Historical Beer Style
- Color: Varies with underlying style
- Clarity: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
- Perceived Bitterness: Varies with underlying style
- Fermentation Characteristics: Varies with underlying style
- Body: Varies with underlying style
- Additional notes: Beers in this category include established historical beers and/or brewing traditions from any era or part of the world that don’t fit within another beer style defined within these guidelines. Some Historical beers that could fit categories such as Experimental, Herb & Spice, Field Beer, etc. may be categorized as historical beers. This category pays tribute to beers that incorporate unique brewing ingredients and/or techniques that were used in the past. Within the framework of these guidelines, examples of Historical Beers include South American Chicha, Nepalese Chong/Chang, African sorghum-based beers and many others.
When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, brewers may be asked to provide supplemental information about entries in this category to allow for accurate evaluation of diverse entries. Such information might include the underlying beer style(s) upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as ingredients or processing which influence perceived sensory outcomes. Competition organizers may create subcategories which reflect historic beer styles. Evaluations are based on technical skill and overall balance, and factors such as uniqueness, heritage, regional distinction as well as background information about the beer and how well it represents the spirit of the category.
Historical Beer Vital Statistics
- Original Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style
- Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style
- Alcohol by Weight (Volume) Varies with style
- Bitterness (IBU) Varies with style
- Color SRM (EBC) Varies with style
2020 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines used with permission of Brewers Association.
Credit: 2020 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines – Hybrid/Mixed Lagers or Ale – Historical Beer