Beer Styles United Kingdom

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Beer StylesUnited Kingdom Ireland

• Ales, lagers and other variations
• from around the world

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Thank You, Thank You

• The information for this presentation is
  condensed from articles, tasting notes and books
  by Michael Jackson and Peter LaFrance
• Visit beerhunter.com for the world of beer
  according to Michael Jackson check out his
  Tasting Notes Section
• For information on Peter LaFrance, please visit
  beerbasics.com

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United Kingdomfrom Yahoo.com
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Irelandfrom Yahoo.com
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Ale

• The English-language term for a brew made with a
  top-fermenting yeast, which should impart to it a
  distinctive fruitiness
• Ales are produced in a wide variety of colors,
  palates, and strengths
• Common style include Bitter, Brown Ale, India
  Pale Ale, Light Ale, Mild Ale, Old Ale, Scotch
  Ale, Irish Red

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Mild Ale

• English term indicating an ale that is only
  lightly hopped
• Most are dark brown Dark Mild
• A Pale Mild is lighter bronze to copper color
• These beers were devised to be drunk in large
  quantities by manual workers and have, in recent
  years, suffered from their blue-collar image
• Around 3 alcohol by volume, but often relatively
  full in body

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Bitter

• English term for a well-hopped ale
• The name implies a depth of hop bitterness
• There is usually some acidity in the finish and
  color range is bronze to deep copper
• Basic bitters usually have an alcohol content of
  around 3.75 -4 ABV
• "Best" or "Special" bitters - 4.4 - 7.5
• The odd "Extra Special" at about 5.5

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Pale Ale

• A bitter style, but not necessarily pale in color
  simply not brown or black (as opposed to porter
  and stout which are generally classified as Dark
  Ales)
• Hop bitterness is present, but may not be
  prominent
• Usually, these ales are amber or copper in color
• Typically, alcohol is 4-5 by volume
• In America, this term defines a more particular
  style usual hop nose and flavor are obvious, but
  not over-powering

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India Pale Ale

• British pale ales for the India Empire were made
  in a higher than normal strength, and given more
  hops, to protect them on the journey
• Today, the hoppiest examples of this style are
  made by the new generation of American brewers
• Generally higher in alcohol and bitterness than a
  Pale Ale
• Alcohol is 5.0 plus, sometimes far higher

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Strong Bitter

• Similar in flavor to an IPA, with the hop
  character balanced with a bit more sweet
  character it remains, however, a bitter
• Color is amber to brown
• Usually 6.5 - 8.5 ABV

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Brown Ale

• In the South of England, this is a dark-brown
  ale, sweet in palate, low in alcohol (3-3.5 by
  volume). It may have bitterness from roasted
  grain. This style, however, is brewed throughout
  England
• In the Northeast, this is a reddish-brown ale,
  drier, of 4.4-5 ABV, sometimes with a nutty
  taste. Common examples are Newcastle and Samuel
  Smiths Nut Brown

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Old Ale

• In Britain, the term is most commonly used to
  indicate a medium-strong dark ale
• Usually around 6 alcohol by volume
• Common winter style
• However, by no means are all ales describing
  themselves as "old" made in this style

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Barley Wine

• An English term for an extra-strong ale (implied
  to be as potent as wine)
• Usually more than 6 alcohol by volume, but
  classically closer to 11
• Most often bottled
• Both pale and dark versions can be found
• Most in the U.S. are over 10 ABV

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Irish Red

• While Ireland is known for their stouts, paler
  ales are brewed there as well
• The red ale is a derivative of Scottish ales, but
  are sweeter and lighter bodied
• They are typically lightly hopped and brewed with
  some dark roasted malts

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Scotch Ale

• The ales of Scotland generally have a malt accent
• A single brewery's products may be identified in
  ascending order as Light, Heavy, Export and
  Strong
• Alcohol content by volume might rise through 3,
  4, 4.5 and 7-10 ABV
• The term "Scotch ale" is used specifically to
  identify a very strong, and often extremely dark,
  malt-accented specialty ale

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Dark Ales

• The darkest of ales, porter and the various types
  of stout have a long history in England, Ireland
  and the Americas
• The dry bite of malts roasted until they are dark
  chocolaty brown, or even black, gives these beers
  a bitter character with little need for hops
• While less popular now than they once were, these
  dark ales still command fierce loyalty among
  their fans.

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Porter In General - 1

• One story says this style was a mix of three
  beers, first noted in 1722 as Entire
• Another belief is that the three referred to in
  the first story were actually three waters
• Another story is that it was a mix of Stout and
  Pale Ale (a mixed black and tan)
• However, some historical references say it was
  the precursor to stout

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Porter In General - 2

• The name may come from its purported popularity
  with the porters of Victoria Station in London
• Other stories reference the dock porters and the
  beer they consumed at lunch
• Classically, Porter is dry, light to medium body,
  relatively low in alcohol, and only slightly
  flavored with hops
• The color and bitterness comes from black patent
  and chocolate malts
• While shown as one style on Michael Jacksons
  Family Tree, there are brown, robust, and cream
  porters on the market

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Brown Porter

• Mild malt roast is evident
• Hop aroma may be moderate to low
• Medium brown to dark brown in color
• Medium-light to medium bodied with low to
  moderate carbonation
• Usually less alcohol than robust porter, but more
  substance (body) and roast than brown ale
• Commercial Examples Fuller's London Porter,
  Samuel Smith Taddy Porter, Yuengling Porter

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Robust Porter

• Roast malt or grain aroma, often coffee-like or
  chocolate-like, should be evident
• Hop aroma moderate to low
• Dark brown to black color
• Medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation
• Overall flavor may finish from medium sweet to
  dry - may have a sharp character from dark
  roasted grains
• Commercial examples Sierra Nevada Porter, Anchor
  Porter

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Cream Porter

• From the Portland Brewing Company
• Called MacTarnahans Black Watch
• It was released in January 2001 and won a GABF
  gold medal
• Rich, full bodied, creamy ale
• Designed to compete with Guinness stout
• Oatmeal is used in this porter it could become
  a new style, but it is not a traditional U.K.
  style

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Stout In General

• Where porter is classically lighter-bodied, stout
  is more full-bodied and rich- hence the name,
  originally Stout Porter
• Some historical references note stout porter
  was a precursor to the same brewerys beer, later
  called simply stout this suggests that porter
  was firstmore research will tell!
• Generally, all stouts are opaque black

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Sweet Stout

• Sweet, cream, or milk stouts are the same
• Cream and milk can confuse the consumer so
  now its sweet
• More common in England, so it is sometimes
  referred to as English stout
• Sweet stouts have lactose, or milk sugar, added
  to offset the roast barley bitterness and add
  body to the brew
• Commercial examples Watneys, Sam Adams,
  Mackeson's, and Tennent's

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Oatmeal Stout

• Oatmeal stout get additional body from either
  malted or unmalted oatmeal (surprised?), which
  also accentuates the caramel and coffee flavors
• Hop aroma low to none - may have a slight
  nuttiness
• Black in color with thick creamy head
• Full bodied, smooth, silky, with an oily or even
  mealy texture from the oatmeal
• Between sweet and dry stouts in sweetness
• Commercial examples Samuel Smith,Young's, and
  Anderson Valley

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Dry Stout

• Unmalted roasted barley gives Irish or dry stout
  both it's distinctive color, body and bitterness
• Medium to full body, medium to high hops, but hop
  flavor is masked by the roasted grain
• Guinness is the defining style
• A thick, creamy, long-lasting head is
  characteristic
• Commercial examples Guinness Draught Stout,
  Murphy's Stout, Beamish Stout (all 3 are canned)

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Imperial Stout

• Stout carried to the maximum
• Sometimes called Russian Imperial Stout
• Two stories. One, it was a favorite of Catherine
  the Great. Another, that either Catherine or a
  Russian Czar desired an all black meal.
• Imperial Stout is dark, rich, malty, full-bodied,
  and they can seem slightly sweet or rather hoppy
• Usually higher in alcohol than the other stouts -
  some are as high as 12 ABV

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Chocolate Stout

• While the nose has strong fruit and blackstrap
  overtones, the taste is usually dark semi-sweet
  chocolate, cocoa, and/or coffee-like
• Only lightly hopped, the balancing bitterness is
  from the roasted barley that also colors the head
• Some use rolled oats, chocolate malt (the roasted
  grain, and/or actual chocolate
• A natural dessert beer on it's own and a
  wonderful accompaniment to rich, chocolaty
  desserts
• Young's Double Chocolate and Rogue Chocolate
  stout use the word chocolate, but each is unique.
  Other commercial examples are available.