·IPA-India Pale Ale
This historic style evolved when British brewers were making beer for export to India. The style is marked by very high hop bitterness and high alcohol content. The high gravity of this beer allowed it to mature during the voyage. The intense hops helped preserve the beer. A high hopping rate and the use of water with a high mineral content results in a crisp, dry beer. This golden to deep copper colored ale has a full flavor (in addition to the hop bitterness). India Pale Ales possess medium maltiness and body. Fruity-ester flavors and aromas are moderate to very strong. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Classic Producers
Ballantine's Old India Pale Ale, Young's Special London Ale
Award Winning American Beers
Catamount Christmas Ale, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Anchor Liberty Ale, Grant's India Pale Ale, Pike Place Brewery East India Pale Ale, Vail Pale Ale & Solstice Ale (HubCap Brewery & Kitchen), Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Renegade Red (High Country Brewing), Punjabi Pale Ale (Coopersmith's Pub), Banty Rooster Pale Ale (Seabright Brewery), The Commodore Perry Pale Ale (Great Lakes Brewing), IPA (Breckenridge Brewing), Blue Heron (Mendicino Brewing), IPA (Rubicon Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Lamb with rosemary & garlic, boiled new potatoes with mustard, curried corn, hot and sour soup, Mexican mole sause dishes, many Thai foods, Tex-Mex cuisine, hot curries in general, spicy Cajun food, well done steak or roast
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.05 - 1.070 (12.5 - 17.5 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.012 - 1.018 (3 - 4.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 4 - 6% (5 - 7.5%)
Bitterness (IBU): 40 - 60 Color SRM (EBC): 8 - 18 (16-35 EBC)
Amber/Red Ales are an emerging style with may varied definitions. American Amber Ales range from light copper to light brown in color. Amber Ales are characterized by American varietal hops and to some connoisseurs should be used to produce high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Others believe that Ambers should be defined more by malt than by hops. Amber Ales have medium to high maltiness with medium to low caramel character. They should have medium body. The style may have low levels of fruity-ester flavor and aroma. Diacetyl should be absent or barely perceived. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Award Winning Beers
Alaskan Autumn Ale (Alaskan Brewing), Capstone ESB (Oasis Brewery), DeLaveaga Red Ale (Seabright Brewing), Red Nectar (Humbolt Brewing), Red Seal Ale (North Coast Brewing), Seabright Amber Ale (Seabright Brewing)
Complementary Food
Chicken wings
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.044 - 1.056 (11 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.006 - 1.016 (1.5 - 4 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.5 - 4.3% (4.5 - 5.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (4.5 - 5.5%) Color SRM (EBC): 11 - 18 (25 - 45 EBC)
English Special Bitter
Special Bitter is more robust than Ordinary Bitter. It has medium body and medium residual sweetness. In addition, the Special Bitter has more hop character than Ordinary Bitter.
Classic Producers
London Pride (Fuller, Smith & Turner, Griffin Brewery, England)
Award Winning American Beers
Emerald Special Bitter (Steelhead Brewing) Other Fine American Beers Tom Sheimo's Favorite (Hale's Ales)
Complementary Foods
Medium rare steak or roast, spicy lobster
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.038 - 1.045 (9.5 - 11 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.006 - 1.012 (1.5 - 3 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.3 - 3.8% (4.1 - 4.8%)
Bitterness (IBU): 28 - 46 Color SRM (EBC): 12 - 14 (30 - 35 EBC)
English Extra Special Bitter
Extra Special Bitter processes medium to strong hop qualities in aroma, flavor and bitterness. The residual malt sweetness of this richly flavored, full-bodied bitter is more pronounced than in other bitters.
Classic Producers
Fuller's ESB (Fuller, Smith & Turner, Griffin Brewery, England)
Award Winning American Beers
ESB (Stoddard's Brewhouse), Extra Special Bitter (Broad Ripple Brewery), Redhook ESB (Redhook Brewery)
Complementary Foods
Well done steak or roast, duck, goose
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.046 - 1.060 (11.5 - 15 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.010 - 1.016 (2.5 - 4 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.8 - 4.6% (4.8 - 5.8%)
Bitterness (IBU): 30 - 55 Color SRM (EBC): 12 - 14 (30 - 35 EBC)
Scotch ales are full bodied, malty and lightly hopped. To highlight the maltiness, Scots often do not ferment the beers thoroughly leaving behind more of the malty notes and residual sugars. Perhaps they like to spotlight the malt due to their tradition of growing high quality barley also used for Scotch distilling. Low-gravity Scotch Ales are found in the North East of Scotland, higher-gravity examples are found in Belgium and the Caribbean. Includes Scottish Light, Heavy and Export Ale which are described below.
Award Winning American Beers
(not identified by subcatagory) Victoria Amber Ale (Riverside Brewing), Steamboat Scottish (Heavenly Daze Brewery), Laughing Lab Scottish Ale (Bristol Brewing), Wrigley Red (Rockies Brewing), Golden Gate Red (Golden Pacific Brewing), Sonoma Dark Ale & Irish Ale (Butterfield Brewing), Kidder's Scottish Ale (Kidder's Brewpub), Steelhead Amber (Steelhead Brewery), Flying McDog (Flying Dog Brewpub), Calistoga Red Ale (Napa Valley Brewing), Our Holiday Ale (Sun Valley Brewing)
Scottish Light Ale
Scottish Light represents the mildest form of Scottish Ales. Little bitterness is perceived. Scottish Light Ales are light bodied. Very low hop bitterness is acceptable, and hop flavor or aroma should not be perceived. Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
Complementary Foods
Non tomato based meatballs, Welsh rarebit, cheese cake
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.030 - 1.035 (7.5 - 9 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.006 - 1.012 (1.5 - 3 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 2.2 - 2.8% (2.8 - 3.5%)
Bitterness (IBU): 9 - 20 Color SRM (EBC): 8 - 17 (16 - 40 EBC)
Scottish Heavy Ale
Scottish Heavy Ale is moderate in strength and is dominated by a smooth sweet maltiness balanced with very low, but perceptible, hop bitterness. It has medium body, and fruity esters are very low, if evident. Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
Classic Producers
Raven (The Orkney Brewery, Scotland),
Complementary Foods
Pheasant, chocolate, bean soup
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.035 - 1.040 (9 - 10 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.010 - 1.014 (2.5 - 3.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 2.8 - 3.2% (2.8 - 3.5%)
Bitterness (IBU): 12 - 20 Color SRM (EBC): 10 - 19 (20 - 75 EBC)
Scottish Export Ale
Scottish Export Ale is sweet, carmellike and malty. Its bitterness is perceived as low to medium. It has medium body. Fruity-ester character may be apparent. Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
Classic Producers
Caledonian Export Ale (Caledonian Brewery, Scotland), McEwans's Scotch Export & Grodon Highland Scotch Ale (Fountain Brewery, Scotland)
Fine American Beers
Grant's Scottish Ale (Yakima Brewing & Malting), Piper's Pride (Sherlock's Home)
Complementary Food
Buffalo, lamb with gravy
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.040 - 1.050 (10 - 12.5 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.010 - 1.018 (2.5 - 4.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.2 - 3.6% (4.0 - 4.5%)
Bitterness (IBU): 15 - 25 Color SRM (EBC): 10 - 19 (20 - 75 EBC)
