BEER STYLES

Beer is a general description for 4 different styles of beer: ales, lagers, stouts and porters. These styles are produced by different brewing methods, and result in beers with unique qualities and characteristics. Changing consumer tastes and heavyweight advertising campaigns have affected the popularity of these beers over the years, but beer still remains the biggest selling drink in public houses, typically accounting for three-quarters of total drinks sales.

Comparing beers

There are some universal means of comparing beers, which can help establish a drink’s characteristics, these are:

• Alcohol by volume (ABV) – the strength of an alcoholic drink measured as the percentage of pure alcohol contained in the liquid.
• Original gravity (OG) – is a measure of beer’s density in relation to the density of water, as measured in the brewing process. The specific gravity of water is 1.000°. This can also be used to indicate the strength of a beer (the higher the gravity the higher the strength).
• International Bitterness Units (IBU) – provides a measure of the bitterness of beer: the higher number, the greater the bitterness.
• European Brewing Convention (EBC units) – is a means of measuring the colour of beer, where the lowest rating is the palest colour.

The typical characteristics of the main styles of beer (and ‘sub-styles’ of each) are given here:

Ales

Ales include ‘bitter’ and ‘mild’, as well as ‘pale ale’, ‘brown ale’, ‘India pale ale’ (IPA) and Scottish ‘heavy’ and ‘export’ ales. Until relatively recently, ales have been the dominant drink in public houses. Their typical characteristics are described below:

• Standard bitter: medium-bodied beer with medium bitterness. Gold to copper in colour.
  • — ABV – 4.1–4.8%
  • — OG – 1038–1045°
  • — IBU – 28–46
  • — EBC – 16–28
• Premium bitter: medium to strong hop aroma, flavour and bitterness. Amber to copper in colour.
  • — ABV – 4.8–5.8%
  • — OG – 1046–1060°
  • — IBU – 30–55
  • — EBC – 16–28
• Pale mild: malt flavoured with little hop bitterness. Golden to amber in colour. Relatively low alcohol content.
  • — ABV – 3.2–4%
  • — OG – 1030–1036°
  • — IBU – 10–24
  • — EBC – 16–34
• Dark mild: malt and caramel flavoured, little hop flavour or aroma. Deep copper to dark brown (often with red tint) colour. Relatively low alcohol content.
  • — ABV – 3.2–4%
  • — OG – 1030–1036°
  • — IBU – 10–24
  • — EBC – 34–68
• Pale ale: medium to high hop bitterness with low to medium malt flavour. Golden to copper coloured.
  • — ABV – 4.5–5.5%
  • — OG – 1044–1056°
  • — IBU – 20–40
  • — EBC – 10–28
• Brown ale: medium body with dry to sweet maltiness. Very little hop flavour or aroma. Deep copper to brown in colour.
  • — ABV – 4–5.5%
  • — OG – 1040–1050°
  • — IBU – 15–25
  • — EBC – 30–44
• India pale ale (IPA): medium to high hop bitterness and medium maltiness and body. Pale gold to deep copper coloured.
  • — ABV – 5–7%
  • — OG – 1050–1064°
  • — IBU – 35–55
  • — EBC – 12–28
• Scottish ‘heavy’ ale: moderate in strength, sweet maltiness and low hop bitterness. Golden amber to deep brown in colour.
  • — ABV – 3.5–4%
  • — OG – 1035–1040°
  • — IBU – 12–20
  • — EBC – 20–38
• Scottish ‘export’ ale: sweet, caramel flavoured and malty. Medium-bodied. Golden amber to deep brown in colour.
  • — ABV – 4–5.3%
  • — OG – 1040–1050°
  • — IBU – 15–25
  • — EBC – 20–38

Lagers

Lager sales have grown from 1% of the UK beer market in 1960 to almost 50% today. As at 2004 the top 3 alcoholic brands (UK on-trade* sales) were lagers, and strong advertising campaigns and innovations such as ‘super-chilled’ and ‘extra-cold’ dispense continue to help maintain the position of the big lager brands.

Continental style speciality lagers are now being promoted by breweries and pub companies aiming to capture the discerning drinker who is happy to pay a premium for their lager. The introduction of established continental lagers, and new speciality products from the same stable as existing lager brands, are set to proliferate throughout the premium lager sector over the coming years.

The characteristics of some of the more popular styles of lager are explained below:

• German style pilsner: well-hopped and very light straw or golden in colour. High hop bitterness but with a malty residual sweetness.
  • — ABV – 4–5%
  • — OG – 1044–1050°
  • — IBU – 30–40
  • — EBC – 6–8
• European style pilsner: medium-bodied with low to medium hop bitterness. Low residual malty sweetness. Straw to golden in colour.
  • — ABV – 4–5%
  • — OG – 1044–1050°
  • — IBU – 17–30
  • — EBC – 6–8

*On-trade includes pubs, clubs, and bars (ie where drink is consumed on the premises) as opposed to off-trade which includes off licences and supermarkets.

• American lager: hop bitterness and aroma are light. Malt sweetness light to mild. Clean and crisp and well carbonated. Light in body and colour.
  • — ABV – 3.8–5%
  • — OG – 1040–1046°
  • — IBU – 5–14
  • — EBC – 4–8
• Australasian or Latin American lagers: light-bodied with low hop bitterness. Very light in colour.
  • — ABV – 2.9–5.6%
  • — OG – 1032–1046°
  • — IBU – 9–25
  • — EBC – 4–8

Porters

Porter originated in London around 1730 and by the end of the 18th century had become the most popular beer in England. The fashion for pale ales eroded the popularity of porter and it is only recently that this beer has made a small comeback.

• Robust Porter: medium to full-bodied beer with hoppy bitterness and slight malty sweetness. Black in colour.
  • — ABV – 5–6.5%
  • — OG – 1045–1060°
  • — IBU – 25–40
  • — EBC – 60+

Stouts

A classic ale especially popular in Ireland. Also has a strong following from dedicated stout drinkers worldwide. Two of the most popular types of stout are:

• Irish-style dry stout: medium-bodied beer with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness. Black in colour.
  • — ABV – 3.8–5%
  • — OG – 1038–1048°
  • — IBU – 30–40
  • — EBC – 80+
• Oatmeal stout: medium to full-bodied beer. Full caramel/chocolate like flavour with a smooth profile and less bitterness.
  • — ABV – 3.8–6%
  • — OG – 1038–1056°
  • — IBU – 20–40
  • — EBC – 40+