Better Know a Beer Style: Oktoberfest

Style 3B: Oktoberfest

Overall: Rich German Vienna/Munich malt aroma, toasty, clean lager aroma. No diacetyl, esters or caramel. The flavor is initially sweet and finished dry, with toasty, complex German malts, moderate bitterness and low hop flavor. Medium body. Drinks smooth, never cloying.

Style comparisons:
-Vienna Lager: Lighter in flavor than a fest beer, more subtle.
-Munich Dunkel Lager: Includes caramel flavor, more bready

Recipe:
5# Vienna Malt
4# Munich
.5# CaraMunich
1 ox. Hallertau (4.5%AA) @ 60 min
Mash @ 151F
Ferment at 52F
German Oktoberfest Lager Yeast

OG: 1.056
FG: 1.012
SRM: 10
IBU: 22
ABV: 5.7%

Case Study: Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Marzen

This is one heck of a session beer. The abv is a bit high for that title, but damn this beer is easy to drink and tasty. It's a nice amber-red with a bit of head and lacing. The aroma and taste are a simple, but delicious mix of mellow roasted malt and caramel with a touch of hops. The carbonation is a bit light, but that doesn't take away from anything and allows for great drinkability. Yummy.

Better Know a Beer Style: Belgian Tripel

Beer Style 18C: Belgian Tripel

Overall: Complex earthy spice and hops aroma with light pils malt. Moderate fruity esters. A rounded malt flavor, but not sweet. Light to deep gold color with dense white head. Phenol clove and pepper character. Substantial carbonation and bitterness lead to a dry finish.

Similar Styles:
-Belgian Blond Ale: Sweeter than a tripel, similar strength but a little weaker on average.
-Belgian Golden Strong Ale: A Tripel is slightly darker and more full bodied.
-Belgian Dark Strong Ale: BDSA is darker and maltier, stronger esters with dark fruit.

Recipe:

10# Belgian Pilsner Malt
1# Caravienne
1# Belgian Candi Sugar

1.5 oz. EKG (5%AA) @ 60 minutes
Belgian Trappist Yeast

OG: 1.075
FG: 1.012
SRM: 6
IBU: 37.5
ABV: 8%

Case Study: Victory Golden Monkey

Its nice and fairly smooth, but tastes like its missing the candi sugar. There;s a sweet complexity missing here, the flavor is all on the golden grains. Still, this beer really hides the alcohol to the point of being a little dangerous. Just remember it's not a session ale. It's tasty and smooth enough to put you on the floor.

Better Know a Beer Style: Robust Porter

Beer Style 12B: Robust Porter

Appearance: Medium to very dark brown with ruby highlights. Full, tan head with retention.

Aroma: Roasty, grainy, bready, toffee, caramel, coffee, chocolate. Low to high hops aroma. Fruity esters are moderate to absent.

Flavor: Lightly burnt black malt, coffee, chocolate. Roasty, dry finish, and dry to medium-sweet overall. May have sharp roasted malts, medium to high bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full. Low to high carbonation, no extremes though. Strong versions may have alcohol warmth. Slight astringency from roasted grains.

Overall: A big, complex dark ale. Lacks strong roasted malt of a stout. Stronger, dryer, and more bitter than a brown porter. Weaker than a Baltic porter, but still dryer and more bitter.

OG: 1.048-1.065
FG: 1.012-1.016
IBU: 25-50
SRM: 22-35
ABV: 4.8-6.5%

Recipe:
8# American 2-Row
12 oz. Crystal 60L
8 oz. Chocolate Malt
4 oz. Black Malt

1.5 oz. Cascade @ 60 min (6%AA)
American Ale Yeast

OG: 1.055
FG: 1.012
IBU: 45
SRM: 31
ABV: 5.6%

Case Study: Dead Reckoning Porter

This beer is like the Shakespeare Stout of porters with a big juicy citrus punch to go along with the chocolate grains and cocoa. The appearance gets marked down as this beer is noticeably murky, but at the same time there's also decent lacing to help make up for it. The smell is hops-dominated with a pine a grapefruit, and like I said the flavor is big on hops (especially as it warms), almost to the point of being a black IPA. Maybe it is. Either way, this is a tasty porter. I only wish it was prettier to look at and that there was a little more malt character.

Better Know a Beer Style: English Pale Ale

Beer Style 8C: English Pale Ale

Appearance: Gold to deep copper with good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate off-white head.

Aroma: Hops range from moderately low to high, no extremes, with varieties of UK hops. Medium to big malts with caramel and fruity esters.

Flavor: Medium-medium high bitterness and hops flavor with balancing caramel malt. Secondary malt flavors are nutty and biscuity. Fruity esters, slight alcohol taste, low levels of diacetyl are acceptable.

Overall: Stronger flavors than a bitter, and may overlap with lighter old ales.

Recipe:
For 5 Gals
8.5# British Pale Ale malt
1# Crystal 60L
2 oz. EKG 5%AA at 60 min

Mash @ 154 F
English Ale yeast

OG: 1.048-1.060
FG: 1.010-1.016
IBU: 30-50
SRM: 6-18
ABV: 4.6-6.2%

Case Study: Boddington's
Golden color with a nice white head and retention. Almost no smell, and what there was just reminded me of stale bread. Taste was very light with a hint of earthy hops. Couldn't make out any grain, but at least it was inoffensive and washed down my food.

Better Know a Beer Style: Northern English Brown Ale

In an effort to break all this info down more easily, I'm going to drop the whole sentence thing.

Style 11C: Northern English Brown Ale

Appearance: Dark amber to red-brown body with an off-whit to tan head

Aroma: Hops are light and malt dominates with light toffee, nutty, and caramel notes. Fruity esters may also be evident

Taste: Gentle to moderate malt sweetness, nutty, light-caramel character. May have toast, biscuit, and toffee. Bitterness is low-medium to medium, hop-malt balance is even, hop flavor is low to none. Fruit esters and low diacetyl are acceptable.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body

Overall: More hops than a Southern English Brown, along with more nutty character than caramel

Ingredients: English mild or pale ale malt for base with caramel malts, small amount of dark malts for nutty character and color, English hops, moderate carbonate water.

OG: 1.040-1.052
FG: 1.008-1.013
IBU: 20-30
SRM: 12-22
ABV: 4.2-5.4%

Case Study: Bar Harbor Real Ale

This beer seems pretty on the mark for style, and to be specific I'd call this a Northern English brown ale for the toasty character. It's a dark brown body with ruby accent, but little head retention. The aroma is deepy bready, like a dark loaf with crust and toasted elements. The flavor carries those same tastes into the flavor, but adds subtle cocoa, toffee, and caramel notes. The yeast actually seems to be pretty clean in character as there aren't any creamy or fruity flavors. The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium with slightly assertive carbonation. All in all, a complex, tasty and drinkable ale. I'd like to try this on cask.

Better Know a Beer Style: English Barleywine

Style 19B: English Barleywine
This is the biggest, richest, and maltiest of English beers. It can appear anywhere from gold to a dark amber or brown, with a low off-white head with poor retention from the alcohol. The aroma is strongly malty with caramel-like malts that can include bread, toast, toffee, or molassess and strong fruitiness. The hops aroma can vary from mild to strong and the alcohol may be low to moderately evident. If aged, the aroma can take on a sherry character.

The flavor, of course, hits on the same malty notes to make for a complex mixture of nutty, biscuit, bready, or caramel malts, along with toffee or molasses. The fruity esters often have a dried fruit character. Really, this beer can envelope nearly any strong malt flavor. The flavor should be moderately sweet at the least and can be accompanied by complex alcohol flavors. The hops can range from balancing to strongly bitter with similarly strong, typically UK flavors. Low to no diacetyl.

This style should feel chewy and full-bodied, with a velvety smooth texture and alcohol warmth. Carbonation should be low to moderate and body can decline with age. Compared to an American barleywine, there will be less emphasis on hops and darker, maltier, and fruiter.

The ingredients use well-modified pale malts as the backbone with a large component of caramel malts. Dark malts should be used sparingly, as most color comes from the long boil. Examples of appropriate English hops are Northdown, Taret, EKG, and Fuggles. An English yeast with great character is also preferred.

OG: 1.080-1.1020+
FG:1.018-1.030+
IBU: 35-70
SRM: 8-22
ABV: 8-12%+

Case Study: Rock Art Brewery Ridge Runner

Certainly an interesting barleywine. At first it comes off like a really big, or double, ESB, as it has very bready and biscuity malt flavors as opposed to the more traditional big, fruity malt. The balance also clearly tips toward the big, grassy, earthy hops here, making it feel more American in bitterness. My only complaint is that the mouthfeel is a little thin and watery at times. The hops do a good job of keeping the drinkability up, in a nice hoppy way. Worth a try if you like ESB's, big English hops, and something different for a barleywine.

Better Know a Beer Style: Munich Dunkel Lager

Style 4B: Munich Dunkel Lager

This is classic German brown lager was developed around Munich's moderately carbonate water. The aroma should have a rich, bready Munich malt sweetness that comes off like bread crust or toast. This style should be free of fruity esters and diacetyl in aroma and flavor, but a bit of Noble hops is appropriate.

In addition to the bready malt, there can be accents of chocolate, nuts, and caramel. Burnt grains are inappropriate and the malt should be less rich than a bock. The hops should be noticeable, but low and the sweetness should be balanced so it's not cloying. The aftertaste should be a medium-dry, possibly with a slight astringency, and the body should be medium to medium-heavy. Overall, this is about as close as beer gets to liquid bread, especially is unfiltered.

Munich malt can make up to 100% of the grist (grain bill), but pilsner malt can also provide the base and a little crystal malt can add color and dextrins. Roasted malt can also be added for light flavors, but should be in small amounts. Moderately carbonate water is appropriate, along with lager yeast, and a decoction (up to a triple) can add flavor and color.

OG: 1.048-1.056
FG: 1.010-1.016
ABV: 4.5-5.6%
IBU: 18-28
SRM: 14-28

Case Study: Sly Fox Dunkel Lager

Good for the style but a little lacking in complexity. There's distinct (and tasty) Munich malts with dark licorice flavors. The body is light-medium and incredibly smooth and drinkable. A great German session beer. I appreciate that I can get this fresh from a local brewer instead of having to try a green bottle that's been shipped thousands of miles.

Better Know a Beer Style: Irish Red Ale

Style 9D: Irish Red Ale

This Irish session beer is known for its dark amber and red color and easy drinkability. Aside from the color, the appearance should be clear with an off-white to tan head. The aroma will mild and dominated by the malt character, which typically resembles caramel. Toasty and toffee aromas are also appropriate along with a touch of butter and low levels of hops.

Smooth caramel malts are the signature taste and can, again, be backed up with toasted grains and caramel. A light English hop flavor is acceptable along with a touch of roasted grains-which will increase bitterness. The flavor will finish dry to medium-dry and will basically be free of esters and clean, especially if a lager yeast is used.

The body will feel on the light side of medium, or just medium. Low levels of diacetyl might add a slick feel. Carbonation will be moderate and the beer will feel smooth overall and stronger versions may have an alcohol warmth.

The ingredients can include adjuncts, but this beer is molts made of pale European malts with a touch of roasted specialty malts and UK hops and yeast.

When it comes down to it, this beer is a malt-focused, easy-drinking pint.

OG: 1.044-1.060
FG: 1.010-1.014
IBU: 17-28
SRM: 9-18
ABV: 4-6%

Case Study: O'Hara's Irish Red Ale

Looks normal enough with a red body and white head has hangs around for a few minutes. The aroma is distinctly import in that it smells like its been abused and there might be adjunct used or simply DMS floating around. The beer is properly malt centric with a smooth caramel flavor that feels creamy going down. What can I say, I'd be better fresh and it wasn't bad for washing down some dinner. I'd take a fresh Killian's over this any day.

Better Know a Beer Style: German Maibock

Style 5A: Maibock/Helles bock

The maibock is the newest member of the bock style, being developed after the advent of light beer in the 19th century. The name simply means "May bock" or "light-colored bock" and it's a spring beer.

The color is generally a clear, golden amber with a white, creamy head. The aroma will be rich with malt and possibly include a slight toasted note and light melanoidins. There may also be a low, spicy and grassy hops aroma and/or fruit esters. Alcohol is appropriate in small amounts given the strength of this beer and DMS may be present from the use of pils malt.

A strong pale European malts flavor will dominate the taste, with, like in the aroma, light toast, esters, DMS, melanoidins (a licorice-like bock flavor), and noble (grassy) hops. Overall, it should be a smooth and clean flavor, on the sweetside, but not cloying. The carbonation and body should both be medium, or on the strong side. And hops will be more evident than in other bocks.

Pilsner malt should make up the base for this beer and have additions of Vienna and Munich malt for character. Noble hops are a must, along with soft water to avoid astringency. And decoction may be used to a small degree (so as to keep the color in check) like with other bocks.

OG: 1.064-1.072
FG: !.011-1.018
IBU: 23-35+
SRM: 6-11
ABV: 6.3-7.4%

Case Study: Pennsylvania Brewing Co. - Penndemonium

I'm struck by two things with this beer: First, the flavor is too subtle for an 8% beer. Second, this beer is incredibly drinkable. I feel more like I'm drinking some weird German bock hybrid of the English bitter. All the flavors, the grassy hops, bready malt, and sharp bock fruit ester are all a touch muted. At the same time, this beer feels exceedingly creamy in a great way and my bottle is empty in no time. While it's a shame this beer isn't richer, it will also sneak up on you.

Better Know a Beer Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Style 13F: Russian Imperial Stout

English in origin, this high-gravity, heavily-hopped stout was brewed for export to Russia and the Baltic states. Now it's popular with American craft brewers for its complex aroma and flavor.

The appearance is always a pitch black body with a tan head. The aroma is a mixed pot of roasted grains, fruity esters, hops, and alcohol. The malt usually takes on coffee and chocolate flavors along with burnt grains. Dark fruit and specialty malt aromas like caramel may add complexity, but the dark grains take center stage.

Those complex elements should carry right over into the flavor for an intense mixture of grains, hop, and esters. The hops can get aggressive and the chocolate expands to unsweetened bakers cocoa, mocha coffee, and milk chocolate. With age it can take on sherry or port character. The alcohol may be evident, but shouldn't be sharp.

Well-modified pale malts make up most of the grain bill, along with generous portions of roasted malts. Any malt or hops can make up a part of these complex recipes. American of English yeast strains can also be used and alkaline water helps to balance the acidic roasted malts.

OG: 1.075-1.095+
FG: 1.018-1.030
IBU: 50-90+
SRM: 30-40
ABV: 8-12%+

Case Study: Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout

Yeah it's big and it's big and chocolaty, but I didn't find this to be a particularly outstanding. It appeared pitch black with a tan head in my pint glass. The aroma is a mix of cocoa and burnt grains. The oats contribute to a very smooth flavor, but I'm thrown off by the feel and balance between what seems to be citrus hops and chocolate malts. They just aren't working. It makes for a less than ideal feel, but this beer is still very drinkable for it's size and weight.

Better Know a Beer Style: Imperial IPA

Style 14C: Imperial IPA
The imperial, or double, IPA is a recent style to come forward as a reflection of American craft brewers pushing the limits of brewing for hops lovers. This category, however, can stretch and cover historical stock ales that a strong heavily-hopped beers without the malt character of a barleywine.

These beer should appear with a persistent white and be in color a golden amber to a reddish copper, possibly with an orange tint. Ideally the beer is clear, but unfiltered dry-hopped versions can bring haze.

A prominent to intense hop aroma from English and American hops is the standard. Additional dry-hopping will also add resinous and grassy aromas. Some malt sweetness is allowable in the background, along with alcohol, and fruitiness from esters or hops.

The flavor should be strong and complex, focusing on the hops. Ac lean and sweet malt background can provide balance, but these beers can be absurdly bitter with a long, lingering aftertaste. The finish should be on the dry side and sulfur may be present depending on the brewing water. Oak character is inappropriate.

Pale ale malt makes up the bulk of the malt bill, while a variety of English and/or American hop make for the complex hop aroma and flavor. A clean, American yeast is ideal and the water character can vary from soft to moderately sulfate.

OG: 1.075-1.090+
FG: 1.012-1.020
IBU: 60-100+
SRM: 8-15
ABV: 7.5-10%+

Case Study: Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA

I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed. This beer was just too balanced, it reminded me more of an imperial red like Southern Tier's Big Red. There's a good citrus and spicy hop element that lasts into the aftertaste, but the malt is too big in both the aroma and taste. There's also the distinct, almost toasty Three Floyds house character that's especially big in the aroma, which is nice, but is another element that is bigger than it should be in comparison to the hops. I'm not sure if I should commend this beer for its drinkability, but it went down fairly easily. I guess I was expecting more hop bite. Alas.

Better Know a Beer Style: German Weizenbock

Style: 15C German Weizenbock
This style is based off the concept of a dark wheat beer brewed to a bock or doppelbock strength (6.5%+). Aventinus was the first boppelbock wheat beer, brewed in 1907 by Schneider.

It has a rich, malt-centered aroma of bock-like melanoidins (tastes like licorice I think) and bready malts combined with powerful dark fruit like raisins, plums, or grapes. Hops aroma and flavor should be absent.

The proper appearance is dark amber to a ruby-brown with a thick, mousse-like head of tan bubbles. It will also be cloudy do in part to the high-protein nature of wheat beers and the rousing of the bottle's yeast when serving.

Naturally, the flavor follows the aroma with dark fruit and bock-like malts and wheat. The yeast might also produce other German wheat beer flavors such vanilla, banana, and clove. The bready wheat flavor should be enhanced by large quantities of Vienna and/or Munich malts and be sweet on the palate, sometimes with hints of cocoa. Overall, yeast, malt, and wheat should dominate the flavor with no hops, DMS (vegetable aroma), or buttery diacetyl.

The body will be medium to thick, with moderate to high carbonation. There should also be a creamy feel and warming sensation from the alcohol while drinking.

At least half of the malt bill should be wheat, and it can go up to 70% wheat, with the remainder being Munich/Vienna type malts. A decoction mash (boiling the grains) adds appropriate body and flavor without cloying sweetness. Only a small amount of noble hops are to be used for a balancing bitterness.

OG: 1.064-1.080+
FG: 1.015-1.022
IBU: 15-30
SRM: 12-25
ABV: 6.5-8%+

Case Study: Ramstein Winter Wheat
I don't know, this seems a lot of their classic wheat beer to me without much difference. It looks a nice dark brown with tan head and lacing in my pint glass. The aroma and flavor have a strong, earthy character, which is cool, but not normal for the style. Beyond that I found undertones of orange and banana with bigger cocoa and roasted/toasted wheat and malt. This seems more like some hybrid of the weizenbock and an imperial porter. The dark fruit flavors are missing. Unusual flavor aside, the element of this beer that really struck me was the sheer drinkability. It hid the alcohol perfectly and offered a medium body that could easily be mistaken for a much weaker beer.

Overall, not my favorite in terms of flavor for the style, but it's something different and very easy to drink.

Better Know a Beer Style: Belgian Wit

About a month from now, I'll be taking the SAT's of beer, the Beer Judge Certification Program exam. This involves learning maybe 70 styles of beer, along with a good share of brewing science. So in preparation for this test of beer geekery, I'm going to be focusing on a few styles and explaining the ideal and origins.

Belgian Wit
This 400 year old style had practically died out until it was revived in the 1950's by Pierre Celis (Celis White is quite tasty btw). This beer should smell somewhat sweet with light grains, spicy wheat, herbal hops, and be accompanied by spices like coriander, vanilla, or vanilla.

The appearance will be pale straw yellow, made hazy by the addition of the bottling yeast (intentionally not decanted). And the flavor will mirror the aroma with more spice and herbal flavors like orange zest and a low hop bitterness. There might also be a slightly tart and sour feel. But overall, this will be a light, crisp, and refreshing ale.

Wits are typically brewed with a 50/50 mix of unmalted wheat and a base malt like pilsner, but a 5-10% addition of oats isn't unheard of. Ground coriander and sweet orange peel are the most common spice additions, but chamomile, cumin, cinnamon, Grains of Paradise are also appropriate.

OG: 1.044 - 1.052
FG: 1.008 - 1.012
IBUs: 10 - 20
SRM: 2-4
ABV: 4.5-5.5%

Case Study: Blanche de Bruxelles

Best before date of "20081213" appear to indicate this has a 12 month shelf life. That's a little odd.

It starts out looking good with a cloudy, pale yellow body. The aroma, however, indicates this beer might have had some rough shipment with immediate skunk. That dissipated after 10 minutes to leave a sweet, bready aroma that carried over to the flavor. I'm surprised by this bready malt, because while it is Belgian by nature, it's not the normal light and crisp malt I'd expect from a wit. This beer comes off more like a light Belgian pale ale, and an unremarkable one at that.

Per style guidelines, we see this beer is really missing an obvious spice component. There was a fruity sweetness similar to orange peel, but nothing more. It also wasn't crisp or very refreshing.