In some regions it is called simply Red Ale. It was popularized by hopliking Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

It is a beer of moderate strength, an amber hop ale with a caramelized malty taste.

Hop aroma and taste with characteristics of American hops or the New World (tropic fruits or stone fruits, citrus fruits, flowers, spices, berries, melon, needles, resin etc.).

Its color varies from amber to copper brown. It has a moderately large cream-colored foam.

It is chewy and rich in body, with warming alcohol and a pleasant fruity or hoppy interest. When aged, it can take on port-like flavors. It is a wintertime sipper.

Usually it is the strongest ale offered by a brewery, and in recent years many commercial examples are now vintage-dated and offered as a limited-release winter seasonal specialty. The original barleywine style inspired derivative variations in Belgium, the United States, and elsewhere in the world.

It has a very rich and strongly malty, often with a caramel-like aroma in darker versions or a light toffee character in paler versions.  It may have moderate to strong fruitiness, often with a dark- or dried-fruit character, particularly in dark versions. The hop aroma may range from mild to assertive, and is typically floral, earthy, or marmalade-like.

Its color may range from rich gold to very dark amber or even dark brown (often has ruby highlights, but it should not be opaque). It has a low to moderate off-white head; its head retention may be low. The beer may be cloudy with chill haze at cooler temperatures, but generally it clears to brilliant clarity as it warms.  High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in “legs” when beer is swirled in a glass.

It has strong, intense, complex, multi-layered malt flavors ranging from bready, toffee, and biscuity in paler versions through nutty, deep toast, dark caramel, and/or molasses in darker versions. It is characterized through its moderate to high malty sweetness on the palate, although the finish may be moderately sweet to moderately dry (depending on aging). Some oxidative or vinous flavors may be present, and complex alcohol flavors should be evident. Moderate to fairly high fruitiness, often with a dark- or dried-fruit character should be present.  

Malt flavors are often reminiscent of an English brown porter and the restrained roast of a Schwarzbier, but with a higher OG and alcohol content than either. It is a very complex beer style with a multi-layered malt and dark fruit tastes.

Deep malt sweetness of its aroma often includes  caramel, toffee nutty, deep toasty and/or licorice character. Its complex alcohol and ester profile of moderate strength resembles plums, prunes, raisins, cherries or currants, occasionally with a vinous Port-like quality.

Its taste as well as aroma has a rich malty sweetness with a complicated mixture of deep malt, dried fruit esters, and alcohol.  

Its color varies from dark reddish copper to opaque dark brown (not black).  It has thick, persistent tan-colored foam head. It is clear, although darker versions can be opaque.

It is a reddish copper, moderately strong, malty, complex Trappist ale with rich malty flavors, dark or dried fruit esters, and light alcohol blended together in a malty presentation that still finishes fairly dry.   

It has a rich-sweet malty aroma, possibly with hints of chocolate, caramel and/or toast (but never roasted or burnt aromas).  

Its color varies from dark amber to copper, with an attractive reddish depth. Generally clear. It has a large, dense, and long-lasting creamy off-white head.

It has a rich, complex medium to medium-full rich-sweet malt flavor on the palate yet finishes moderately dry.

The malt profile can vary in flavor and intensity, but should never override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of this style.

It has a low to moderate malt aroma, often (but not always) with a light caramel quality. Bready, biscuity, or lightly toasty malt complexity is common. Mild to moderate fruitiness is another characteristic of this style. Hop aroma can range from moderate to none, typically with a floral, earthy, resiny, and/or fruity character.

Its color varies from pale amber to light copper. This beer has a good to brilliant clarity and a low to moderate white to off-white head.

Its bitterness varies from medium to moderately high. It includes moderately low to moderately high fruity esters. It has a moderate to low hop flavor, typically with an earthy, resiny, fruity, and/or floral character.   Maltiness is low to medium with a dry finish. The malt profile is typically bready, biscuity, or lightly toasty. Low to moderate caramel or toffee flavors are optional. Balance is often decidedly bitter, although the bitterness should not completely overpower the malt flavor, esters and hop flavor.

It was developed relatively recently for attracting European Pils drinkers, and has become more popular in the course of being marketed and widely distributed.

It has a light earthy or spicy hop nose, along with a lightly grainy-sweet malt character.  

Its color varies from Light to deep gold color.  Generally it is very clear. It has large, dense, and creamy white to off-white head. Its characteristics include good head retention with “Belgian lace” left on glass.

Its flavor is initially smooth, grainy-sweet malt, from medium-dry to dry with some smooth alcohol becoming evident in the aftertaste.

It may have a range of roasted flavors, generally without burnt qualities, and often has a chocolate-caramel-malty profile.

Originating in London around 300 years ago, porter evolved from earlier sweet, Brown Beer popular at the time. It evolved many times with various technological and ingredient developments and consumer preferences driving these changes.  It became a highly-popular, widely-exported style in the 1800s before declining around WWI and disappearing in the 1950s. It was re-introduced in the mid-1970s with the start of the craft beer era. The name is said to have been derived from its popularity with the London working class (porters) performing various load-carrying tasks of the day. It is a Parent of various regional interpretations over time, and a predecessor to all stouts (which were originally called “stout porters”).  

It has a moderate to moderately low bready, biscuity, and toasty malt aroma with mild roastiness, and may have a chocolate quality. It may also show some non-roasted malt character in support (caramelly, nutty, toffee-like and/or sweet).

It is light brown to dark brown in color, often with ruby highlights when held up to light. Its clarity is good, although it may approach being opaque. This beer has a moderate off-white to light tan head with good retention.

Moderate bready, biscuity, and toasty malt flavor includes a mild to moderate roastiness (frequently with a chocolate character) and often a significant caramel, nutty, and/or toffee character. It may have other secondary flavors such as coffee, licorice, biscuits or toast in support.

Hop aroma can range from low to high depending on the basic style. Malty sweetness can range from medium-low to medium and it helps to emphasize balanced coffee flavor and aroma.  

Hop flavor reflects the aroma and it can range from low to high depending on the basic style. Hop bitterness depends on the basic style. Other tastes may be added but the coffee character must be expressed.

The sugar character should be evident but in balance with the beer (not on the foreground as to suggest an artificial product).

This is a classic style with additional fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar, molasses, treacle, maple syrup, sorghum, etc.) added.  

Its aroma is analogous to the base style, except that some additional fermentables (honey, molasses, etc.) may add an additional aroma component.  Whatever additional aroma component is present it should be in balance with the beer components, and present a pleasant combination.

Its color is analogous the base beer, although some sugars may bring additional colors.

Its flavor is analogous to the flavor of the base style except that some additional fermentables (honey, molasses, etc.) may add an additional flavor component. Whatever additional flavor component is present it should be in balance with the beer components presenting a pleasant combination.  

A moderate to moderately-high hop aroma of floral, spicy-peppery or citrus-orange in nature is typical.

Color ranges from golden to deep amber, but the most samples are fairly pale. It should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. It has a moderate-sized, persistent head (cream-colored).

Hop flavor is medium to high, with a moderate to assertive hop bitterness. The hop flavor should be similar to the aroma (floral, spicy-peppery, citrus-orange, and/or slightly grassy).  

It is a modern American craft beer interpretation of the historical English style, brewed using American ingredients and attitude.  It is the basis for many modern variations, including the stronger Double IPA as well as IPAs with various other ingredients.

Its hop aroma and flavor features one or more characteristics of American or New World hops, such as citrus, floral, pine, resinous, spicy, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, melon, etc. Many versions are dry hopped and can have an additional fresh hop aroma; this is desirable but not required.  

Color ranges from medium gold to light reddish-amber. It should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. It has a medium-sized, white to off-white head with good persistence.

In comparison with other members of the Bock family it was developed relatively recently. Maibock is specifically associated with springtime and the month of May.

It has moderate to strong malt aroma, often with a light characteristics of toasts and Maillard reaction products.

It is deep gold to light amber in color. Bright clarity is one of its characteristics. It has a large, creamy, persistent, white head.

Sweet grain malt flavor dominates (moderately strong); it includes some notes of toasts and/or Maillard reaction products giving it additional interestingness. Moderate hop bitterness (more balanced than in other Bocks). It has a clear profile of fermentation. It is well-attenuated, not cloying, with a moderately dry finish that may include taste of both malt and hops.

Historically known as “Milk” or “Cream” stouts, legally this designation is no longer permitted in England (but is acceptable elsewhere). The “milk” name is derived from the use of lactose, or milk sugar, as a sweetener.  Originally it was marketed as a tonic for nursing mothers and disabled persons.

It is characterized through a mild roasted grain aroma, sometimes with coffee and/or chocolate notes. An impression of cream-like sweetness often exists. Fruitiness can be low to moderately high.

It is very dark brown to black in color. It can be opaque (if not, it should be clear). It has creamy tan to brown head.

Dark roasted grain/malt impression with coffee and/or chocolate flavors dominate. Hop bitterness is moderate. Medium to high sweetness provides a counterpoint to the roasted character and hop bitterness, and it lasts up to the finish.  

It has mild roasted grain aromas, generally with a coffee-like character.  A light malty sweetness can suggest a coffee-and-cream impression. Fruitiness should be low to medium-high.

It is medium brown to black in color. It has a thick, creamy, persistent head (various shades of brown).

Its flavor is similar to the aroma, with a mild roasted coffee to coffee-and-cream flavor, and low to moderately-high fruitiness. Oats and dark roasted grains provide some flavor complexity; the oats can add a nutty, grainy or earthy flavor. Dark grains can combine with malt sweetness to give the impression of milk chocolate or coffee with cream.

It is generally between Sweet and Irish Stouts in sweetness. There are variations from fairly sweet to quite dry, as well as English and American versions (American versions tend to be more hoppy, less sweet, and less fruity).   The level of bitterness also varies, as does the oatmeal impression. Light use of oatmeal may give a certain silkiness of body and richness of flavor, while heavy use of oatmeal can be fairly intense in flavor with an almost oily mouthfeel, dryish finish, and slight grainy astringency.  

It is complex and yet well-balanced and refreshing.

In fact it is a real group of Pilsner-type beer. This style is a combination of the Czech styles světlý ležák (11–12.9 °P) and světlé speciální pivo (13–14.9 °P). It is commonly associated with Pilsner Urquell, which was first brewed in 1842 after construction of a new brewhouse by burghers dissatisfied with the standard of beer brewed in Pilsen (Plzeň). Bavarian brewer Josef Groll is considered to be the author of this beer.  

It has a medium to medium-high bready-rich malt and medium-low to medium-high spicy, floral, or herbal hop bouquet; though the balance between the malt and hops may vary, the interplay is rich and complex.

Its color varies from Gold to deep gold color. It is from Brilliant to very clear. It has a dense, long-lasting, creamy white head.

It is characterized through a rich, complex, bready maltiness combined with a pronounced yet soft and rounded bitterness and floral and spicy hop flavor. Its malt and hop flavors are medium to medium-high, and the malt may contain a slight impression of caramel. Its bitterness is prominent but never harsh. The long finish can be balanced towards hops or malt but is never aggressively tilted either way. Light to moderate diacetyl and low hop-derived esters are acceptable, but need not be present.

Balance in the use of smoke, hops and malt character is exhibited by the better examples.

The aroma should be a pleasant balance between the expected aroma of the base beer and the smokiness imparted by the use of smoked malt. The intensity and character of the smoke and the base beer style may vary, but the both must be presented in the balance.  Smokiness may vary from low to assertive; however, balance is the key condition for well-made examples. The quality and secondary characteristics of the smoke are reflective of the smoke source (e.g., alder, oak, beechwood).

The appearance should reflect the base beer style, although the color of the beer is often a bit darker than the plain base style.

As with aroma, there should be a balance between smokiness, the expected flavor characteristics of the base beer style.  Smokiness may vary from low to assertive. Smoky flavors may range from woody to somewhat bacon-like depending on the type of malts used.

It has a medium-high to high malty-rich character with a significant bready-grainy wheat component.  Paler versions will have a bready-toasty malty richness, while darker versions will have a deeper, richer malt presence with significant amount of Maillard reaction products.  

Pale and dark versions exist.  Pale versions are light gold to light amber, and dark versions are dark amber to dark ruby-brown in color. A very thick, moussy, long-lasting white to off-white (pale versions) or light tan (dark versions) head is a characteristic of this beer. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in this traditionally unfiltered style, although the level of haze is somewhat variable.

It has a medium-high to high malty-rich flavor similar to the aroma alongside with a significant bready-grainy wheat flavor. Paler versions will have a bready, toasty, grainy-sweet malt richness, while darker versions will have deeper, bready-rich or toasted malt flavors with significant Maillard reaction products and optional caramel notes.  Darker versions can have some dark fruit flavor (plums, prunes, grapes, raisins), particularly as they age. A light chocolate (but not roasted) character is optional in darker versions.

It is a 400-year-old Belgian beer style that died out in the 1950s; it was later revived by Pierre Celis at Hoegaarden brewery. It has grown steadily in popularity over time, both with modern craft brewers and mass-market producers who see it as a somewhat fruity summer seasonal beer.

It has a moderate malty sweetness (often with light notes of honey and/or vanilla) with light, grainy, spicy wheat aromatics, often with a bit of tartness, moderate perfumy coriander, often with a complex herbal, spicy, or peppery note in the background, moderate zesty, citrusy-orangey fruitiness. A low spicy-herbal hop aroma is optional, but should never overpower the other characteristics.

It is very pale straw to very light gold in color.  The beer will be very cloudy from starch haze and/or yeast, which gives it a milky, whitish-yellow appearance. It has a dense, white, moussy head. Head retention should be quite good.

It has a pleasant malty-sweet grain flavor (often with a honey and/or vanilla character) and a zesty, orange-citrusy fruitiness. It is refreshingly crisp with a dry, often tart, finish. It can have a low bready wheat flavor. It may optionally have a very light lactic-tasting sourness. Herbal-spicy flavors, which may include coriander and other spices, are common but they should be subtle and balanced, not overpowering.

The balance between malt and hops may be even or somewhat bitter. Drinkability is a critical component of this style. It is a rather broad style giving to the brewer opportunities for considerable interpretations.

Its hop aroma can range from moderately high to moderately low, typically with a floral, earthy, resiny, and/or fruity character.

Its color varies from light amber to deep copper. This beer has a good to brilliant clarity and low to moderate white to off-white head. A low head is acceptable when carbonation is also low.

Bitterness is medium to medium-high with supporting malt flavors evident. The malt profile is typically bready, biscuity, nutty, or lightly toasty, and optionally it has a moderately low to moderate caramel or toffee flavor.  

It is a refreshing, fast-maturing beer which is slightly hopped and shows a unique banana-and-clove yeast character.  

The hop character ranges from low to none. A light to moderate wheat aroma may be present (which might be perceived as bready or grainy aroma) but other malt characteristics should not be present.

It is pale straw to gold in color.  A very thick, moussy, long-lasting white head is one of its characteristics. The high protein content in wheat impairs clarity of in the unfiltered beer, although the level of haze is somewhat variable.

The banana and clove flavor is low to moderately strong. The balance and intensity of the phenol and ester components may vary but the best examples are reasonably balanced. Optionally, a very light to moderate vanilla character and/or faint bubblegum notes can accentuate the banana flavor, sweetness and roundness; but neither should be dominant if present.  The soft, somewhat bready or grainy flavor of wheat is complementary, as is a slightly grainy-sweet malt character.

It is strongly hopped but clean, dry and without harshness. Drinkability is its important characteristic; the beer should not be heavy.

Hop aroma and taste usually demonstrates American or New World hop characteristics (tropical fruits, stone fruits, citrus fruits, floral taste, resinous, spices, berries, melon, pine etc.).  The most versions are dry hopped and can have an additional resinous or grassy aroma, although this is not absolutely required. Some clean malty sweetness may be present in the background. Fruitiness, either from esters or hops, may also be detected in some versions, although a neutral fermentation character is typical.  

Color ranges from golden to light orange-copper; the most modern versions are fairly pale.  It has a good clarity, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. It has a moderate-sized, persistent, white to off-white head.