Explore 75+ Beer Styles - CraftBeer.com
Skip to content

Beer Styles

Specialty Beers

Catch-all for any type of beer—ale, lager or otherwise—that does not fit neatly into a historic style set. These beers are often based on classic styles, but with added experimental twists. No ingredient or process should be discounted, but generally speaking, the root style can still be recognized.

  • American Black Ale

    The American black ale is characterized by the perception of caramel malt and dark roasted malt flavor...

    Learn More

    American Black Ale

  • Barrel-Aged Beer

    A wood- or barrel-aged beer is any lager, ale or hybrid beer, either a traditional style or a unique...

    Learn More

    Barrel-Aged Beer

  • Chocolate Beer

    Few flavors are as universally celebrated as chocolate. From ancient civilizations who drank fermented...

    Learn More

    Chocolate Beer

  • Coffee Beer

    If you had to combine two beverages that Americans love, you would have coffee beer. Craft breweries...

    Learn More

    Coffee Beer

  • Fruit and Field Beer

    Fruit beer is made with fruit, or fruit extracts that are added during any portion of the brewing process,...

    Learn More

    Fruit and Field Beer

  • Gluten-Free Craft Beer

    If you are one of the 2 million Americans who suffer from celiac disease, trying craft beers may seem...

    Learn More

    Gluten-Free Craft Beer

  • Herb and Spice Beer

    An herb and spice beer is a lager or ale that contains flavors derived from flowers, roots, seeds or...

    Learn More

    Herb and Spice Beer

  • Honey Beer

    Both lagers and ales can be brewed with honey. Some brewers will choose to experiment with ingredients,...

    Learn More

    Honey Beer

  • Pumpkin Beer

    Nothing says fall quite like pumpkins and beer, and American craft breweries have done a superb job of...

    Learn More

    Pumpkin Beer

  • Rye Beer

    In darker versions, malt flavor can optionally include low roasted malt characters (evident as cocoa/chocolate...

    Learn More

    Rye Beer

  • Session Beer

    Session beer is not defined by flavors or aromas, which can place it in almost any style category. Instead,...

    Learn More

    Session Beer

  • Smoke Beer

    When malt is kilned over an open flame, the smoke flavor becomes infused into the beer, leaving a taste...

    Learn More

    Smoke Beer

  • Specialty Beer

    Ingredients used in the specialty beer style should be distinctive and evident in either the aroma, flavor...

    Learn More

    Specialty Beer