Malt aroma & flavor
Low to medium malt sweetness. Caramel and chocolate attributes are acceptable. Strong roast barley or strong burnt or black malt character should not be present.
British Origin Ale Styles
Brown Porter
Ale · Dark brown to very dark. May have red tint.
What to expect
Malt character: Low to medium malt sweetness. Hop character: Very low to medium.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
20–35
Pale / strawBlack
Dark brown to very dark. May have red tint. · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
4.4–6.0%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
20–30
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 5 · PDF page 14. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Very low to medium
Perceived bitterness
Medium
Body & mouthfeel
Low to medium
Clarity
Beer color may be too dark to perceive clarity. When clarity is perceivable, chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures.
Color
Dark brown to very dark. May have red tint.
Fermentation characteristics
Fruity esters are acceptable. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at low levels.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.040-1.050 (10-12.4 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.006- 1.014 (1.5-3.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.7% (4.4%-6.0%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 20-30 • Color SRM (EBC) 20-35 (40-70 EBC)