Beer Style Guidelines
The Brewers Association (BA) recently released its 2011 Beer Style
Guidelines. Updated annually, the guidelines currently describe 140 styles
of beer and are used in prestigious beer competitions, like the Great
American Beer Festival® and the World Beer Cup®.
For 2011, several beer style descriptions have been significantly updated:
•Belgo-American-Style Ales
•Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin/Oud Red
•German Bock
•Rye Beer
•American-Style Sour Ale
Additionally, one beer style has been added, and another has been renamed.
American-Style Brett Ale is now a recognized ale style. American-Style Black
Ale is the new name for American-Style India Black Ale, and it too has
updated style guidelines.
Since 1979 the BA has provided beer style descriptions as a reference for
brewers and beer competition organizers. The beer style guidelines developed by
the BA use sources from the commercial brewing industry, beer analyses, and
consultations with beer industry experts and knowledgeable beer enthusiasts as
resources for information. Much of the early work was based on the assistance
and contributions of beer journalist Michael Jackson. For 2011, revisions were
aided by over 150 comments and suggestions from Great American Beer Festival and
World Beer Cup judges, as well as other beer industry members.
“These guidelines help to illustrate the growth of craft brewers in the United
States and also offer insight and a foundation for helping appreciate the
hundreds of beer types brewed for the beer lover,” said Charlie Papazian,
president of the Brewers Association.
The 2011 Beer Style Guidelines are available for download in the Publications
section of BrewersAssociation.org.
Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines
