Beer Style Guide

Key Differences – Ales vs. Lagers

Ale - fruity, flavorful, robust

• Top-fermenting
• Warmer fermentation temps – 58-68°F
• Faster metabolism due to warmer temps therefore faster fermentation
• Faster conditioning
• Human selection to "domesticate" wild yeast
• BJCP – 55 styles
• Higher alcohol tolerance

Lager - clean, crisp and refreshing

• Bottom-fermenting
• Cooler fermentation temps – 42-55°F
• Slower metabolism due to cooler temps therefore slower fermentation
• Slower conditioning "to store"
• Young in terms of brewing history
• 9 out of 10 beers consumed in the world
• BJCP – 22 styles

Cider

• Similar to Wine and Beer Production
  • Cider = fermented apple juice
  • Perry = fermented pear juice
• Press apples to create "must" not wort
  • No boil – use sulfites to stop yeast
  • Chaptalization – add sugar for fermentation
  • Yeast large flavor factor – white wine, champagne, etc

India Pale Ale

• English IPA
  • English Hops and Malts - less hoppy and more malty than American = 5-7.5% ABV
• American IPA
  • Hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale - uses American hops = 5.5-7.5% ABV
• Imperial IPA
  • Intensely hoppy, very strong pale ale - not as malty as barley wine = 7.5-10%ABV

Introduction to BJCP Style Guidelines »

To promote beer literary and the appreciation of beer.

The goals of the new edition are to better address world beer styles as found in their local markets, keep pace with emerging craft beer market trends, describe historical beers now finding a following, better describe the sensory characteristics of modern brewing ingredients, take advantage of new research and references, and help competition organizers better manage the complexity of their events.

Download Here:
http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf »