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Styles · International Pale Lager

Beer style · BJCP 2021 2A

International Pale Lager

International Lager

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

Original gravity
1.042–1.050
Final gravity
1.008–1.012
Bitterness
18–25 IBU
Color
2–6 SRM (4–12 EBC)
Alcohol
4.6–6.0 % ABV

What it is

The global lager template, brewed from Mexico to Japan: pale, clean and lightly bitter, with a shade more malt and hop presence than its American cousin. Adjuncts are still common and the finish stays crisp. Judges are looking for freshness and clean attenuation rather than complexity.

Flavor

What a International Pale Lager 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 floral, herbal or spice.

Malt

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

Fermentation

Clean, with room for sulfur.

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 5 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 119 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.