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Styles · Australian Sparkling Ale

Beer style · BJCP 2021 12B

Australian Sparkling Ale

Pale Commonwealth Beer

Representative The guidelines publish this style’s ranges per variant or not at all, so these are a representative envelope instead.

Original gravity
1.038–1.050
Final gravity
1.004–1.006
Bitterness
20–35 IBU
Color
4–7 SRM (8–14 EBC)
Alcohol
4.5–6.0 % ABV

What it is

An Australian pale ale traditionally bottle-conditioned, poured lively and slightly hazy once the yeast is roused. Very high attenuation leaves a strikingly dry finish carrying fruity yeast character and moderate hopping. Dryness and effervescence are what define it.

Flavor

What a Australian Sparkling 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

Room for herbal, citrus, floral, spice or earthy/woody.

Malt

Grainy, with room for sweet/honey or bready/biscuit.

Fermentation

Clean and fruity esters.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What Australian Sparkling Ale has classically been brewed with.

Also right on character

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 31 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.

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.