Malt aroma & flavor
Medium-low to medium, exhibiting bready, cracker-like, or other attributes typical of pale malts
North American Origin Lager Styles
American-Style India Pale Lager
Lager · Straw to gold
What to expect
Medium-low to medium, exhibiting bready, cracker-like, or other attributes typical of pale malts
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
2.5–6
Pale / strawBlack
Straw to gold · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
5.6–7.9%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
30–70
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 42 · PDF page 51. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Medium to high with attributes typical of hops of any origin
Perceived bitterness
Medium to high, but not harsh
Body & mouthfeel
Low to medium
Clarity
Hop haze is allowable. Chill haze should not be present
Color
Straw to gold
Fermentation characteristics
Fruity esters range from absent to very low. DMS, acetaldehyde, and diacetyl should not be present.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
This style of beer should exhibit the fresh character of hops. Some versions may be brewed with corn, rice, or other adjunct grains, and may exhibit attributes typical of those adjuncts.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.050-1.065 (12.4-15.9 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.006-1.016 (1.5-4.1 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.4%-6.3% (5.6%-7.9%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 30-70 • Color SRM (EBC)2.5-6 (5-12 EBC)