Dark Ales

from AHA internet for 1996

http://www.csn.net/aob/styles.html

4. Mild and Brown Ale

c) English Brown

Range from deep copper to brown in color. They have a medium body, and a dry to sweet maltiness dominates with very little hop flavor or aroma. Fruity-ester flavors are appropriate. Diacetyl should be very low, if evident. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

d) American Brown

Range from deep copper to brown in color. Evident hop aroma and increased bitterness. They have medium body. Estery and fruity-ester characters should be subdued, and diacetyl should not be perceived. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

9. Porter

a) Porter

Porters are medium to dark brown (may have red tint) in color. Porters range in flavor from bitter to sweet. The dark color comes from the use of black or roasted malt rather than the roasted barley featured in stouts. The roast malt flavor and aroma character should be evident and can vary from an assertively strong (but not astringent) character to suggestively mild. This is a medium-bodied beer. Fruity esters should be evident and in proportional balance with roast malt and hop bitterness character. Hop flavor and aroma may vary from being negligible to medium in character.

11. Stout

a) Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout

Dry stouts have an initial malt and caramel flavor profile with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Dry stouts achieve a dry-roasted character through the use of roasted barley. Some slight acidity may be perceived, but is not necessary. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. Dry stouts have medium body. Fruity esters are minimal and overshadowed by malt, hop bitterness and roasted barley character. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be very low or not perceived. Head retention and rich character should be part of its visual character.

b) Foreign-Style Stout

Foreign-style stouts have an initial malt sweetness and caramel flavor with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Some slight acidity is permissible and a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel is appropriate. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. The perception of fruity esters is low. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be negligible or not perceived. Head retention is excellent.

c) Sweet Stout

Sweet stouts, also referred as to cream stouts, have less roasted bitter flavor and more full-bodied mouthfeel than dry stouts. The style can be given more body with milk sugar (lactose) before bottling. Malt sweetness, chocolate and caramel flavor should dominate the

flavor profile. Hops should balance sweetness without contributing apparent flavor or aroma.

d) Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal stouts typically include oatmeal in their grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor and smooth profile that is rich without being grainy. Roasted malt character of caramel and chocolate should be evident, smooth and not bitter. Bitterness is moderate -- not high. Hop flavor and aroma are optional, but should not overpower the overall balance. This is a medium- to full-bodied beer with minimal fruity esters.

e) Imperial Stout

Dark copper to very black, imperial stouts typically have alcohol contents exceeding 8 percent. The extremely rich malty flavor and aroma is balanced with assertive hopping and fruity-ester characteristics. Perceived bitterness can be moderate, balanced with malt character, to very high in the darker versions. Roasted malt astringency and bitterness can be perceived moderately, but should not overwhelm the overall character. Hop aroma can be subtle to overwhelmingly floral. Diacetyl (butterscotch) levels should be very low.