Topic: Beer Styles
American Brown Ale
Last May, I was in Argentina to judge and speak at the South Beer Cup, sort of the Great American Beer Festival of South America. I spent several hours traveling with Pete
Milkshake IPA: Tips from the Pros
Brewer: Michael Tonsmeire, Sapwood Cellars in Columbia, MD Milkshake IPA is one of the latest adaptations in the Specialty IPA category, but many would argue against this nomenclature. With very subdued hop
Mexican Lager
When I recently wrote about grisette being a type of saison, I hadn’t expected to write a similar column about lagers but I keep getting questions that spark my interest. This time,
Grisette
BY THE NUMBERS OG: 1.028–1.032 FG: 1.002–1.004 SRM: 3–10 IBU: 20–30 ABV: 3.1–3.9% I hadn’t intended to write about this style now, but it’s come up as a question several times over
Specialty IPA
When I started brewing, there was only one style category for India pale ale. Just a single category, no subcategories. Several years later, people had begun talking about the differences between English
Double IPA
Like many people, when I was new to craft beer I favored beers that had a maltier balance, ones that were not so bitter. At that time, a homebrew shop owner told
American IPA
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) has distinguished four different IPA styles: English, American, double, and specialty (which has numerous sub-categories). Some people further specify American IPAs as being a “West Coast”
English IPA
India pale ale was first created when an enterprising brewer crafted a beer to better survive the long sea voyage from England to India in the late 18th century. It is said
Maibock
by the numbers OG: 1.064–1.072 (15.7–17.5 °P) FG: 1.011–1.018 (2.8–4.6 °P) SRM: 6–11 IBU: 23–35 ABV: 6.3–7.4% I have always been a fan of German-style lagers. In fact, my love of the
Kölsch
by the numbers OG: 1.044–1.050 (11–12.4 °P) FG: 1.007–1.011 (1.8–2.8 °P) SRM: 3.5–5 IBU: 20–30 ABV: 4.4–5.2% My first time wandering the streets of Cologne was a magical moment. In between dramatic
Irish Red
by the numbers OG: 1.044–1.060 FG: 1.010–1.014 SRM: 9–18 IBU: 17–28 ABV: 4.0–6.0% Fritz Maytag, of Anchor Brewing fame, during a speech many years ago, explained how the “story” around something is
Imperial/Double IPA
by the numbers OG: 1.070–1.090 (17–21.6 °P) FG: 1.010–1.020 (2.6–5.1 °P) SRM: 8–15 IBU: 60–120 ABV: 7.5–10% Like many people, when I was new to craft beer I favored beers with a
