Beer Styles

To see a detailed description of each beer category, please click on the category of interest in the following Beer Styles list.

View the complete styles list or as a web page or a downloadable PDF file.

Hybrid/Mixed Beer Styles

1. American-Style Cream Ale or Lager 8. Specialty Beer 15. American-Belgo-Style Ale
2. American-Style Wheat Beer 9. Specialty Honey Beer 16. Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
3. American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast 10. Session Beer 17. Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
4. Rye Beer 11. Other Strong Beer 18. Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
5. Fruit Beer or Field Beer 12. Experimental Beer 19. Aged Beer
6. Herb and Spice Beer or Chocolate Beer 13. Out of Category – Traditionally Brewed Beer 20. Kellerbier/Zwickelbier
7. Coffee Flavored Beer 14. Gluten Free Beer 21. Smoked Beer

Lager Beer Styles

Styles of European and German Origin

22. European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style Leicht(bier) 26. Dortmunder/European-Style Export or German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesen (Meadow) 30. German-Style Schwarzbier
23. German-Style Pilsener 27. Vienna-Style Lager 31. Traditional German-Style Bock
24. Bohemian-Style Pilsener 28. German-Style Märzen 32. German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock
25. Münchner-Style Helles 29. European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel 33. German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock

Styles of North American Origin

34. American-Style Lager 36. American-Style Amber Lager  
35. American-Style Specialty Lager 37. American-Style Dark Lager  

Styles of Other Origin

38. Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager 39. International-Style Lager 40. Baltic-Style Porter

Ale Beer Styles

Styles of Belgian and French Origin

41. Belgian-Style Witbier 45. Belgian-Style Flanders/Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale 48. Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale
42. Belgian- & French-Style Ale 46. Belgian-Style Dubbel 49. Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale
43. Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale 47. Belgian-Style Tripel 50. Other Belgian-Style Ale
44. Belgian-Style Sour Ale    

Styles of British Origin

51. English-Style Summer Ale 57. Scottish-Style Ale 63. Oatmeal Stout
52. Classic English-Style Pale Ale 58. English-Style Mild Ale 64. Scotch Ale
53. English-Style India Pale Ale 59. English-Style Brown Ale 65. British-Style Imperial Stout
54. Ordinary Bitter 60. Brown Porter 66. Old Ale
55. Special Bitter or Best Bitter 61. Robust Porter 67. Strong Ale
56. Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter 62. Sweet Stout 68. Barley Wine-Style Ale

Styles of German Origin

69. German-Style Kölsch/Köl-Style Kölsch 72. South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier 74. German-Style Dark Wheat Ale
70. German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier 73. German-Style Pale Wheat Ale 75. South German-Style Weizenbock/
Weissbock
71. German-Style Sour Ale    

Styles of Irish Origin

76. Irish-Style Red Ale 77. Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout 78. Foreign-Style Stout

Styles of North American Origin

79. Golden or Blonde Ale 83. Imperial India Pale Ale 87. American-Style Sour Ale
80. American-Style Pale Ale 84. American-Style Amber/Red Ale 88. American Style Stout
81. American-Style Strong Pale Ale 85. Imperial Red Ale 89. American-Style Imperial Stout
82. American-Style India Pale Ale 86. American-Style Brown Ale  

Styles of Other Origin

90. International Pale Ale    

Savor the FlavorBrewers Association

Brewers Association
736 Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado 80302 USA
+1.303.447.0816 • +1.303.447.2825 [f] • +1.888.822.6273 (U.S. and Canada only)
Photos ©2009 Jason E. Kaplan