beer can be classified by color, and by darkness.

Five color descriptors and an example of each:

Check out the Wikipedia article on Standard Reference Method for a wider range of color representations on the screen.

The SRM ranges shown above are from the BJCP Style Guidelines 2008, but generalized for the 5 descriptors in the Certified Beer Server syllabus.

Perceived bitterness

After observing a beer’s color, let’s see how it tastes.

Actually, I like to describe aroma second, because, after looking at a beer, we’ll smell it before we taste it. But aroma has only a qualitative measurement, so the Certified Beer Server syllabus describes it in the “character” descriptor. Therefore, we’ll describe aroma below when we talk about beer character.

Flavor is also so varied and nuanced that is has mostly qualitative descriptors. We discuss a variety of flavors in the character section.

In the meantime, let’s cut straight to one aspect of flavor that is very popular in beer: bitterness.

Certified Beer Server syllabus qualitatively generalizes perceived bitterness with the following 5 categories of bitterness:

1. Low
2. Moderate
3. Pronounced
4. Assertive
5. Highly assertive

Each of the qualitative descriptors above correlates to a quantitative range on the International Bitterness Units (IBU) scale. The scale for IBU ranges from 0-100+. We don’t need to know IBU values for the Certified Beer Server exam, but I’m including the information in case you want to further advance your knowledge.

Popular Science has a pretty informative explanation of IBUs. It demystifies and debunks a lot of misinformation that I’ve heard going around. Basically, IBUs measures the concentration of bittering compounds in beer.

Not all tongues are the same. Bitterness can be perceived differently from person to person.

Additionally, perceived bitterness doesn’t correlate directly to IBUs. The way we perceive bitterness is affected by the amount of malt in the beer, so if you have 2 beers with the same IBU, the more malty beer won’t seem as bitter.

Just know that beer can be classified by perceived bitterness and by actual bitterness.

Five descriptors of bitterness and their corresponding IBU:

The IBU ranges shown above are from BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines, but generalized for the 5 descriptors in the Certified Beer Server syllabus.

Alcohol content

While still tasting the beer, we can perceive a general feeling for the amount of alcohol in beer. The amount of alcohol can vary from beer to beer.

Qualitatively, we can use the following 5 descriptors of alcohol content:

1. Lower
2. Normal
3. Elevated
4. High
5. Very high

Alcohol content can also be quantitatively measured. There are two measurements, both are expressed in percent:

• Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
• Alcohol By Weight (ABW)

Alcohol By Volume is the more common measurement.

Five descriptors for alcohol content and their corresponding ABV:

The ABV ranges shown above are from the BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines, but generalized for the 5 descriptors in the Certified Beer Server Syllabus.

Beer character

Another assessment of beer is the beer character. This one is qualitative, but has no quantitative measurements. It’s sort of the overall description of a beer.

For this exam, we’ll cover 6 parameters of beer character.

Here they are in the order that you will experience them:

1. Appearance
2. Aroma
3. Flavor
4. Perceived bitterness
5. Mouthfeel
6. Aftertaste

We’ll discuss how these are perceived and how to evaluate these later on in section III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation. For now, we’ll just try and give basic definitions.

Appearance – For appearance, we’re just trying to get an overall visual assessment of the beer before you really get into the smell and taste of it. Color is kind of part of it, but that’s covered more in the qualitative measurements above.

Get an overall impression of the beer from any visual cues you can pick up such as color, hue, clarity, or viscosity.

Aroma – “Whether the drinker sniffs or not,” says Michael Jackson, “much of what we think we taste is actually experienced through our potent and evocative sense of smell.”

We can’t list all of the aromas. Randy Mosher says humans can perceive 10,000 different aromas.

Flavor – Different kinds of flavor include sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami (“deliciousness” can also be perceived as meatiness), and fat.

According to Mosher, fat is “the most recently discovered member of the taste family, having been added only with the discovery of its receptor in 2005.” He also admits that “it’s not clear if this receptor plays any role at all in beer tasting, as beer is a fat-free product.”

Beyond that, the variety of flavors that can be perceived in beer is limited only by experience and imagination. Michal Jackson’s Great Beer Guide has a “Lexicon of flavors & aromas” that gives a good variety with explanations of why we perceive these flavors in beer.

For example, the perception of cloves in beer, he explains, “arises from phenols created in fermentation.”

Perceived bitterness – Bitter flavors are nature’s way of protecting us from food poisoning. For most people, bitterness is an acquired taste. In beer, we consider bitterness as a good thing.

Hops provide beer’s bitterness as well as flowery aromas and flavors.

On the other hand, astringent bitterness can signal a bad beer.

Mouthfeel – Mouthfeel can encompass a variety of sensations including temperature, carbonation, viscosity, and cooling or burning sensations.

Common mouthfeel sensations from beer are described as crispness or dryness, palate fullness, richness, oiliness, and more.

Aftertaste – Aftertaste refers to perceptions after you have swallowed the beer.

If you swallow a beer and it’s just gone, it doesn’t have any aftertaste.

On the other hand, flavors, aromas, and mouthfeel can linger or even change long after the beer is swallowed.

I love what Jackson says about tasting beer:

“Enjoyment of beer does not demand some special tasting talent. All it requires is an open mind, an interest in beer, and an eagerness to find aromas and flavors without fear of mockery.”

Summary

This lesson is really important. The information presented in this lesson is the building blocks for the next few lessons. It’s really important to memorize this information. It will make the next few lessons a lot easier to understand and absorb.

In the next section we’re really going to hit beer styles hard. We’ll pull together everything we learned from the last two chapters and get cozy with history, characteristics, and flavor attributes of styles by region.

It’s a big section. Let’s do this!

Flashcards for this section

Based on the reading materials mentioned and my notes above, here are my flashcards for this section.

There are a lot of flashcards for this section. Some of it seems redundant, because it’s a lot of intricate details presented in different ways. I did it this way to help us better learn these little details that will be so important for our future ability to understand beer styles.

What’s the difference between qualitative measurements and quantitative measurements?

What 4 parameters define beer style?

1. Color (C)
2. Perceived bitterness (PB)
3. Alcohol content (ABV)
4. Character

What does SRM stand for?

Standard Reference Method is a quantitative measurement for color.

What does IBU stand for?

International Bitterness Units is a quantitative measurement for bitterness.

What does ABV stand for?

Alcohol By Volume is a quantitative measurement for alcohol content. It is expressed in percent.

Which of the 4 parameters that define beer style can be measured only qualitatively, not quantitatively?

Beer character has only qualitative measurements, not quantitative measurements.

5 descriptors of color

1. Straw
2. Gold
3. Amber
4. Brown
5. Black

SRM range for straw color

SRM: 2-4

SRM range for gold color

SRM: 6-7

SRM range for amber color

SRM: 10-18

SRM range for brown color

SRM: 19-30

SRM range for black color

SRM: 35-40

5 color descriptors with corresponding SRM number and a style example for each

5 descriptors of perceived bitterness

1. Low
2. Moderate
3. Pronounced
4. Assertive
5. Highly assertive

IBU range for low perceived bitterness

IBUs: 0-30

IBU range for moderate perceived bitterness

IBUs: 20-40

IBU range for pronounced perceived bitterness

IBUs: 35-75

IBU range for assertive perceived bitterness

IBUs: 50-100

IBU range for highly assertive perceived bitterness

IBUs: 80-120

5 bitterness descriptors with corresponding IBUs and a style example for each.

5 descriptors of alcohol content

1. Lower
2. Normal
3. Elevated
4. High
5. Very high

ABV range for lower alcohol content

ABV: <4.5%

ABV range for normal alcohol content

ABV: 4.5-6.0%

ABV range for elevated alcohol content

ABV: 6.1-7.5%

ABV range for high alcohol content

ABV: 7.6-10.0%

ABV range for very high alcohol content

ABV: >10.0%

5 alcohol content descriptors with corresponding ABV and a style example for each

5 qualitative descriptors for color, perceived bitterness, and alcohol content

6 parameters of beer character

1. Appearance
2. Aroma
3. Flavor
4. Perceived bitterness
5. Mouthfeel
6. Aftertaste

The post 012. Style parameters appeared first on Beer Exam School.

Beer is perhaps more varied than wine. BJCP Style Guidelines lists more than a hundred different styles of beer, many of which have been around for centuries—or longer! And each of those styles have stories as varied as the cultures from which they originated.

I had a really difficult time knowing what to study for this section. The syllabus isn’t very descriptive about what we should know.

Primary reading material for this section was found in Tasting Beer; an insider’s guide to the world’s greatest drink by Randy Mosher. Much of the materials in this lesson is a book report on Tasting Beer, chapter 1, “The Story of Beer.”

Don’t really focus on memorizing key details in this section, but rather think of it as an overall understanding of how beer styles evolved differently in different areas.

Anyway, this section seems mostly about the historical origins of styles. In the next section we’ll learn the different parameters to evaluate style. After that, we’ll get to know approximately half of the beer styles defined by BJCP.

Gosh, I’m really starting to doubt my knowledge of this section. We’ll see how I do when exam time comes.

The historical development of beer styles

The development of beer styles was first driven by available ingredients, equipment and water.

Initial drivers of beer style

Beer “has ten thousand years of history, with gods, goddesses, heroes, and songs to celebrate its glories,” writes Mosher.

The first known documentation of beer was around 3000 BC, from the Sumerians who had “an expansive vocabulary of ingredients, brewing vessels, and beer types.”

From then on, cultures throughout the eastern hemisphere had a wide variety of beers made from their predominant local ingredients.

Scrapings from a Bronze Age burial, for example, show ingredients of barley, honey, cranberries, meadowsweet and bog myrtle.

The Dyonesians had poppy pods, and the Scythians had hemp. The Finns and Hungarians had juniper, while heather was common in the British Isles.

Hops weren’t introduced until around the year 1000 in Bremen, Germany.

Elsewhere around the region, brewers were using “gruit.” The contents of this herbal mixture are mostly unknown. The main ingredient, however, was bog myrtle, an herb with flavor characteristics not unlike hops.

While the church required brewers to buy and use “gruit” in their beer, Bremen was further away, beyond the reach of the church.

Hops have a great flavor that offsets the malty-sweetness of beer. (We’ll learn more about that in part III.) Hops also act as a preservative in beer, keeping beer good for months rather than weeks. So this new hopped beer was able to be exported to other areas. By 1600, all English beer and ale had hops and eventually hoppy beer was the norm in all of northern Europe.

It’s interesting that, according to Mosher: There is a line south of which grapes grow well and becomes the dominant drink. North of this, ancient Romans encountered enthusiastic beer drinkers at the fringes of their empire.

Even after beer gained popularity across northern Europe, “parts south, such as Italy and Spain, had little or no beer culture.”

Brewing dominated in German states, Flanders, the Netherlands and England. Beer styles developed and evolved in these areas, and gave way to all the classic styles that we know today.

Several factors that changed beer styles

While geographic characteristics played a role in the development of beer, styles were later refined and differentiated by technology, regulation, culture, and consumer appeal.

Technology

Public works projects in England in the 1600s opened access to distant markets and ingredients for beer.

Industrial developments of the 1700s and 1800s made great advancements in brewing.

Steam engines were developed for mines around 1700, and many decades later they were adapted to make large-scale brewing possible.

Also in the late 1700s, the thermometer was adopted for brewing, followed not much later by the hydrometer.

In the mid-1800s brewers were starting to use single-cell yeast cultures. By the mid-1900s it was the norm.

Artificial refrigeration was first used in a commercial brewery in Germany in 1873.

Various equipment introduced throughout the 1800s greatly improved roasting of malts.

Louis Pasteur’s “Études sur la Bière” (Studies on Beer), published in 1876, demonstrated the causes of—and prescribed methods for preventing—beer spoilage. The work had widespread affects across the beer world.

Regulation and taxation

Different types of regulation affected beer development in different ways. Perhaps the two most well-know beer regulations are the German beer purity law of 1516 called Reinheitsgebot, and Prohibition in the U.S.

Depending on the source, the Reinheitsgebot was either a food safety law or a famine preventative measure. Perhaps either was an inside racket.

Modern-day northern Germany was rich with varied beer styles. When Bavaria became part of Germany, beer styles were restricted by the Reinheitsgebot. Many local beer styles were lost. A few, like Kölsch, Berliner Weisse, and Düsseldorfer Alt, survived and are still popular today. Others, like Grätzer, Lichtenhainer, and Broyhan, barely survived the passage of time.

Lucky for us all, Belgium never had a beer purity law. Probably Affligem Nöel is the first beer that I really fell in love with. Even to this day, I have an infatuation for that beer, but I digress.

Beer styles in Belgium have never lost the use of ancient spices, herbs, and sugars.

“Coriander, orange peel, cumin, grains of paradise (a pungent, peppery spice), and many kinds of sugars find their way into Belgian beers, often in quite subtle ways,” writes Mosher. “For a beer lover seeking new experiences, Belgium is a wonderland of the highest order.”

As for Prohibition, the U.S. is not the only country to have outlawed beer. There’s not enough space here to talk about it comprehensively.

Prohibition in the U.S. started in 1920 and ended in 1933. Before Prohibition, there were thousands of breweries in the U.S. There was a resurgence of breweries after Prohibition, but consolidation reduced the number to a low of 44 breweries in 1979.

Now we’re back to more than seven thousand breweries—and quite a diversity of beer! But if we had the number of breweries per capita that there was before Prohibition, we would have more than 30,000 breweries in the U.S. today.

Culture and consumer appeal

Pilsner was invented in Plzen, Bavaria and made that little town famous. Limited competition brought about by the Reinheitsgebot helped solidify Pilsner’s widespread popularity.

Various accounts describe the rise in popularity of Porter and Pale Ale. Whatever the case, England’s influence was broad. Many of the practices and preferences in England spread across the world via the British Empire and beyond.

British colonists brought their love of beer to North America. But, according to Mosher, malt didn’t grow well in much of the colonies. Alternatives such as molasses, dried pumpkin, and walnut tree chips were used, but not with much success. By 1800, spirits were consumed 10 times as much as beer in volume. In terms of alcohol, it was about 200 times as much!

The frontier was scarce of infrastructure. It was difficult to transport ingredients or the finished product across long distances over land. So whiskey, rum, and other spirits continued to be much more popular than beer in America.

However, America wasn’t completely devoid of beer. Wherever German or Dutch immigrants were, there was beer, too. American Dreams of beer grandeur come from names that are recognizable to this day: Pabst, Busch, Schlitz.

Summary

Regional beer styles were initially established as a result of local ingredients, equipment, and water.

Beer styles evolved differently by region based on technology, regulation, culture, and consumer appeal.

As commerce became more globalized, beer styles spread across the world.

Some styles have remained pretty much the same for decades.

Other beer styles evolve with advancements in technology and science.

In the next section we’ll get into the parameters that define the different beer styles, to see what sets them apart from each other.

Flashcards for this section

Based on the reading materials mentioned and my notes above, here are my flashcards for this section.

3 primary drivers in the development of beer styles

1. Available ingredients
2. Equipment
3. Technology

When was the first known documentation of beer?

The first known documentation of beer was around 3000 B.C. with the Sumerians.

When and where were hops introduced into beer?

Hops were introduced into beer around the year 1000 in Bremen, Germany.

In what part(s) of the world did beer dominate and become the styles we know today?

Beer gained popularity across Northern Europe in Germany, Flanders, Netherlands, and England.

What were 4 primary factors in the refining of beer styles?

1. Technology
2. Regulation
3. Culture
4. Consumer appeal

2 scientific instruments that were adopted in brewing in the 1700s

1. Thermometer
2. Hydrometer

What major advancement in brewing happened in the 1800s?

Single-yeast cultures were first used in beer in the mid-1800s.

By the mid-1900s it was the norm.

When and where was refrigeration first used in commercial brewing?

Refrigeration was first used in commercial brewing in 1873 in Germany.

What was published in 1876?

Louis Pasteur’s “Études sur la Bière” (Studies in Beer) was published in 1876.

It had widespread affects across the beer world because it demonstrated the causes of beer spoilage and how to prevent it.

What is the Reinheitsgebot?

Reinheitsgebot is the German beer purity law of 1516.

It limited the ingredients allowed in beer.

Many beer styles from Northern Germany were lost from the Reinheitsgebot.

What did Prohibition do to the number of breweries in the U.S.?

Before Prohibition, there were thousands of breweries in the U.S.

After Prohibition, there was a low of 44 breweries in 1979.

Where was Pilsner invented?

Pilsner beer style was invented in Plzen, Bavaria (Germany).

Where were Porter and Pale Ale invented?

Porter and Pale Ale beer styles were invented in England.

The post 011. Understanding beer styles appeared first on Beer Exam School.

Piles of Books by Michael Coghlan on flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

I’m on a roll! I’ve been studying lots and kicking out my notes to share with you. I hope they are helpful. Send me an email and let me know. And if you have questions about any of the materials, leave them in the comments below the specific lesson. I’ll try to answer any questions I can, or maybe we’ll hear the answer from someone else reading along.

So let’s look at the reading list for part 2.

The first step is to get my study materials together

Today I’m going through the materials to find any recommended books, articles, or whatnot. Here are the materials that I’ll need to study for the Certified Beer Server, Part II. Beer Styles.

Feel free to get anything that you think you’ll need to pass the exam. Or check out my free study notes throughout this site.

For the basic information and cultural background, the Cicerone® Certification Program recommends Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide by Michael Jackson. I ordered this book for myself. Feel free to order your own copy from the link here, or check out my study notes throughout this site.

For a little bit about the history and culture of each style, they recommend mostly the style descriptions from All About Beer Magazine. More on that below.

As for the actual style descriptions, we’re going use the descriptions from the Beer Judge Certification Program. The Brewers Association also has comprehensive style guidelines. However, the Cicerone® Certification Program refers to the BJCP styles because they change less often.

Keep in mind that we need to know only the styles referenced in the Certified Beer Server syllabus. We’re not going to need to memorize all 73 pages of the BJCP Style Guidelines or the entire All About Beer website.

Reading list for Certified Beer Server, Part II. Beer Styles

• Cicerone® Certification Program. “Certified Beer Server Syllabus.” http://cicerone.org, September 1, 2016. PDF.
  Check to see which styles we need to know.
• Jackson, Michael. Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000. Print.
  Check out the basic info and cultural background for each style.
• All About Beer Magazine. Styles. http://allaboutbeer.com. Accessed February 2015.
  Check out the bits about history and culture of each style.
• Beer Judge Certification Program, Inc. BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines; Beer, Mead, and Cider Style Guidelines with Special Ingredient Descriptions. http://www.bjcp.org, 2015. PDF.
  Know the descriptions for each style we need to learn.

So we need only a few resources for the Certified Beer Server syllabus, Part II: Beer Styles. But those sources have are packed full of material that we need to cover. (Go here for reading materials for part I.)

I realized early on that it takes quite a bit of work to look at the syllabus, dig through the suggested reading materials, and gleam what I’ll need for the Certified Beer Server exam. This would be much easier if the materials were collected together in one place and I could just read through it.

I know the Cicerone® Certification Program has a study guide for sale, but it’s like 200 bucks! It does include the price of the exam, but I’m already paying for the exam and I can just get these materials to study on my own. So I’d rather do it this way.

It’s pretty neat to see that this certification is already helping me gain employment. I can hardly wait to pass the exam and start using this information to bring excellent beer service to craft beer lovers.

Let’s get to work! First lesson of Part II: Understanding beer styles and where they came from.

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The post 010. Reading list for Certified Beer Server (part 2) appeared first on Beer Exam School.