North American Origin Lager Styles

Mexican-Style Amber Lager

Lager · Light amber to copper

What to expect

Medium-low to medium-high caramel and bready malt aroma and flavor; light roast and light corn and/or rice flavors may be present.

Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.

Color · SRM

7–15

Pale / strawBlack

Light amber to copper · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.

Explore styles overlapping this color range

Alcohol · ABV

4.0–5.5%

Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.

Bitterness · IBU

12–25

Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.

Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 44 · PDF page 53. Color graphics are illustrative.

The guideline, in detail

Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.

Malt aroma & flavor

Medium-low to medium-high caramel and bready malt aroma and flavor; light roast and light corn and/or rice flavors may be present.

Hop aroma & flavor

None to low with attributes typical of noble-type hops

Perceived bitterness

Very low to low

Body & mouthfeel

Light to medium-light body with light creaminess

Clarity

Appearance should be clear with white head of foam. Chill haze should not be present

Color

Light amber to copper

Fermentation characteristics

Clean fermentation profile; low fruity esters may be present; sulfur may be present at very low levels. Diacetyl should not be present.

Additional guideline notes & competition context

Addition of specialty malts may provide caramel or lightly toasted complexity to malt profile. The presence of corn and/or rice to lighten body may be noticeable. Medium to medium-high carbonation with a dry finish makes these beers very refreshing.

Technical specifications, including gravity

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.045-1.052 (11.1-12.9 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.010-1.012 (2.5-3.1 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.1%-4.4% (4.0%-5.5%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 12-25 • Color SRM (EBC) 7-15 (13-30 EBC)

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