Ales   Lager   Specialty

ALES

Ales are genereally brewed with "top-fermenting" yeast at temperatures between 55-70 degrees F.

• Light Ale
  Very pale color/Light malt character/low but discernable bitterness and hop flavor/light in body, slightly fruity/<4%/vol.
  
  
• Mild Ale
  Amber to brown color/light to sweet malt character with some toasty or caramel character/low levels of bitterness and hop flavor/3.2-4%/vol.
  
  
• Golden or Blonde Ale
  Pale golden color/fleeting malt flavor/light floral hop aroma and low to medium bitterness/light body, usually crisp with little fruitiness/4-5%/vol.
  
  
• Cream Ale
  Quite pale color/dry with mild pale malt flavor/low to moderate bitterness and little or no hop flavor and aroma/light body/4.4-5.7%/vol.
  
  
• Kolsch
  Pale golden color/light and dry malt character/medium bitterness, may have some hop flavor and aroma/light body/4.4-5.0%/vol.
  
  
• American-Style Wheat Ale
  Gold to light amber color/mild malt/wheat character/low to moderate bitterness/light to medium body, often with light fruity character/3.5-4.5%/vol.
  
  
• American-Style Hefeweizen
  Cloudy and opaque, golden to orange color/ light malt character with wheat notes/very low in bitterness and hop flavor/light to medium body; may have noticeable fruit character as well as some yeast-breadlike notes/3.5-4.5%/vol.
  
  
• Weizen or Bavarian Weiss Beer
  Pale to golden color/ light malt chracter with wheat notes/low in bitterness/light body with distinct clove and banana flavors; high in carbonation; usually displays a thick, creamy, white foam head/4.8-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• Hefeweizen
  Cloudy with yeast, pale to amber color/light and crisp flavor/very low hop character/light body, clove and banana notes dominant/4.8-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• Dunkelweizen
  Cloudy, light brown color/often includes toasted and chocolatelike malt flavors/low bitterness and no hop flavor or aroma/light body; often sweet with low levels of clove and banana flavor/4.8-5.4%/vol.
  
  
• Weizenbock
  Cloudy, amber to dark brown color/definite malty sweetness, may have some roasty or chocolatelike character/low bitterness and no hop flavor and aroma/medium to full body; banana and clove character noticeable, but not assertive/6.5-7.5%/vol.
  
  
• Bitter
  Amber to copper color/malt is secondary and is often accented by carmellike, nutty or woody flavors/moderate to high level of bitterness with medium to high hop flavor and aroma/low to medium body/4.0-4.8%/vol.
  
  
• English-Style Pale Ale
  Pale golden to amber color/firm malt base/assertive hop flavor and bitterness/medium body/4.5-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• American-Style Pale Ale
  Light amber to amber color/moderate or assertive malt character and may include caramel or toasted notes/medium bitterness and hop flavor; aroma may be spicy, resinous or citruslike/4.5-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• Amber or Red Ale
  Copper to light brown color, often with a slight red cast/medium to high maltiness, often with caramel character/bitterness ranges from low to high, as does hop flavor and aroma/medium body/4.5-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• Extra Special (Strong) Bitter
  Copper color/high level of maltiness with nutty, woody, caramellike flavors/increased hop bitterness, flavor and aroma/medium to full body/4.5-5.8%/vol.
  
  
• India Pale Ale
  Golden to copper color/medium to high in malt flavor/high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma/medium to full body/5.0-7.5%/vol.
  
  
• Altbier
  Amber to copper color/medium to high maltiness, but little or no caramel flavor/medium to high bitterness, but usually low hop flavor and aroma/medium body/4.3-5.0%/vol.
  
  
• Wit or White Beer
  Pale to golden color & usually cloudy/light malt character with wheat notes/low to medium hop bitterness & flavor/low to medium body;spiced with coriander & orange peel/4.8-5.2%/vol.
  
  
• Belgian-Style Strong Ale
  Color varies from light to dark/moderate to low malt character/low to high bitterness;low hop aroma & flavor/full body; alcoholic strength is evident with vinous or winelike character/7-11%/vol.
  
  
• Abbey Dubbel or Double
  Copper to brown color/a malt accented beer with nutty, toasty, and chocolatelike flavors/low hop bitterness and no hop flavor or aroma/full body; often somewhat fruity/bananalike in aroma/6-7.5%/vol.
  
  
• Abbey Trippel or Triple
  Golden to pale color/somewhat sweet malt character with low hop flavor & aroma/full body; assertive fruity aroma that includes banana and clove traits; evident alcoholic strength/7-10%/vol.
  
  
• Lambic
  Color varies from amber to fruit-colored, often cloudy/dry and light malt flavor/low levels of hop bitterness, aroma and flavor/most are dry and light bodied, making for a tart, refreshing drink; fruit-flavored versions vary from sweet & syrupy to intensely sour/5-7%/vol.
  
  
• Scottish-Style Ale
  Gold to dark brown color/the malt profile often includes an assertive caramel character and may display a hint of smoke flavor/low bitterness and little or no hop flavor or aroma/medium to full body; they generally lack the fruitiness common in ales/2.8-4.5%/vol.
  
  
• Strong Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy
  Amber to very dark brown color/malt-dominated flavor profile, and caramel character is medium to high/low in hop bitterness with little or no hop flavor & aroma/full bodied with some alcoholic warmth/6.2-8%/vol.
  
  
• American-Style Strong Ale
  Pale to deep amber color/medium to high malt character/medium to high bitterness and medium to high hop flavor & aroma/full bodied; apparent alcoholic strength/6-8.5%/vol.
  
  
• Old Ale
  Amber to brown color/assertive & full body malt flavor that often includes a definite caramel character/medium bitterness plus low to medium hop flavor or aroma/full bodied; most display a fruity ale aroma & noticeable alcoholic strength/6-8%/vol.
  
  
• Barley Wine
  Copper to medium brown color/intensely malty & often sweet with low to medium caramel flavor/hop bitterness & character vary widely from low to intensely high/full bodied/8.4-12%/vol.
  
  
• English-Style Brown Ale
  Copper to brown color/malty with low levels of caramel flavor; some have a distinctive nutty or woody flavor/hop bitterness, flavor & aroma are low/medium body with some characteristic ale fruitiness/4-5.5%/vol.
  
  
• American-Style Brown Ale
  Brown to dark brown color/malt still dominates, but the character is toasted or chocolatelike rather than caramel- or nutlike/medium to high bitterness with noticeable hop aroma & flavor/medium body with low levels of ale fruitiness/4-5.9%/vol.
  
  
• Porter
  Light brown to black color/noticeable dark-malt flavor, may be toasty, chocolatelike or sharp & slightly burnt/hop bitterness is medium to high; hop flavor & aroma is faint to moderate/medium to high body; generally differentiated from stouts by their lack of roasty/coffeelike flavor/4.5-6.5%/vol.
  
  
• Dry Stout or Irish Stout
  Black and opaque color/dry, roasty, coffeelike malt character, caramel and sweet malt flavors may also be present/medium to high bitterness, but little or no hop flavor & aroma/medium bodied; little if any ale fruitiness; some interpretations (called foreign-style) are stronger and more full bodied with more malt sweetness/3.8-5%/vol. (up to 7.5% for foreign-style)
  
  
• Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
  Black and opaque color/assertive malt sweetness that is often caramellike/low levels of hop bitterness; no hop flavor or aroma/mild roasty, coffeelike flavor; medium to full body/3-6%/vol.
  
  
• Oatmeal Stout
  Black and opaque color/malt flavor dominates with caramel & chocolatelike notes/hop bitterness is moderate; hop flavor & aroma may be present in moderate amounts/medium to full body/3.8-6%/vol.
  
  
• Imperial Stout or Russian Stout
  Dark copper to black and opaque/rich, intense maltiness with caramel & coffeelike roasted flavors/medium to high hop bitterness; hop aroma & flavor can be subtle to overwhelming/full body/7-9%/vol.
   

Visit these sites for
product updates:
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Internet Explorer
Netscape

©2000 WA Brewers Guild
All rights reserved

Design & layout by
tansi graphics + design

BACK to TOP