|
Style
|
Color
|
Malt
|
Hops
|
Body/Flavor
|
Alc%
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Description
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(ADL)
American Dark Lager
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Deep copper to medium brown
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Some caramel malt aroma and flavor
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Low hop bitterness, flavor and aroma
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Light body
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4.0-5.5
|
Like other mass-produced American style lagers, this one is often made using rice or corn.
|
(AL)
American Lager
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Straw to golden
|
Corn or rice in addition to barley malt lightens the flavor, no caramel flavor
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Hop bitterness is minimized as is hop flavor and aroma
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Light body, highly carbonated, no fruitiness
|
3.8-5.0
|
The majority of beers produced in the United States are this style.
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(BO)
Bock
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Deep copper to dark brown
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Either sweet or dry, often displays toasted, chocolate-like or nutty flavors
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Hop bitterness is low and some low levels of hop flavor may be found, hop aroma is rarely detected
|
Medium to full body
|
6.0-7.5
|
Tapped in early spring, these strong and malty brews help to fortify those who brave the beer gardens while there is still a nip in the air.
|
(CC)
California Common
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Light amber to copper
|
Toasted or caramel character
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Bitterness is medium to high and hop flavor and aroma are high
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Medium body, may have low levels of ale fruitiness
|
3.6-5.0
|
During the California Gold Rush, brewers made a lager style without benefit of refrigeration.
|
(CP)
Classic Pilsener
|
Golden to light amber
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Malty with a noticeable caramel accent
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Medium to high hop bitterness and medium hop flavor and aroma
|
Medium to full body
|
4.0-5.0
|
This widely imitated classic was created in 1842 in the town of Pilsen, Czech Republic
|
(DB)
Doppelbock
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Deep amber to nearly black
|
Rich dark malt flavors without an acrid or burnt character
|
Hop bitterness and flavor are low with no hop aroma
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Quite full-bodied, alcoholic strength is apparent, some fruitiness may be noticeable
|
6.5-8.0
|
A stronger version of the basic bock, these beers were first brewed to sustain monks during Lenten and Advent fasts.
|
(DE)
Dortmunder Export
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Pale to golden
|
Medium
|
Medium bitterness
|
Medium body, very balanced flavor, may display a noticeable alcoholic warmth
|
4.8-6.0
|
The brewers of Dortmund make a strong pale lager that has found such great success outside of Germany that is known as "export".
|
(EB)
Eisbock
|
Deep amber to nearly black
|
Malty sweet
|
Low bitterness and hop flavor and aroma
|
Alcoholic strength is apparent and some fruitiness is often present
|
8.6-14.4
|
This strongest of all bocks is typically fortified by freezing and removing the water.
|
(GP)
German Pilsener
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Straw to golden
|
Medium malt flavor
|
Medium to high bitterness, low to medium hop flavor and aroma
|
Light to medium body
|
4.0-5.0
|
German examples of the Pilsener style are relatively light colored, but full flavored.
|
(LB)
Light Beer
|
Pale straw
|
Very light
|
Very light
|
Very light in body
|
3.5-4.0
|
The inventiveness of American marketing led to the development of a beer with fewer calories than a regular American Lager.
|
(MD)
Munich Dunkel
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Copper to brown
|
Malty with toasted, chocolate-like or bready components
|
Low to medium bitterness, and low hop flavor and aroma
|
Balanced with a medium body
|
4.5-5.0
|
"Dunkel" means "dark" and this malty brew is the traditional everyday beer of Munich.
|
(MH)
Munich Helles
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Pale to golden
|
Very malty
|
Low hop bitterness, flavor and aroma
|
Medium body
|
4.5-5.5
|
"Helles" is German for "light" or "pale".
|
(ML)
Malt liquor
|
Pale to golden
|
Some residual malt sweetness
|
Very low bitterness with little or no hop flavor and aroma
|
Medium body, slightly alcoholic
|
6.2-7.5
|
Made with corn or rice in addition to barley, this style exhibits significantly higher alcohol levels than most mass-produced lagers.
|
(OK)
Oktoberfest or Marzen
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Light amber to reddish-brown
|
Typically includes a toasted aroma and flavor, caramel flavor is generally absent
|
Bitterness is low to medium, hop flavor and aroma are generally low, but may be noticeable
|
Medium body, this style contains more alcohol than most
|
4.8-6.5
|
These special beers were called "Marzen" or "March" for the month in which they were brewed. When brewing resumed again in the fall, the remaining stocks of Marzen were brought out for Oktoberfest. By this means, a single style of beer came to be known by
|
(PB)
Pale Bock or Maibock
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Pale golden to amber
|
Very malty, but no toasted or chocolate-like character is found
|
Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma may be low to medium and is often noticeable
|
Medium body
|
6.0-7.5
|
After drinking dark bocks in March and April, Germans switch to a "helles" or pale bock often named after the month of May.
|
(SB)
Schwarzbier
|
Black
|
Toasted and dry without being acrid or burnt, may have a slight caramel character
|
Hop bitterness is low to medium with a low level of hop flavor and aroma
|
Light to medium body
|
3.8-5.0
|
The name literally means "black beer" in German.
|
(VI)
Vienna
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Amber to reddish-brown
|
Light toasted malt flavor and aroma, caramel flavor is generally absent
|
Low to medium hop bitterness, low levels of hop flavor and aroma may be present
|
Light to medium body
|
4.4-6.0
|
Vienna is the everyday version of the celebration beer known as "Marzen" or "Oktoberfest"
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