Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale Style
- Color: Pale to copper
- Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt character is low to medium. A complex fruitiness is often present.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium-low to medium-high
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low to medium-high
- Fermentation Characteristics: Low to medium fruity esters are present. Yeast-derived phenolic spicy flavors and aromas should be present at low to medium-low levels. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
- Body: Very low to medium
- Additional notes: These beers are often brewed with light-colored Belgian candy sugar. Herbs and spices are sometimes used to delicately flavor these strong ales. These beers can be malty in overall impression or dry and highly attenuated. They can have a deceptively high alcohol character and a relatively light body for beers of high alcoholic strength. Some versions may be equally high in alcohol with a more medium in body.
Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale Vital Statistics
- Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.064-1.096 (15.7-22.9 °Plato)
- Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.024 (2-6.1 °Plato)
- Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.6%-8.8% (7.1%-11.2%)
- Bitterness (IBU) 20-50
- Color SRM (EBC) 3.5-10(7-20 EBC)
2020 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines used with permission of Brewers Association.