Beer Styles Guide
Whether you are a homebrewer looking to hit exact BJCP parameters or a craft beer enthusiast exploring the differences between top-fermented ales and cold-conditioned lagers, our comprehensive beer style directory breaks down profile statistics, historical origins, and commercial examples for every recognized category. From hop-forward American IPAs and rich Belgian Dubbels to crisp German Pilsners and bold Imperial Stouts, each style page includes ABV and IBU ranges, color guidelines, gravity specs, and community reviews.
Browse ales, lagers, and hybrid specialty styles below. Select any style to see detailed tasting notes, brewing specifications, and reviews from the Two Beer Dudes community.
Ales
American
- American Amber/Red Ale (Average: 5.3% ABV | 25-45 IBU)
- American Barleywine (Average: 10.3% ABV | 60-100 IBU)
- American Black/Cascadian Dark Ale (Average: 6.9% ABV | 40-70 IBU)
- American Brown Ale (Average: 5.3% ABV | 30-45 IBU)
- American Imperial Porter (Average: 9.5% ABV)
- American Imperial Stout (Average: 9.5% ABV | 50-80 IBU)
- American India Pale Ale (Average: 6.9% ABV | 50-70 IBU)
- American IPA - Imperial New England (INEIPA) (Average: 9.1% ABV | 26 - 60 IBU)
- American IPA - New England (NEIPA) (Average: 6.9% ABV | 25 – 60 IBU)
- American Pale Ale (Average: 4.9% ABV | 30-50 IBU)
- American Porter
- American Stout (Average: 6.8% ABV | 35-60 IBU)
- American Strong Ale (Average: 6.3% ABV | 40-50 IBU)
- American Wheat Ale (Average: 4.5% ABV | 10-35 IBU)
- American Wild Ale
- Blonde Ale (Average: 4.6% ABV | 15-25 IBU)
- Cream Ale (Average: 5% ABV | 10-22 IBU)
- Imperial/Double India Pale Ale (Average: 9.1% ABV | 65-100 IBU)
- Rye Beer
- Sour - Fruited
- Sour IPA
- Wheat Wine (Average: 10.3% ABV | 45-85 IBU)
Belgian
Belgian and French
- Belgian Blonde Ale (Average: 7.1% ABV | 15-40 IBU)
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Average: 9.1% ABV | 20-50 IBU)
- Belgian Dubbel (Average: 6.9% ABV | 20-35 IBU)
- Belgian IPA
- Belgian Pale Ale
- Belgian Specialty Ale (Average: 5.7% ABV | 20-30 IBU)
- Belgian Strong Blonde Ale (Average: 9.1% ABV | 20-50 IBU)
- Belgian Tripel (Average: 8.6% ABV | 20-45 IBU)
- Bière de Garde (Average: 6.2% ABV | 20-30 IBU)
- Flanders Brown Ale (Average: 5.7% ABV | 5-18 IBU)
- Flanders Red Ale (Average: 5.7% ABV | 5-18 IBU)
- Fruit Lambic (Average: 7% ABV | 15-21 IBU)
- Gose (Average: 4.9% ABV | 5-30 IBU)
- Gueuze (Average: 7% ABV | 11-23 IBU)
- Lambic (Average: 6.6% ABV | 9-23 IBU)
- Saison (Average: 5.9% ABV | 20-38 IBU)
- Witbier (Average: 5.2% ABV | 10-17 IBU)
English
- Baltic Porter (Average: 8.4% ABV | 35-40 IBU)
- English Barleywine (Average: 10.3% ABV | 40-65 IBU)
- English Brown Ale (Average: 5.1% ABV | 12-25 IBU)
- English India Pale Ale (Average: 5.8% ABV | 35-63 IBU)
- English Mild (Average: 3.9% ABV | 10-20 IBU)
- English Pale Ale (Average: 4.8% ABV | 20-40 IBU)
- English Porter
- English Stout
- Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB) (Average: 5.3% ABV | 30-45 IBU)
- Foreign Export Stout (Average: 6.8% ABV | 30-60 IBU)
- Milk/Sweet/Cream Stout (Average: 4.8% ABV | 15-25 IBU)
- Oatmeal Stout (Average: 4.9% ABV | 20-40 IBU)
- Old Ale (Average: 7.7% ABV | 30-65 IBU)
- Ordinary Bitter (Average: 3.6% ABV | 20-35 IBU)
- Russian Imperial Stout (Average: 9.5% ABV | 45-65 IBU)
Finish
German
- Altbier (Average: 5.1% ABV | 25-52 IBU)
- Berliner Weisse (Average: 3.9% ABV | 3-6 IBU)
- Dunkel Weizen (Average: 5.1% ABV | 10-15 IBU)
- Hefeweizen (Average: 5.3% ABV | 10-15 IBU)
- Kölsch (Average: 5% ABV | 22-30 IBU)
- Roggenbier (Rye) (Average: 5.3% ABV | 10-15 IBU)
- Weizen/Weissbier (Average: 5.3% ABV | 10-15 IBU)
- Weizenbock (Average: 8.3% ABV | 15-35 IBU)
Irish
Russian
Scottish
Lagers
American
German
- Doppelbock (Average: 7.3% ABV | 17-27 IBU)
- Dortmunder Export (Average: 5.6% ABV | 23-29 IBU)
- Eisbock (Average: 11.4% ABV | 26-33 IBU)
- German Pilsner (Average: 4.9% ABV | 25-50 IBU)
- Kellerbier/Zwickelbier
- Maibok/Heller Bock (Average: 7.2% ABV | 20-38 IBU)
- Munich Dunkel (Average: 5% ABV | 16-25 IBU)
- Munich Helles (Average: 5.2% ABV | 18-25 IBU)
- Oktoberfest (Average: 5.6% ABV | 23-29 IBU)
- Rauchbier (Average: 6.9% ABV | 20-30 IBU)
- Schwarzbier (Black Beer) (Average: 4.3% ABV | 22-30 IBU)
- Traditional Bock (Average: 6.9% ABV | 20-30 IBU)
- Vienna Lager (Average: 5.1% ABV | 22-28 IBU)