Strong American Ale

Category 22. STRONG AMERICAN ALE

• Category intro: This category includes modern American strong ales with a varying balance of malt and hops. The category is defined mostly by higher alcohol strength and a lack of roast.

22A. Double IPA

Overall impression

• An intensely hoppy, fairly strong, bitter pale ale without the big, rich, complex maltiness, residual sweetness, and body of an American Barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, dry, and lacking harshness. Despite showing its strength, drinkability is an important consideration.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: A prominent to intense hop aroma typically featuring modern American or New World hop characteristics such as citrus, floral, pine, resin, spice, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, or melon. A supportive, clean, neutral to grainy maltiness may be found in the background. Neutral to lightly fruity fermentation profile. Alcohol may be noted, but should not be solventy.
• Appearance: Gold to light orange-copper color, but most modern versions are fairly pale. Good clarity, although a little haze is acceptable. Moderate-sized, persistent, white to off-white head.
• Flavor: Strong and complex hop flavor (same descriptors as aroma). Moderately high to very high bitterness, but should not be harsh. Low to medium supportive, clean, soft, unobtrusive malt character; may have light caramel or toast flavors. Dry to medium-dry finish, not sweet or heavy, with a lingering hoppy, bitter aftertaste. Low to moderate fruitiness optional. A light, clean, smooth alcohol flavor is allowable.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body, with a smooth texture. Medium to medium-high carbonation. No harsh hop-derived astringency. Restrained, smooth alcohol warmth acceptable.

Context

• Comments: Rarely called Imperial IPA. Many modern versions have multiple dry-hop additions.
• History: An American craft beer innovation first developed in the mid-late 1990s as more intense version of American IPA. Became more mainstream and popular throughout the 2000s, and inspired additional IPA creativity. Russian River Pliny the Elder, first brewed in 2000, helped popularize the style.
• Characteristic ingredients: Neutral base malt. Sugar adjuncts common. Crystal malts rare. American or New World hops. Neutral or lightly fruity yeast. No oak.
• Style comparison: Bigger than English and American IPAs in alcohol strength, bitterness, and hoppiness. Less malty-rich, less body, drier, and with a greater overall hop balance than American Barleywine.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Columbus Brewing Bohdi, Fat Head’s Hop Juju, Port Brewing Hop-15, Russian River Pliny the Elder, Stone Ruination Double IPA 2.0, Wicked Weed Freak of Nature

Tags

• very-high-strength, pale-color, top-fermented, north-america, craft-style, ipa-family, bitter, hoppy

22B. American Strong Ale

Overall impression

• A malty, bitter, and strong American Ale fitting in the space between American Barleywine, Double IPA, and Red IPA. The malty and hoppy flavors can be quite strong, but are generally in balance.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Medium to high hop aroma typically featuring modern American or New World hop characteristics such as citrus, floral, pine, resinous, spicy, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, or melon. Moderate to bold maltiness supporting the hop profile, with medium to dark caramel common, toasty or bready possible, and background notes of light roast or chocolate allowable. Neutral to moderately fruity fermentation profile. Alcohol may be noted, but should not be solventy.
• Appearance: Medium amber to deep copper or light brown. Moderate-low to medium-sized off-white to light tan head; may have low head retention. Good clarity. Legs possible.
• Flavor: Medium to high malt, with a caramel, toffee, or dark fruit quality. Malt complexity can include additional toasty, bready, or rich flavors in support. Light chocolate or roast allowable, but should not be burnt or sharp. Medium-high to high bitterness. Moderate to high hop flavor, same descriptors as aroma. Low to moderate esters. May have a noticeable alcohol flavor, but should not be sharp. Medium to high malty sweetness on the palate, finishing somewhat dry to somewhat sweet. Should not be syrupy, sweet, or cloying. Bitter to bittersweet aftertaste, with hops, malt, and alcohol noticeable.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. An alcohol warmth may be present, but should not be excessively hot. Light hop astringency allowable. Medium-low to medium carbonation.

Context

• Comments: A fairly broad style describing beers labeled in various ways, including modern Double Red Ales and other strong, malty-but-hoppy beers that aren’t quite in the Barleywine class. Diverse enough to include what may be viewed as a strong American Amber Ale with room for stronger versions of other American Ale styles.
• History: While modern craft versions were developed as “imperial” strength versions of American amber or red ales, the style has much in common with historic American Stock Ales. Strong, malty beers were highly hopped to keep as provision beers prior to Prohibition. There is no continuous legacy of brewing stock ales in this manner, but the resemblance is considerable (albeit without the age character).
• Characteristic ingredients: Pale base malt. Medium to dark crystal malts common. American or New World hops. Neutral or lightly fruity yeast.
• Style comparison: Generally not as strong and as rich as an American Barleywine. More malt balanced than an American or Double IPA. More American hop intensity than a British Strong Ale. Maltier and fuller-bodied than a Red IPA.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Arrogant Bastard Ale, Fat Head’s Bone Head, Great Lakes Nosferatu, Oskar Blues G’Knight, Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale

Tags

• high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, north-america, craft-style, strong-ale-family, bitter, hoppy

22C. American Barleywine

Overall impression

• A very strong, malty, hoppy, bitter American ale with a rich palate, full mouthfeel, and warming aftertaste, suitable for contemplative sipping.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Strong malt and hop aroma dominates. Hops are moderate to assertive, showing a range of American, New World, or English characteristics. Citrusy, fruity, or resiny are classic attributes, but others are possible, including those from modern hops. Strong grainy, bready, toasty, light caramel, or neutral malt richness, but typically not with darker caramel, roast, or deep fruit aspects. Low to moderately strong esters and alcohol, lower in the balance than the malt and hops. Intensities fade with age.
• Appearance: Color ranges from amber to medium copper, rarely up to light brown. Ruby highlights common. Moderately-low to large off-white to light tan head; may have low head retention. Good to brilliant clarity but may have some chill haze. The color may appear to have great depth, as if viewed through a thick glass lens. Legs possible.
• Flavor: Similar malt and hop flavors as the aroma (same descriptors apply). Moderately strong to aggressive bitterness, tempered by a rich, malty palate. Moderate to high hop flavor. Low to moderate esters. Noticeable alcohol, but not solventy. Moderately low to moderately high malty sweetness on the palate, with a somewhat malty to dry but full finish. Age will often dry out the beer, and smooth out the flavors. The balance is malty, but always bitter.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and chewy, with a velvety, luscious texture, declining with age. A smooth alcohol warmth should be noticeable, but shouldn’t burn. Carbonation may be low to moderate, depending on age and conditioning.

Context

• Comments: Sometimes labeled as “Barley Wine” or “Barleywine-style ale”. Recently many US breweries seem to have discontinued their Barleywines, made them barrel-aged, or rebranded them as some form of IPA.
• History: Traditionally the strongest ale offered by a brewery, often associated with the winter season and vintage-dated. As with many American craft beer styles, an adaptation of an English style using American ingredients and balance. One of the first American craft beer versions was Anchor Old Foghorn, first brewed in 1975. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, first brewed in 1983, set the standard for the hop-forward style of today. The story goes that when Sierra Nevada first sent Bigfoot out for lab analysis, the lab called and said, “your Barleywine is too bitter” – to which Sierra Nevada replied, “thank you.”
• Characteristic ingredients: Pale malt with some specialty malts. Dark malts used with great restraint. Many varieties of hops can be used, but typically includes American hops. American or English ale yeast.
• Style comparison: Greater emphasis on hop bitterness, flavor, and aroma than English Barley Wine, often featuring American hop varieties. Typically paler than the darker English Barley Wines and lacking their deeper malt flavors, but darker than the golden English Barley Wines. Differs from a Double IPA in that the hops are not extreme, the malt is more forward, and the body is fuller and often richer. American Barleywine typically has more residual sweetness than Double IPA, which affects the overall drinkability (sipping vs. drinking).
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Anchor Old Foghorn, Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, East End Gratitude, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot

Tags

• very-high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, north-america, craft-style, strong-ale-family, bitter, hoppy

22D. Wheatwine

Overall impression

• A richly textured, high alcohol sipping beer with a significant grainy, bready flavor, and a sleek body. The emphasis is first on the bready, wheaty flavors with malt, hops, fruity yeast, and alcohol complexity.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Hop aroma is mild and can represent just about any hop variety. Moderate to moderately-strong bready, wheaty malt character, often with additional malt complexity such as honey and caramel. A light, clean, alcohol aroma may be noted. Low to medium fruity notes may be apparent. Very low diacetyl optional. Banana-and-clove Weizen yeast character is inappropriate.
• Appearance: Color ranging from gold to deep amber, often with garnet or ruby highlights. Low to medium off-white head. The head may have creamy texture, and good retention. Chill haze is allowable, but usually clears up as the beer gets warmer. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible as legs.
• Flavor: Moderate to moderately-high bready wheat malt flavor, dominant in the flavor balance over any hop character. Low to moderate toasty, caramel, biscuity, or honey malt notes can add a welcome complexity, but are not required. Low to medium hop flavor, reflecting any variety. Moderate to moderately-high fruitiness, often with a dried-fruit character. Low to moderate bitterness, creating a malty to even balance. Should not be syrupy or under-attenuated.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-full to full body. Chewy, often with a luscious, velvety texture. Low to moderate carbonation. Light to moderate smooth alcohol warmth optional.

Context

• Comments: Much of the color arises from a lengthy boil. Some commercial examples may be stronger than the Vital Statistics.
• History: An American craft beer style that was first brewed at the Rubicon Brewing Company in 1988. Usually a winter seasonal, vintage, or one-off release.
• Characteristic ingredients: Typically brewed with a combination of American two-row and American wheat. Style commonly uses 50% or more wheat malt. Restrained use of dark malts. Any variety of hops may be used. May be oak-aged.
• Style comparison: More than simply a wheat-based Barleywine, many versions have very expressive fruity and hoppy notes, while others develop complexity through oak aging. Less emphasis on the hops than American Barleywine. Has roots in American Wheat Beer rather than any German wheat style, so should not have any Weizen yeast character.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• The Bruery White Oak, Castelain Winter Ale, Perennial Heart of Gold, Two Brothers Bare Tree

Tags

• very-high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, north-america, craft-style, strong-ale-family, wheat-beer-family, balanced, hoppy