Malt aroma & flavor
Varies depending on intention of brewer, underlying beer style, and intensity of herb or spice aroma attributes
All Origin Hybrid/Mixed Lagers or Ales
Herb and Spice Beer
Mixed / specialty · Varies depending on underlying style
What to expect
Malt, hops, and body depend on the underlying style or ingredients. Read the guideline details for the character that defines this category.
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
Varies depending on 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 54 · PDF page 63. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Not essential but may be present and may be more assertive than herb-spice character
Perceived bitterness
Very low to medium-low. Reduced hop bitterness tends to accentuate herb/spice character.
Body & mouthfeel
Varies with underlying style
Clarity
Clear to hazy is acceptable
Color
Varies depending on underlying style
Fermentation characteristics
Aromas and flavors of individual spices may not always be identifiable
Additional guideline notes & competition context
Herb and Spice beer is any beer brewed with herbs or spices derived from leaves, roots, seeds, fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. and which exhibits herbal or spicy attributes. Herb or spice character can range from subtle to intense. Classifying these beers can be complex. Beers which exhibit herbal or spicy character are considered Herb and Spice Beer. Beers brewed with chili peppers are categorized as Chili Pepper Beer. Beers brewed with or without pumpkin in which herb or spice attributes typical of pumpkin pie dominate are categorized as Pumpkin Spice Beer. When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, 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 herb(s) or spice(s) 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)