Description of Beer Categories for the 14^th Annual USBTC Winter Competition

Barleywine: Ales with ABV>8.5%, excluding imperial porters/stouts with ABV<14% (but see “Yeast Killer” category below).

Strong/Old Ale: Ales with 6.5%<=ABV<=8.5%. Exceptions based on ABV, etc. are noted elsewhere under their appropriate style.

Imperial IPA/Amber/Red Ale: Beers with an IPA or Amber/Red Ale designation but brewed to reach an Imperial level, typically resulting in an intensification of their alcohol and/or hop profile. However, those at or above 14% ABV will be placed in our Yeast Killer category.

Imperial Stout: Stouts or porters with 7.5%<ABV<14%. Those at or above 14% ABV will be placed in our Yeast Killer category.

Stout: All ales labeled “stout” excluding those with ABV>7.5%.

Porter: All ales labeled “porter” excluding those with ABV>7.5%. This will also include some beers labeled as dark/black/brown ale but otherwise classified by the brewer.

Scottish-Style Ale: All ales brewed to mimic the Scottish tradition; that is, a heavily malt-accented character and often smoky/peaty/whiskey undertones. No ABV limit is set for Scottish ales.

Belgian/Abbey Strong Ale: Ales brewed in traditional Abbey/Belgian styles excluding those examined in our Belgian/French-Style Ale category in our summer competition. The styles for this category include, but are not limited to: Belgian strong ale, dubbel, trippel and most beers designated as “Grand Cru” or “Cuvee”. This category also includes Flemish/Belgian sour beer styles such as red ale, brown ale, and non-fruit flavored lambic. No ABV limit is set for Belgian/Abbey Strong Ale.

Brown/Dark Ale: Ales brewed with significant amounts of dark malt typically imparting chocolate, nutty, and/or roasty flavor, but with ABV<6.5% and not otherwise classified as a porter/stout. This includes beers in the “mild” style and, if appropriate, those labeled as “dark” or “black” ales.

Black/Dark Lager: Lagers denoted as “dunkel,” “schwarzbier,” “dark” or “black” that have ABV<=6.5% and are not otherwise classified by the brewer (i.e., bock beer). Those with ABV>6.5% will be placed in bock beer.

Vienna/Marzen Lager: Lagers described as “Vienna,” “Marzen,” “Octoberfest,” “Fest” or “Amber Lager” that are brewed with more malt accents than pilsners, Dortmunders, Helles or other gold lagers. They are typically light to dark amber in color and have an ABV<=6.5%.

Spice/Herb/Rauch Beer: Beer of any style that contains a clearly detectable level of spice or herb flavoring in the taste. This year, we are also including traditional rauchbiers in this category. The category includes strong ales (up to 8.5% ABV) that have significant spice/herb/smoke flavor, but excludes spiced barleywines, Belgian-style beers, and beers where the additional flavor is consonant with the base style of the beer.

And introducing a USBTC original…..YEAST KILLER!TM

Yeast KillerTM: In our new Yeast KillerTM category the USBTC invites brewers of extreme alcohol beers of any style to enter their beers for evaluation. Beers in this category will be expected to have some degree of alcohol fire. The beers will be evaluated based on the integration of the alcohol with flavor complexity and style as described by the brewer. Beers must have an ABV of at least 12% to be entered in Yeast KillerTM.

And introducing a USBTC original…..YEAST Killertm

Big beers ONLY – Click To learn about Yeast Killertm

To submit your Beer to USBTC Please Click here to find your regional contact