* Indicates Brewers Notes required with entry.

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2 2017 ENTRY AND STYLE GUIDE Ctrl + Click on an item in the Table of Contents to go directly to the page * Indicates Brewers Notes required with entry. ABOUT THE GUILD... 8 BREWERS GUILD NEW ZEALAND BEER AWARDS... 8 THE EVENT... 8 THE JUDGING PROCESS... 8 ABOUT THE CLASSES COMPETITION RULES KEY DATES and ONLINE ENTRY LINK ENTRY FEES DELIVERY INFORMATION USE OF AWARDS MATERIAL IN PROMOTIONS & MARKETING TROPHY CLASSES AND SPONSORS ALE STYLES British Origin Ale Styles Ordinary Bitter Special Bitter or Best Bitter Extra Special Bitter Scottish-Style Light Ale * Scottish-Style Heavy Ale * Scottish-Style Export Ale * English-Style Summer Ale Classic English-Style Pale Ale English-Style India Pale Ale Strong Ale Old Ale English-Style Pale Mild Ale English-Style Dark Mild Ale English-Style Brown Ale Brown Porter Version Page 2 of 99

3 16. Robust Porter Sweet Stout or Cream Stout Oatmeal Stout Scotch Ale * British-Style Imperial Stout British-Style Barley Wine Ale Irish-Style Red Ale Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout Export-Style Stout North American Origin Ale Styles Golden or Blonde Ale American-Style Amber/Red Ale American-Style Pale Ale American-Style Strong Pale Ale American-Style India Pale Ale Session India Pale Ale Pale American-Belgo-Style Ale * Dark American-Belgo-Style Ale * American-Style Brown Ale American-Style Black Ale American-Style Stout American-Style Imperial Stout American-Style Imperial Porter Imperial or Double India Pale Ale Double Red Ale Imperial Red Ale American-Style Barley Wine Ale American-Style Wheat Wine Ale Smoke Porter * American-Style Sour Ale * German Origin Ale Styles German-Style Kölsch German-Style Altbier Kellerbier or Zwickelbier Ale * Berliner-Style Weisse * Leipzig-Style Gose * South German-Style Hefeweizen Version Page 3 of 99

4 51. South German-Style Kristal Weizen German-Style Leichtes Weizen South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen South German-Style Dunkel Weizen South German-Style Weizenbock German-Style Rye Ale Bamberg-Style Weiss Rauchbier Belgian And French Origin Ale Styles Belgian-Style Blonde Ale Belgian-Style Pale Ale Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale Belgian-Style Dubbel Belgian-Style Tripel Belgian-Style Quadrupel Belgian-Style Witbier Classic French & BelgianStyle Saison French-Style Bière de Garde Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale Belgian-Style Lambic Belgian-Style Gueuze Lambic Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic * Other Belgian-Style Ale * Belgian-Style Table Beer Other Origin Ale Styles Grodziskie Adambier Dutch-Style Kuit, Kuyt or Koyt Australian-Style Pale Ale International-Style Pale Ale International-Style India Pale Ale Contemporary Gose * Specialty Saison * Finnish-Style Sahti Swedish-Style Gotlandsdricke Breslau-Style Pale Schöps Breslau-Style Dark Schöps Version Page 4 of 99

5 LAGER STYLES European-Germanic Origin Lager Styles German-Style Pilsener Bohemian-Style Pilsener Münchner-Style Helles Dortmunder/European-Style Export Vienna-Style Lager German-Style Märzen German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn Münchner-Style Dunkel European-Style Dark Lager German-Style Schwarzbier German-Style Leichtbier Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier Bamberg-Style Märzen Rauchbier Bamberg-Style Bock Rauchbier German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock Traditional German-Style Bock German-Style Doppelbock German-Style Eisbock Kellerbier or Zwickelbier Lager * North American Origin Lager Styles American-Style Lager American-Style Light Lager American-Style Amber Light Lager American-Style Pilsener American-Style Ice Lager American-Style Malt Liquor American-Style Amber Lager American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest American-Style Dark Lager Other Origin Lager Styles Baltic-Style Porter Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager NZ Draught NZ Lager Version Page 5 of 99

6 118. NZ Premium Lager NZ Pilsener International-Style Pilsener HYBRID/MIXED LAGERS OR ALES All Origin Hybrid/Mixed Lagers Or Ales Session Beer * American-Style Cream Ale California Common Beer Light American Wheat Beer with Yeast Light American Wheat Beer without Yeast Dark American Wheat Beer with Yeast Dark American Wheat Beer without Yeast American-Style Fruit Beer * Fruit Wheat Beer * Belgian-Style Fruit Beer * Field Beer * Chili Pepper Beer * Pumpkin Spice Beer * Pumpkin/Squash Beer * Chocolate or Cocoa Beer * Coffee Beer * Herb and Spice Beer * Specialty Beer * Specialty Honey Beer * Rye Beer * Brett Beer * Mixed-Culture Brett Beer * Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast Beer Fresh or Wet Hop Beer * Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer * Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer * Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer * Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer * Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer * Aged Beer * Experimental Beer * Historical Beer * Version Page 6 of 99

7 153. Wild Beer * Smoke Beer * Other Strong Ale or Lager * Other Low Alcohol Ale or Lager * Gluten-Free Beer * Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage * CIDER AND PERRY STYLES INTRODUCTION TO CIDER GUIDELINES STANDARD CIDER AND PERRY INTRODUCTION Common Cider Traditional Cider Common Perry Traditional Perry Fruit Cider Other Speciality Cider/Perry PACKAGING Packaging Class Version Page 7 of 99

8 ABOUT THE GUILD The Brewers Guild of New Zealand was formed to provide a collective voice to the burgeoning number of local breweries in New Zealand. As the champion of New Zealand s proud and innovative beer industry, the Guild now has more than 120 brewery members of all shapes and sizes, and a growing number of corporate, hospitality and retail members across the entire beer industry value chain. The Guild is focused on growing the beer sector through education, communication and celebration. BREWERS GUILD NEW ZEALAND BEER AWARDS The Brewer s Guild New Zealand Beer Awards is organised annually by the Brewers Guild to celebrate excellence in brewing. Now in its 11th year of operation, this globally recognised, world-class beer competition is open brewers of all production sizes in NZ and from overseas for packaged and draught beer. Local and international beers will be judged over a three day period by a panel of selected experts from New Zealand and globally. THE EVENT The winners for the 2017 Brewers Guild New Zealand Beer Awards winners will be announced at a formal gala dinner at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch on Saturday 7 October The event will be live streamed, with the link available on the Brewers Guild website. Media exposure and press coverage was excellent in 2016 and this is set to continue and expand in Open to both public and industry, the 2017 Awards Dinner will be hosted by Christchurch based comedian, film and, television star Shay Horay. The Guild would like to thank the generosity of all of our sponsors, who span the affiliated industries of agriculture, manufacturing, media and packaging. We are also delighted to welcome Dish as our 2017 Official Media Partner, continuing our long and valued association with the magazine backing NZ s craft beer industry. THE JUDGING PROCESS The Awards are held in esteem worldwide due to the reputations of all involved in organising, staging and judging the event, with a world class selection of judges from New Zealand and beyond. This diversity of background and quality of judge ensures that the Awards have a huge reputation across the globe as one of the most prestigious accolades a brewer can win. Version Page 8 of 99

9 Judges will be led by competition organiser and Awards Chair, Craig Bowen, who has organised the Awards for the last seven years and was again the Chief Steward at the recent Australian International Beer Awards the world s second largest annual beer competition. The judging process is blind and sees a panel of judges assess each beer individually against the style guide criteria. This process results in suitably worthy entries receiving Gold, Silver or Bronze medals. A number of like styles are rolled together to form Trophy Classes. For those beers commercially available (ie that any member of the public has reasonable/fair access to purchase the beer) in New Zealand, each class has a Trophy awarded to a single entry, crowning this entry as the absolute best example of brewing to the grouped category style. Copies of the Judges Tasting Notes are returned to brewers / entrants at the completion of the event. CHAMPION BREWERY Points are awarded per medal to determine the Champion Brewery and the Champion International Brewery trophies, with scoring as follows: Gold medal: Silver medal: Bronze medal: No medal: 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points In the event of a tie for the Champion Brewery Trophy, a countback to each brewery s fourth-ranked (and subsequent) beers is then taken into consideration. Should one of the tied breweries have less overall entries than the other preventing the countback from occurring, the total number of points scored by each brewery shall be divided by that brewery s total number of entries to give an average score per beer. The brewery with the highest average score shall be deemed the winner. Please note: Packaging medals do not count towards the Champion Brewery award. Medals must be awarded in at least two different Trophy classes to be eligible for the Champion Brewery award. A beer will not be eligible to win a trophy if the commercial name of the entry stylistically differs from the class it was entered in. ie Bob s Ale entered as a Bohemian Pilsner. Version Page 9 of 99

10 CHAMPION MANUFACTURER Points are also awarded per medal to find the Champion Manufacturer. These points are awarded to any beer entered, based on the physical location (brewery) that produced the beer on behalf of another brewing company or entity. Beers entered which are brewed under contract will need to specify the location where the beer is produced, likewise if the brewery has multiple brewing locations you will need to specify which location produced each entry. Scoring for the Champion Manufacturer Trophy is as follows: Gold medal: Silver medal: Bronze medal: No medal: 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points The three highest scoring entries from each manufacturer will be included in the calculation. Beers entered under the manufacturer s own (single) brand are not eligible for consideration. In the event of a tie, a countback to each manufacturer s fourth-ranked (and subsequent) beers is then taken into consideration. Should one of the tied manufacturers have less overall entries than the other, preventing a countback from occurring, the total number of points scored by each brewery shall be divided by that brewery s total number of entries to give an average score per beer. The manufacturer with the highest average score shall be deemed the winner. In the event of a tie the same countback process as for Champion Brewery will be used to determine the winner. Please note: Packaging medals do not count towards the Champion Manufacturer award. Medals must be awarded in at least two different Trophy classes to be eligible for the Champion Manufacturer award. The entries produced by the winning manufacturer will not be promoted by the New Zealand Brewers Guild in marketing this award. ABOUT THE CLASSES The Class, Style and Subcategory is to be chosen from the 2017 Brewers Guild Beer Style Guide, which has been adopted from the 2017 Brewers Association Style Guidelines, with the addition of some New Zealand specific and cider/perry styles. This document contains the NZ Specific style guides, the revised Cider/ Perry style guides, and the incorporated 2017 Brewers Association Style Guidelines. We thank the Brewers Association for allowing us to use their Style Guidelines, which can be downloaded from: Version Page 10 of 99

11 Brewers must ensure they enter beers in the correct class. The competition organiser will not shift any beers entered into an incorrect class. Where requested in the Style Guide, brewers must include appropriate notes with their entry, stating only the specific information required. Other non-relevant information, brand names, marketing blurb or geographic references will be edited / removed. If you have any queries, please steward@brewersguild.org.nz Bulk Entry Discount A Brewers Dozen incentive is offered to all entrants. Any entrant entering 12 beers will receive their 13 th entry free. This discount is not calculated in the online ordering system but will be refunded to the entrant at the conclusion of the competition. Distributor / Agent Entries Distributors or Agents are welcome to enter on behalf of Breweries they represent outside of New Zealand. The Distributor or Agent must obtain permission from the overseas brewery prior to entering. COMPETITION RULES By entering the competition, you agree to abide by the competition rules as set out below: Entries must be in bottle, can, PET bottle or keg. Entries submitted in packaged form must be from a commercial bottling run (or canning line) and must be commercially available. Beers packaged especially for the competition that are not ordinarily available in packaged form will not be accepted. Any beer submitted for judging in bottle, can or PET must have a commercial label affixed which matches the beer name entered. Cork & cage or crown-sealed bottles are acceptable. Flip-top (or swing-top) bottles will not be accepted unless sealed with a tamper evident label. No other labelling is required to be attached to entries. Kegs should be clearly labelled with the brewery, class and entry name. A minimum of 4 litres per entry must be received. To allow for possible repours, medal and trophy round judging a minimum of 4 containers (ie if in PET/Rigger/Growler) must be received. Ie 12x330ml, 5x 888ml/946ml, 4x 1500ml (or greater) Each entry must be packaged in its own carton. Do not pack more than one entry in the same carton. A beer may be only entered once in any form (i.e. only keg or bottle, not both), once in name only (i.e. not the same beer brewed at different brewery / locations) and only entered in one class (except Class 150 Aged Beers). Version Page 11 of 99

12 Entries will only be accepted from suitably registered breweries or distributors / agents. Home brewers or non-excise paying commercial entities are not eligible to enter. To allow for possible repours, medal and trophy round judging, the minimum size for keg entries is 10 litres. Due to health, safety and logistical issues at the judging venue, the maximum size for keg entries is 30 litres (unless by prior agreement). Corny kegs are not accepted. The competition organiser has access to D type couplers only. Kegs/casks sent in any other format must have an accompanying coupler to enable the entry to be poured. Cask entries must include taps, spiles etc and appropriate instructions. Entrants will be responsible for any costs associated with return of kegs and the Competition Organiser will advise Brewers when kegs are available for collection. Kegs used must be the property of the entrant or the property of a keg rental provider and used with their permission and should be brewery branded or clearly identifiable. Entrants are responsible for ensuring the prompt and safe delivery of their entries. Entries sent by post will not be accepted. It is recommended that breweries use a track and trace or signature required method of delivery. Saturday/weekend deliveries are not accepted. The competition organiser will advise entrants of damage to any entries that are received. No automated acknowledgement of receipt of entries will be sent. Collaboration (or similar) beers may only be entered by one party, which must be the party that has the greatest ownership (financial interest) of the beer. If financial interest is equally shared, the beer must be entered by the brewery where the beer was produced as long as they have equal ownership. The Competition Organiser will not be responsible for the late, missed or non-delivery of any entries. Under extenuating circumstances if delivery delays do occur beyond the entrant s control, every consideration will be given to judging entries where possible. Any other late entries received will, where possible, be judged but will be ineligible for Trophy or Champion Brewery / Manufacturer consideration. In addition to samples being used for judging, remaining samples are also used for promotional purposes including at VIP and media tastings, at the Awards Presentation Dinner, Trade Show/AGM. All entries become the property of the Brewers Guild and may be used at the Competition Organiser / Guild Executives discretion. Failure to comply will result in disqualification. Version Page 12 of 99

13 KEY DATES and ONLINE ENTRY LINK Entries Open: Monday 21 August The OnLine Link will be available on Entries Close: Friday 8 September 2017 Physical entries MUST be received by: Wednesday 13 September 2017, Christchurch, New Zealand Judging: 29 September to 1 October 2017 Awards Dinner: Saturday 7 October 2017, Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch. Book before 7 September 2017 for Early Bird Rate of $175pp (includes GST) click here to book ENTRY FEES Entry will be available online with credit card payment or by with direct credit. Brewers Guild Member rate*: NZ$135 per entry (paid-up Brewery members) Includes GST Non-member rate**: NZ$185 per entry* Includes GST * Only NZ breweries are eligible for Brewery Membership of the Brewers Guild ** Eligible non-members who join the Guild prior to the entry closing date will receive a refund of $50 per entry. An invoice will be generated upon payment and ed to you for your records. To expedite the Member s discount, the Guild will direct credit members the difference on their entries once reviewing Membership as current and processing payment. DELIVERY INFORMATION PACKAGING Please ensure outer cartons are clearly labelled including Brewery and Class for Entry and safely packaged accordingly. For ease of identification and classification only one entry should be included in each carton. Polystyrene chips should not be used in packaging. DELIVERY ADDRESS Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards C/O BEERNZ Ltd 29 Anchorage Road Hornby Christchurch 8042 New Zealand Physical entries MUST be received by Wednesday 13 September steward@brewersguild.org.nz Version Page 13 of 99

14 USE OF AWARDS MATERIAL IN PROMOTIONS & MARKETING Breweries who win an Award or Medal in the 2017 Brewers Guild New Zealand Beer Awards are welcome to promote this fact on marketing materials, websites and packaging. However, only official Award logos and graphics are permitted, and these will be provided to all winners postevent. Any usage of these logos must be submitted for approval to Any deviation from these logos must be requested and the Brewers Guild of New Zealand reserve the right to deny any usage for any reason. We would encourage all members to review their existing usage of Awards material to ensure it is in line with our expectations as we endeavour to build an esteemed profile for our industry awards. In particular: Medal graphics are the official graphics produced by the Brewers Guild. All mentions of awards MUST reference the Brewers Guild New Zealand Beer Awards. All mentions of awards MUST be year specific to avoid confusion. All use of supplied photography must use a photo credit as supplied. NB By entering the Brewers Guild New Zealand Beer Awards, you agree to be bound by these terms of use. Version Page 14 of 99

15 2017 TROPHY CLASSES AND SPONSORS Champion New Zealand Brewery Champion New Zealand Manufacturer Champion International Brewery Class A: Class B: International Lager New Zealand Lager Class C: Class D: Class E: Class F: Class G: Class H: Class I: Class J: British Ale European Ale US Ale Pale Ale Strong Pale Ale Stout & Porter Wheat & Other Grain Styles Flavoured & Aged Styles Version Page 15 of 99

16 Class K: Class L: Class M: Specialty, Experimental, Aged, Barrel,Wood- Aged Styles Cider or Perry Fruit or Flavoured Cider or Perry Class N: Packaging ALE STYLES British Origin Ale Styles 1. Ordinary Bitter Color: Gold to copper-colored Clarity: Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium residual malt sweetness should be present Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: May be evident at the brewer s discretion Perceived Bitterness: Medium Fermentation Characteristics: Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity-estery and very low diacetyl flavors are acceptable, but should be minimized in this form of Bitter. Body: Low to medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.4%-3.3% (3.0%-4.2%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 5-12 (10-24 EBC) 2. Special Bitter or Best Bitter Color: Deep gold to deep copper Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium residual malt sweetness should be present Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium at the brewer's discretion Perceived Bitterness: Medium and not harsh ** Version Page 16 of 99

17 Fermentation Characteristics: Low carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Fruity-estery aromas and flavors and very low levels of diacetyl are acceptable, but should be minimized in this form of Bitter. The absence of diacetyl is also acceptable. Body: Medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.3%-3.8% (4.2%-4.8%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 6-14 (12-28 EBC) 3. Extra Special Bitter Color: Amber to deep copper Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high Fermentation Characteristics: Low carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. The overall impression is refreshing and thirst quenching. Fruity-estery and very low diacetyl characters are acceptable, but should be minimized in this form of Bitter. The absence of diacetyl is also acceptable. Body: Medium to full Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.8%-4.6% (4.8%-5.8%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 8-14 (16-28 EBC) 4. Scottish-Style Light Ale * Color: Golden to light brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malty, caramel aroma may be present. A low to medium-low, soft and chewy caramel malt flavor should be present. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be perceived Perceived Bitterness: Low Fermentation Characteristics: Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for mildly carbonated draft versions. Fruityestery aromas, if evident, are low. Body: Low Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.2%-2.8% (2.8%-3.5%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) 9-20 Color SRM (EBC) 6-15 (12-30 EBC) When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, Scottish Light Ale may be split into two subcategories: traditional (no smoke character) and peated (low level of peat smoke character). Though there is Version Page 17 of 99

18 little evidence suggesting that traditional Scottish Light Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat or smoke character present at low to medium levels. A peaty or smoky character may be evident at low levels. Scottish Light Ales with medium or higher smoke character are considered smoke flavored beers and should be categorized elsewhere. 5. Scottish-Style Heavy Ale * Color: Amber to dark brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malty, caramel aroma is present. The style exhibits a medium degree of sweet malt and caramel. The overall impression is smooth and balanced. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be perceived Perceived Bitterness: Perceptible but low Fermentation Characteristics: Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for mildly carbonated draft versions. Fruityestery aromas, if evident, are low. Body: Medium with a soft chewy character Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.8%-3.2% (3.5%-4.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) 1220 Color SRM (EBC) 8-30 (16-60 EBC) When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, Scottish Heavy Ale may be split into two subcategories: traditional (no smoke character) and peated (low level of peat smoke character). Though there is little evidence suggesting that traditionally made Scottish Heavy Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat or smoke character present at low to medium levels. A peaty or smoky character may be evident at low levels. Scottish Heavy Ales with medium or higher smoke character are considered smoke flavored beers and should be categorized elsewhere. 6. Scottish-Style Export Ale * Color: Medium amber to dark chestnut brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Sweet malt and caramel aromas and flavors define the character of a Scottish Export Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be perceived Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery character may be apparent. Yeast attributes such as diacetyl and sulfur are acceptable at very low levels. Bottled versions may contain higher amounts of carbon dioxide than is typical for mildly carbonated draft versions. Body: Medium Version Page 18 of 99

19 Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.2%-4.2% (4.1%-5.3%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 9-19 (18-38 EBC) When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, Scottish Export Ale may be split into two subcategories: traditional (no smoke character) and peated (low level of peat smoke character). Though there is little evidence suggesting that traditionally made Scottish Export Ale exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat or smoke character present at low to medium levels. A peaty or smoky character may be evident at low levels. Scottish Export Ales with medium or higher smoke character are considered smoke flavored beers and should be categorized elsewhere. 7. English-Style Summer Ale Color: Pale to light amber Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Residual malt sweetness is low to medium. Torrified or malted wheat is often used in quantities of 25 percent or less. Malt flavor may be biscuity. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: English, American or noble-type hop aroma should be low to medium. English, American or noble-type hop flavor should not be assertive and should be well balanced with malt character. Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low to medium Fermentation Characteristics: Mild carbonation traditionally characterizes draft-cask versions, but in bottled versions, a slight increase in carbon dioxide content is acceptable. Low to moderate fruity-estery character is acceptable. No diacetyl or DMS character should be apparent. Body: Low to medium-low Additional notes: The overall impression is refreshing and thirst quenching Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.9%-4.0% (3.7%-5.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) 2030 Color SRM (EBC) 3-7 (6-14 EBC) 8. Classic English-Style Pale Ale Color: Gold to copper Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium malt aroma and flavor is present. Low caramel character is allowable. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Earthy and herbal English-variety hop character should be perceived, but may result from the skillful use of hops of other origin. Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery character is moderate to strong. Diacetyl can be absent or may be perceived at very low levels. Body: Medium Version Page 19 of 99

20 Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.2% (4.4%-5.3%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 5-12 (10-24 EBC) 9. English-Style India Pale Ale Color: Gold to copper Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium malt flavor should be present Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor is medium to high, and often flowery. Hops from a variety of origins may be used to contribute to a high hopping rate. Earthy and herbal Englishvariety hop character should be perceived, but may result from the skillful use of hops of other origin. Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery flavors are moderate to very high. Traditional interpretations are characterized by medium to medium-high alcohol content. The use of water with high mineral content results in a crisp, dry beer with a subtle and balanced character of sulfur compounds. Diacetyl can be absent or may be perceived at very low levels. Body: Medium Additional notes: Non-English hops may be used for bitterness or for approximating traditional English hop character. The use of water with high mineral content may result in a crisp, dry beer rather than a malt-accentuated version. Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.6%-5.6% (4.5%-7.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 6-14 (12-28 EBC) 10. Strong Ale Color: Amber to dark brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to high malt and caramel sweetness. Very low levels of roast malt may be perceived. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not perceived to very low Perceived Bitterness: Evident but minimal, and balanced with malt flavors. Fermentation Characteristics: A rich, often sweet and complex fruity-estery character can contribute to the profile of Strong Ales. Alcohol types can be varied and complex. Very low levels of diacetyl are acceptable. Body: Medium to full Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.5%-8.9% (7.0%-11.3%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 8-21 (16-42 EBC) Version Page 20 of 99

21 11. Old Ale Color: Copper-red to very dark Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Fruity-estery aroma can contribute to the malt aroma and flavor profile. Old Ales have a malt and sometimes caramel sweetness. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium Perceived Bitterness: Evident but minimal. Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery flavors can contribute to the character of this ale. Alcohol types can be varied and complex. A distinctive quality of Old Ales is that they undergo an aging process, often for years. Aging can occur on their yeast either in bulk storage or through conditioning in the bottle. This contributes to a rich, wine-like and often sweet oxidized character. Complex estery attributes may also emerge. Very low diacetyl character may be evident and is acceptable. Body: Medium to full Additional notes: Wood-aged attributes such as vanilla are acceptable. Horsey, goaty, leathery and phenolic character and acidity produced by Brettanomyces may also be present but should be at low levels and balanced with other flavors. Residual flavors that come from liquids previously aged in a barrel, such as bourbon or sherry, should not be present. This style may be split into two categories, strong and very strong. Brettanomyces and acidic characters reflect historical character. Competition organizers may choose to distinguish these types of old ale from modern versions. Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.0%-7.2% (6.3%-9.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (24-60 EBC) 12. English-Style Pale Mild Ale Color: Light amber to medium amber Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt flavor and aroma dominate the flavor profile Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor range from very low to low Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low Fermentation Characteristics: Very low diacetyl flavors may be appropriate in this low-alcohol beer. Fruity-estery character is very low to medium-low. Body: Low to medium-low Original Gravity ( Plato) (7.6-9 Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) (12.1 Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.7%-3.4% (3.4%-4.4%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) 1020 Color SRM (EBC) 6-9 (12-18 EBC) 13. English-Style Dark Mild Ale Color: Reddish-brown to very dark Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Version Page 21 of 99

22 Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt and caramel should be evident in the aroma and flavor while licorice and roast malt may also be present Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low Perceived Bitterness: very low to low Fermentation Characteristics: Very low diacetyl flavors may be appropriate in this low-alcohol beer. Fruity-estery character is very low to medium-low. Body: Medium-low to medium Original Gravity ( Plato) (7.6-9 Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) (1-2.1 Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.7%-3.4% (3.4%-4.4%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) 1024 Color SRM (EBC) (34-68 EBC) 14. English-Style Brown Ale Color: Copper to dark brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Roast malt may contribute to a biscuit or toasted aroma profile. Roast malt may contribute to the flavor profile. Malt profile can range from dry to sweet. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low Fermentation Characteristics: Low to medium-low levels of fruity-estery flavors are appropriate. Diacetyl, if evident, should be very low. Body: Medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.3%-4.7% (4.2%-6.0%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (24-34 EBC) 15. Brown Porter Color: Dark brown to very dark. May have red tint. Clarity: Beer color may be too dark to perceive clarity. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium malt sweetness. Caramel and chocolate character is acceptable. Strong roast barley or strong burnt or black malt character should not be perceived. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium Perceived Bitterness: Medium Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery flavors are acceptable Body: Low to medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.7% (4.4%-6.0%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (40-70 EBC) Version Page 22 of 99

23 16. Robust Porter Color: Very dark to black Clarity: Opaque Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high. Malty sweetness, roast malt, cocoa and caramel should be in harmony with bitterness from dark malts. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters should be evident and balanced with all other characters. Diacetyl should not be perceived. Body: Medium to full Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.0%-5.2% (5.1%-6.6%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 30+ (60+ EBC) 17. Sweet Stout or Cream Stout Color: Black Clarity: Opaque Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium-high. Malt sweetness, chocolate and caramel should contribute to the aroma and should dominate the flavor profile. Roast flavor may be perceived. Low to medium-low roasted malt-derived bitterness should be present. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be perceived Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium-low and serves to balance and suppress some of the sweetness without contributing apparent flavor and aroma Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery flavors, if present, are low. Diacetyl should not be perceived. Body: Full-bodied. Body can be increased with the addition of milk sugar (lactose). Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.5%-5.0% (3.2%-6.3%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 40+ (80+ EBC) 18. Oatmeal Stout Color: Dark brown to black Clarity: Beer color may be too dark to perceive. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Coffee, caramel, roasted malt or chocolate aromas should be prominent. Roasted malt character of caramel or chocolate should be smooth without bitterness. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Optional, but should not upset the overall balance. Perceived Bitterness: Medium Version Page 23 of 99

24 Fermentation Characteristics: Oatmeal is used in the grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor without being grainy. Fruity-estery aroma can range from not perceived to very low. Fruity-estery flavor is very low. Diacetyl should be absent or at extremely low levels. Body: Full Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.0%-4.8% (3.8%-6.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 20+ (40+ EBC) 19. Scotch Ale * Color: Light reddish-brown to very dark Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Scotch Ales are aggressively malty with a rich and dominant sweet malt aroma and flavor. A caramel character is often part of the profile. Dark roasted malt flavors may be evident at low levels. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not perceived to very low Perceived Bitterness: Not perceived to very low Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters, if present, are generally at low levels. Low levels of diacetyl are acceptable. Body: Full Additional notes: A brewery-fresh experience is intended with these beers. Oxidation is not an acceptable character. Pleasantly oxidized Scotch Ales should be classified in Aged Beer categories. Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.2%-6.7% (6.6%-8.5%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (30-60 EBC) When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, Strong Scotch Ale may be split into two subcategories: traditional (no smoke character) and peated (low level of peat smoke character). Though there is little evidence suggesting that traditionally made Strong Scotch Ales exhibited peat smoke character, the current marketplace offers many examples with peat or smoke character present at low to medium levels. A peaty or smoky character may be evident at low levels. Strong Scotch Ales with medium or higher smoke character are considered smoke flavored beers and should be categorized elsewhere 20. British-Style Imperial Stout Color: Ranging from dark copper typical of some historic examples, to very dark more typical of contemporary examples Clarity: Opaque in darker versions. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Extremely rich malty flavor, often expressed as toffee or caramel, and may be accompanied by very low roasted malt astringency. Version Page 24 of 99

25 Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium, with floral, citrus or herbal qualities. Perceived Bitterness: Medium, and should not overwhelm the overall balance. The bitterness may be higher in darker versions while maintaining balance with sweet malt. Fermentation Characteristics: High alcohol content is evident. High fruity-estery character may be present. Diacetyl should be absent. Body: Full Additional notes: This style was alsooriginally called Russian Imperial Stout. Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.5%-9.5% (7.0%-12.0%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) ( EBC) 21. British-Style Barley Wine Ale Color: Tawny copper to deep red/copper-garnet Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Residual malty sweetness is high Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor are very low to medium. English type hops are often used but are not required for this style. Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium Fermentation Characteristics: Complexity of alcohols and fruity-estery attributes are often high and balanced with the high alcohol content. Low levels of diacetyl are acceptable. Caramel and some oxidized character (vinous aromas and/or flavors) may be considered positive attributes. Body: Full Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 6.7%-9.6% (8.5%-12.2%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (28-36 EBC) 22. Irish-Style Red Ale Color: Copper-red to reddish-brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Slight yeast haze is acceptable for bottle conditioned examples. Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium candy-like caramel malt sweetness should be present in flavor. A toasted malt character should be present and there may be a slight roast barley or roast malt presence. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not perceived to medium Perceived Bitterness: Medium Fermentation Characteristics: Low levels of fruityestery aroma and flavor are acceptable. Diacetyl levels may range from absent to very low. Body: Medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.2%-3.8% (4.0%-4.8%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (22-36 EBC) Version Page 25 of 99

26 23. Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout Color: Black Clarity: Opaque Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: The prominence of coffee-like roasted barley and a moderate degree of roasted malt aroma and flavor defines much of the character. Dry stouts achieve a dry-roasted character through the use of roasted barley. Initial malt and light caramel flavors give way to a distinctive dryroasted bitterness in the finish. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: European hop character may range from not perceived to low in aroma and flavor Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery character is low relative to malt and roasted barley as well as hop bitterness. Diacetyl, if present, should be very low. Slight acidity may be perceived but is not required. Body: Medium-light to medium Additional notes: Head retention should be persistent Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.2%-4.2% (4.1%-5.3%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 40+ (80+ EBC) 24. Export-Style Stout Color: Black Clarity: Opaque Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Coffee-like roasted barley and roasted malt aromas are prominent. Initial malt and light caramel flavors give way to a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Should not be perceived Perceived Bitterness: May be analytically high, but the perception is lessened by malt sweetness. Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery aroma and flavor is low. Diacetyl should be negligible or not perceived. Slight acidity is acceptable. Body: Medium to full Additional notes: Head retention should be persistent Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.5%-7.5% (5.7%-9.5%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 40+ (80+ EBC) North American Origin Ale Styles 25. Golden or Blonde Ale Color: Straw to light amber Version Page 26 of 99

27 Clarity: Chill haze should not be present Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Light malt sweetness should be present in flavor Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor should be low to medium-low, present but not dominant. Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters may be perceived at low levels. Diacetyl and DMS should not be perceived. Body: Low to medium with a crisp finish Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.2%-4.0% (4.1%-5.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 3-7 (6-14 EBC) 26. American-Style Amber/Red Ale Color: Copper to reddish-brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium-high to high maltiness with low to medium caramel character Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop flavor and aroma is medium, and characterized by Americanvariety hops. Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery aroma, if present, is low. May exhibit low levels of fruityestery flavor. Diacetyl can be absent or perceived at very low levels. Body: Medium to medium-high Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.8% (4.4%-6.1%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) (22-36 EBC) 27. American-Style Pale Ale Color: Deep golden to copper or light brown Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Hop haze is allowable at any temperature. Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low caramel malt aroma is allowable. Low to medium maltiness may include low caramel malt character. Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor is high, exhibiting floral, fruity (berry, tropical, stone fruit and other), sulfur/diesel-like, onion-garliccatty, citrusy, piney or resinous character that wasoriginally associated with American-variety hops. Hops with these attributes now also originate from countries other than the USA. Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery aroma and flavor may be low to high. Diacetyl should not be perceived. Body: Medium Original Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( Plato) ( Plato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.3% (4.4%-5.4%) Hop Bitterness (IBU) Color SRM (EBC) 6-14 (12-28 EBC) Version Page 27 of 99