Malt aroma & flavor
Medium-low to medium-high malt sweetness balanced with cocoa flavors and aromas
All Origin Hybrid/Mixed Lagers or Ales
Chocolate or Cocoa Beer
Mixed / specialty · Can range from pale to very dark depending on the underlying style
What to expect
Medium-low to medium-high malt sweetness balanced with cocoa flavors and aromas
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
Varies with style
Varies with style. No numeric color range is assigned.
Pale / strawBlack
Can range from pale to very dark depending on the underlying style · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Return to color discoveryAlcohol · ABV
Varies with style
No numeric range is specified.
Bitterness · IBU
Varies with style
No numeric range is specified.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 52 · PDF page 61. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Hop aroma may vary based on underlying style and often may be lower than is designated for underlying style allowing chocolate to contribute to the flavor profile without becoming excessively bitter.
Perceived bitterness
Very low to medium-low
Body & mouthfeel
Varies with underlying style
Clarity
Clear to hazy is acceptable
Color
Can range from pale to very dark depending on the underlying style
Fermentation characteristics
Typical of underlying beer style. Attributes derived from chocolate or cocoa should be apparent in all such beers, ranging from subtle to intense, and in harmony with the overall flavor profile of the beer.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
Chocolate Beers are beers of any classic style which incorporate dark chocolate or cocoa in any form. Beers made with white chocolate do not typify this category; however, beers which clearly exhibit attributes typical of white chocolate could be categorized as chocolate beer. When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, competition organizers may create categories which reflect groups of chocolate beers based on underlying beer style or other factors. Brewers may be asked to provide supplemental information about entries in this category to allow for accurate evaluation of diverse entries. Such information might include the underlying beer style upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as type or form of chocolate used or other factors which influence perceived sensory outcomes.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) Varies with style • Hop Bitterness (IBU) Varies with style • Color SRM (EBC)