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Styles · American Strong Ale

Beer style · BJCP 2021 22B

American Strong Ale

Strong American Ale

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.062–1.090
Final gravity
1.014–1.024
Bitterness
50–100 IBU
Color
7–19 SRM (14–37 EBC)
Alcohol
6.3–10.0 % ABV

What it is

A strong, hop-heavy American ale with more caramel and toasty malt depth than a double IPA, and a correspondingly fuller finish. It covers the "big hoppy amber ale" territory that does not fit the IPA or barleywine boxes.

Flavor

What a American Strong Ale should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Citrus and resin/pine, with room for tropical, floral, earthy/woody or herbal.

Malt

Grainy and caramel, with room for bready/biscuit, toasty, dark fruit or sweet/honey.

Fermentation

Clean, with room for fruity esters.

Hops that suit it

Varieties whose loudest notes all sit on this style’s hop wheel, best fit first. How much to use is the recipe’s question; these are the ones that taste right.

And 44 more hops whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

And 102 more yeasts whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.