Passing resemblance to Weizenbocks, but sweet and thick with a rye and juniper character. Vital Statistics: OG: 1.076 – 1.120 IBUs: 0 – 15 FG: 1.016 – 1.038 SRM: 4 – 22 ABV: 7.0 – 11.0% Commercial examples: Now made year-round by several breweries in Finland. Tags: high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, centraleurope, historical-style, spice BJCP Beer Style Guidelines – 2021 Edition 59 INTRODUCTION TO SPECIALTY-TYPE BEER Specialty-Type Beer is a broad term referring to style Categories 28 through 34, and is in contrast to the Classic Style beers of Categories 1 through 27. The Classic Styles are complete, standalone descriptions, but Specialty-Type styles involve a transformation of a Base Style using either a process or by adding one or more Specialty-Type Ingredients (yeast/bacteria, smoke, wood, fruit, spice, grain, or sugar). Specialty-Type Beer style descriptions usually describe how the Specialty-Type Ingredients or processes modify the Base Style. When a Base Style for Specialty-Type Beers is required, either a Classic Style or a broad style family (e.g., IPA, Blond Ale, Stout) may be used. In general, Specialty-Type beers may not be used as a Base Style for other Specialty-Type beers unless the Entry Instructions for the style specifically allow it. A few Specialty-Type Beer styles do not require a Base Style to be declared – read the Entry Instructions section of each style description carefully. Consult the Provisional Styles page on the BJCP website for additions to the master list of styles. These Provisional Styles can be cited as a Base Style when entering a Specialty-Type Beer. The Style Entry Suggestions page on the BJCP website clarifies where to enter some currently undefined styles. In general, when submitting a Specialty-Type Beer with a food-type ingredient, use the culinary rather than the botanical definition of ingredients. See the preamble in each style category for a detailed list of common ingredients. This introduction section is assumed to be incorporated into every Specialty-Type Beer style description. It describes in general how to enter and judge a Specialty-Type Beer. Specific Entry Instructions for each style are contained within individual style descriptions. Entering Specialty-Type Beers Many brewers have questions about where to enter their specialty beers, and how best to describe them. Follow these suggestions for better results: Entry Instructions Entering a Specialty-Type Beer in a competition requires more information than simply selecting the style. Examine the Entry Instruction section within the selected style description for the specific required information. Judges will expect this information, and they will not be able to judge your beer properly without it; your score will suffer if it is omitted. When deciding what optional information to supply, imagine yourself in the position of the judge. Give them pertinent information that will help them understand your beer and your intent. Avoid useless, irrelevant information that does not help the judge understand your beer. Do not use puffery or marketing-type descriptions. Refrain from using any information that could allow judges to determine your identity. Some competition software artificially limits the length of comments, so choose your words carefully. Base Style Most Specialty-Type Beers require either a Base Style to be identified, or at least a description of the beer – check the style’s Entry Instructions for requirements. If a Base Style is required, use one of the named styles from Categories 1 through 27, including beers from styles or categories with enumerated alternatives (like Historical Beer or
Specialty IPA). Provisional Styles from the BJCP website and Local Styles from the Appendix may also be used as a Base Style. 60 If the Entry Instructions say that a generic style family can be used, that means to state a broad style in the general sense – like IPA, Porter, or Stout. You are not required to pinpoint the specific type of Porter, for instance, but you should give a general description of the beer. Some beers that are designed to showcase a specialty ingredient have a fairly neutral base. Do not use Specialty-Type Beers as a Base Style in other Specialty-Type Beer styles unless the Entry Instructions for that style specifically allow it. Many Specialty-Type style categories have a ‘Specialty’ style that allows for certain other Specialty-Type Ingredients. Otherwise, the 34B
Mixed-Style Beer style can be used. Specialty Ingredients The more specific or lavish you describe your specialty ingredient, the more judges will look for that character. Taste your beer, then highlight those ingredients that are identifiable. If only one Specialty-Type ingredient was used, it should contribute a recognizable character to the beer. If you mention multiple ingredients, they do not all need to be individually identifiable but they should contribute to the overall sensory experience. If you mention an unusual ingredient, you may want to describe its character, or at least be sure that a web search on that name will produce a useful reference for the judge. Providing a search term is a good alternative. A generic or simple name of an ingredient is often best, unless your specific ingredient has an uncommon profile. If you use a combination of ingredients, such as spices, you can often refer to the blend by its common name (e.g., pumpkin pie spice, curry powder) rather than the individual spices. If you use an ingredient that is a potential allergen, always declare it as such even if it cannot be perceived. BJCP Beer Style Guidelines – 2021 Edition Example: “allergen: peanuts” – judges should not penalize a beer when a declared allergen cannot be detected. Best Fit Placing a beer with a single Specialty-Type Ingredient and a Classic Base Style is obvious. Selecting the best style for a beer with a combination of Specialty-Type Ingredients takes some thought. When selecting a style in which to enter your Specialty-Type Beer, look for the best fit from the possible alternatives where the combination of ingredients is allowed. Select a style representing the dominant ingredient, or if the ingredients are equally balanced, select the first Specialty-Type style where it qualifies. The old proverb about not missing the forest for the trees is quite applicable. Do not judge these styles as rigidly as Classic Styles, as you might miss the successful synergy of ingredients. Base Style Judges should not be overly pedantic about seeking the full character of a specified Base Style beer. After all, the base beer does not usually contain the special ingredient, so the sensory character will not be the same as in the original beer. There can be interactions of flavor that produce additional sensory effects. Entering a beer in a Specialty-Type style is a signal to judges that your beer has certain identifiable elements. If you used an ingredient, but it cannot be perceived, then do not enter it in a style that requires the ingredient. If judges cannot detect it, they will believe it is absent and deduct points accordingly. Judges should also understand that the fermentation process can transform some ingredients (particularly those with fermentable sugars), and that the special ingredient character in the beer may not be perceived the same as the specialty ingredient itself. Therefore, judges should look for the overall agreeability and balance of the resulting combination, as long as the beer suggests both the Base Style and the Specialty-Type Ingredient or process. Judging Specialty-Type Beers Multiple Ingredients Judges should read and understand the directions given to entrants in the Entering Specialty-Type Beers section. Overall balance and drinkability are the critical success factors for a Specialty-Type Beer. The entry should be a coherent fusion of the beer with the special ingredients, with neither overpowering the other. Special ingredients should complement and enhance the underlying beer, and the resulting product should be pleasant to drink. The beer should contain recognizable components meeting entry requirements for the style, bearing in mind that some beers may fit in multiple styles. Judges should be aware that a creative element exists in brewing these styles, and that strange-sounding combinations should not be prejudiced. Keep an open mind because some unusual flavor pairings can be surprisingly delicious. Unusual does not necessarily mean better, however. Taste should always be the final deciding factor, not perceived creativity, difficulty in brewing, or rarity of ingredients. Overall Assessment Experienced judges will often first taste Specialty-Type Beers for overall drinking pleasure prior to assessing details. This quick assessment is designed to detect whether the combination works or doesn’t. If the beer has flavor clashes, it won’t be enjoyable regardless of its technical merit. Judges do not need to taste every individual SpecialtyType Ingredient (such as spices) when multiple are declared. Often it is the resulting combination that contributes to a greater character, so allow for these ingredients to be used in varying intensities to produce a more pleasant tasting experience. Not every beer will fit a style perfectly. Some beers with multiple ingredients could be entered as several styles. Be lenient when evaluating these beers. Reward those beers that are well-made and are pleasant to drink rather than lecturing the entrant about where they should have entered it. If an entrant declares a potential allergen in the beer, do not deduct points if you cannot perceive it. Balance Effects of Specialty-Type Ingredients The Specialty-Type Ingredient character should be pleasant and supportive, not artificial or inappropriately overpowering, taking into account that some ingredients have an inherently prominent character. Aroma hops, fermentation byproducts, and malt components of the underlying beer may not be as noticeable when additional ingredients are present, and they may also be intentionally subdued to allow the ingredient character to be perceived more clearly in the final presentation. Hop aroma may be absent or balanced with the added ingredients, depending on the style. The added ingredients should add an extra complexity to the beer, but not be so prominent as to unbalance the resulting presentation. BJCP Beer Style Guidelines – 2021 Edition 61 28. AMERICAN WILD ALE The name American Wild Ale is commonly used by craft brewers and homebrewers. However, the word Wild does not imply that these beers are necessarily spontaneously-fermented; rather, it indicates that they are influenced by microbes other than traditional brewer’s yeasts, or perhaps that they are mixed-fermentation beers. The use of the word American does not mean that the beer has to be based on a Classic Style American beer style, or that the methods are solely practiced in the United States. Base styles in this category do not have to be Classic Styles at all (although they can be); something like, “blond ale, 7%” would be fine, since the underlying style is often lost under the fermentation character. This category is intended for a wide range of beers that do not fit traditional European sour, wild, or spontaneously-fermented styles. All of the styles in this category are Specialty-Type Beers where many creative interpretations are possible, and the styles are defined only by the use of specific fermentation profiles and ingredients. As specialty styles, the mandatory description provided by the entrant is of the utmost importance to the judge. The styles in this category are differentiated by the types of yeast and bacteria used – see the preamble to each style for more information. We use the conversational shorthand terms used in the brewing industry: Brett for Brettanomyces, Sacch for Saccharomyces, Lacto for Lactobacillus, and Pedio for Pediococcus. See the Glossary for additional information. The
Wild Specialty Beer style is for beers for other styles within this category when Specialty-Type Ingredients are added. Background levels of oak may be used in all styles within this category, but beers aged in other woods with unique flavors or barrels that contained other alcohol products must be entered in the
Wild Specialty Beer style. 28A.
Brett Beer Intended for beer with or without oak aging that has been fermented with Sacch and Brett, or with Brett only. Overall Impression: Most often drier and fruitier than the base style suggests. Fruity or funky notes range from low to high, depending on the age of the beer and strains of Brett used. May possess a light non-lactic acidity. Aroma: Variable by base style. Young Brett beers will possess more fruity notes (e.g., tropical fruit, stone fruit, or citrus), but this is variable by the strains of Brett used. Older Brett beers may start to develop a little funk (e.g., barnyard, wet hay, or slightly earthy or smoky notes), but this character should not dominate. Appearance: Variable by base style. Clarity can be variable, and depends on the base style and ingredients used. Some haze is not necessarily a fault. Flavor: Variable by base style. Brett character may range from minimal to aggressive. Can be quite fruity (e.g., tropical fruit, berry, stone fruit, citrus), or have some smoky, earthy, or barnyard character. Should not be unpleasantly funky, such as Band-Aid, fetid, nail polish remover, cheese, etc. Always fruitier when young, gaining more funk with age. May not be lactic. Malt flavors are often less pronounced than in the base style, leaving a beer most often dry and crisp due to high attenuation by the Brett. Mouthfeel: Variable by base style. Generally has a light body, lighter than what might be expected from the base style but an overly thin body is a fault. Generally moderate to high carbonation. Head retention is variable, but often less than the base style. Comments: The base style describes most of the character of these beers, but the addition of Brett ensures a drier, thinner, and often fruitier and funkier product. Younger versions are brighter and fruitier, while older ones possess more depth of funk and may lose more of the base style character. The Brett character should always meld with the style; these beers should never be a ‘Brett bomb’. While Brett can produce low levels of organic acids, it is not a primary beer souring method. History: Modern American craft beer interpretations of Belgian wild ales, or experimentations inspired by Belgian wild ales or historical English beers with Brett. So-called 100% Brett beers gained popularity after the year 2000, but this was when S. Trois was thought to be a Brett strain (which it isn’t). Brett 62 used in conjunction with a Sacch fermentation is standard practice now. Characteristic Ingredients: Virtually any style of beer (except those already using a Sacch/Brett co-fermentation), then finished with one or more strains of Brett. Alternatively, a mixed fermentation with Sacch and one or more strains of Brett. No Lacto. Style Comparison: Compared to the same beer style without Brett, a
Brett Beer will be drier, more highly attenuated, fruitier, lighter in body, and slightly funkier as it ages. Less sourness and depth than Belgian ‘wild’ ales.