Malt aroma & flavor
Low to medium with chocolate, roast, and malt aromas and flavors present.
European Origin Lager Styles
European-Style Dark Lager
Lager · Light brown to dark brown
What to expect
Low to medium with chocolate, roast, and malt aromas and flavors present.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
15–40
Pale / strawBlack
Light brown to dark brown · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
4.8–5.3%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
20–35
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 38 · PDF page 47. 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 low with attributes typical of noble-type hops.
Perceived bitterness
Medium-low to medium-high
Body & mouthfeel
Low to medium-low
Clarity
Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present
Color
Light brown to dark brown
Fermentation characteristics
Fruity esters and diacetyl should not be present.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
These beers offer a fine balance of sweet maltiness and hop bitterness.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.048-1.056 (11.9-13.8 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.014-1.018 (3.6-4.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.8%-4.2% (4.8%-5.3%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 20-35 • Color SRM (EBC) 15-40 (30-78 EBC)