BEER JUDGE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM 2015 STYLE GUIDELINES Beer Style Guidelines Copyright © 2015, BJCP, Inc. The BJCP grants the right to make copies for use in BJCP-sanctioned competitions or for educational/judge training purposes. All other rights reserved. Updates available at www.bjcp.org. Edited by Gordon Strong with Kristen England Past Guideline Analysis: Don Blake, Agatha Feltus, Tom Fitzpatrick, Mark Linsner, Jamil Zainasheff New Style Contributions: Drew Beechum, Craig Belanger, Dibbs Harting, Antony Hayes, Ben Jankowski, Andew Korty, Larry Nadeau, William Shawn Scott, Ron Smith, Lachlan Strong, Peter Symons, Michael Tonsmeire, Mike Winnie, Tony Wheeler Review and Commentary: Ray Daniels, Roger Deschner, Rick Garvin, Jan Grmela, Bob Hall, Stan Hieronymus, Marek Mahut, Ron Pattinson, Steve Piatz, Evan Rail, Nathan Smith,Petra and Michal Vřes Final Review: Brian Eichhorn, Agatha Feltus, Dennis Mitchell, Michael Wilcox TABLE OF CONTENTS 5B. Kölsch ...................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION TO THE 2015 GUIDELINES............................. IV 5C. German Helles Exportbier ...................................... 9 Styles and Categories .................................................... iv 5D. German Pils ............................................................ 9 Naming of Styles and Categories ................................. iv Using the Style Guidelines ............................................ v 6. AMBER MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER .................................... 10 Format of a Style Description ...................................... vi 6A. Märzen .................................................................. 10 Style Description Language ......................................... vii 6B. Rauchbier .............................................................. 10 6C. Dunkles Bock ......................................................... 11 INTRODUCTION TO BEER STYLES ........................................ VIII Basic Categorization ................................................... viii 7. AMBER BITTER EUROPEAN BEER ...................................... 12 Common Attributes of All Beer Styles ....................... viii 7A. Vienna Lager ......................................................... 12 Glossary ........................................................................ ix 7B. Altbier .................................................................... 12 Hop Terms ................................................................. ix 7C. Kellerbier ............................................................... 13 Malt or Mashing Terms ............................................. ix Kellerbier: Pale Kellerbier ........................................ 13 Yeast or Fermentation Terms ................................... ix Kellerbier: Amber Kellerbier .................................... 14 Quality or Off-Flavor Terms ...................................... ix 8. DARK EUROPEAN LAGER .................................................. 14 Appearance Terms ...................................................... x 8A. Munich Dunkel ..................................................... 14 Color Reference ............................................................. x 8B. Schwarzbier ........................................................... 15 Style Organization ......................................................... x Style Tag Reference ...................................................... xi 9. STRONG EUROPEAN BEER ................................................ 16 9A. Doppelbock ........................................................... 16 1. STANDARD AMERICAN BEER ............................................... 1 9B. Eisbock .................................................................. 16 1A. American Light Lager .............................................. 1 9C. Baltic Porter .......................................................... 17 1B. American Lager ....................................................... 1 1C. Cream Ale ................................................................ 1 10. GERMAN WHEAT BEER .................................................. 17 1D. American Wheat Beer ............................................. 2 10A. Weissbier ............................................................. 17 10B. Dunkles Weissbier ............................................... 18 2. INTERNATIONAL LAGER ..................................................... 3 10C. Weizenbock ......................................................... 18 2A. International Pale Lager ......................................... 3 2B. International Amber Lager ..................................... 3 11. BRITISH BITTER .............................................................. 19 2C. International Dark Lager ........................................ 4 11A. Ordinary Bitter ..................................................... 19 11B. Best Bitter ............................................................20 3. CZECH LAGER .................................................................... 4 11C. Strong Bitter .........................................................20 3A. Czech Pale Lager ..................................................... 4 3B. Czech Premium Pale Lager ..................................... 5 12. PALE COMMONWEALTH BEER ......................................... 21 3C. Czech Amber Lager ................................................. 5 12A. British Golden Ale ............................................... 21 3D. Czech Dark Lager .................................................... 6 12B. Australian Sparkling Ale ..................................... 21 12C. English IPA .......................................................... 22 4. PALE MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER ......................................... 6 4A. Munich Helles ......................................................... 6 13. BROWN BRITISH BEER ................................................... 23 4B. Festbier .................................................................... 7 13A. Dark Mild ............................................................. 23 4C. Helles Bock .............................................................. 7 13B. British Brown Ale ................................................ 23 13C. English Porter ...................................................... 24 5. PALE BITTER EUROPEAN BEER ........................................... 8 5A. German Leichtbier .................................................. 8 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines – 2015 Edition i 14. SCOTTISH ALE ................................................................ 25 22. STRONG AMERICAN ALE................................................. 42 14A. Scottish Light ....................................................... 25 22A. Double IPA .......................................................... 42 14B. Scottish Heavy ..................................................... 25 22B. American Strong Ale ........................................... 42 14C. Scottish Export .................................................... 26 22C. American Barleywine .......................................... 43 22D. Wheatwine .......................................................... 44 15. IRISH BEER .................................................................... 26 15A. Irish Red Ale ........................................................ 26 23. EUROPEAN SOUR ALE .................................................... 44 15B. Irish Stout ............................................................ 27 23A. Berliner Weisse ................................................... 44 15C. Irish Extra Stout .................................................. 27 23B. Flanders Red Ale ................................................. 45 23C. Oud Bruin ............................................................ 45 16. DARK BRITISH BEER ...................................................... 28 23D. Lambic ................................................................ 46 16A. Sweet Stout .......................................................... 28 23E. Gueuze ................................................................. 47 16B. Oatmeal Stout ...................................................... 28 23F. Fruit Lambic ........................................................ 47 16C. Tropical Stout ...................................................... 29 16D. Foreign Extra Stout ............................................. 29 24. BELGIAN ALE ................................................................. 48 24A. Witbier ................................................................ 48 17. STRONG BRITISH ALE ..................................................... 30 24B. Belgian Pale Ale .................................................. 49 17A. British Strong Ale ................................................ 30 24C. Bière de Garde ..................................................... 49 17B. Old Ale ................................................................. 30 17C. Wee Heavy ........................................................... 31 25. STRONG BELGIAN ALE ................................................... 50 17D. English Barleywine .............................................. 32 25A. Belgian Blond Ale ................................................ 50 25B. Saison .................................................................. 50 18. PALE AMERICAN ALE.....................................................