Malt aroma & flavor
Varies depending on intention of brewer
All Origin Hybrid/Mixed Lagers or Ales
Specialty Honey Beer
Mixed / specialty · Very light to black 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
1–100
Pale / strawBlack
Very light to black depending on underlying style · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
2.5–12.0%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
1–100
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 55 · PDF page 64. 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 very high
Perceived bitterness
Very low to very high
Body & mouthfeel
Varies with underlying style
Clarity
Clear to hazy is acceptable
Color
Very light to black depending on underlying style
Fermentation characteristics
Honey Beers may be brewed to a traditional style or may be experimental. Honey Beers incorporate honey as a fermentable sugar in addition to malted barley. Honey character should be present in aroma and flavor but should not be overpowering. Beers which represent various India Pale Ale and Imperial India Pale Ale styles brewed with honey are categorized as Experimental India Pale Ale.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
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 of honey used or other factors which influence perceived sensory outcomes.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.030-1.110 (7.6-25.9 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.006-1.030 (1.5-7.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.0%-9.5% (2.5%-12.0%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 1-100 • Color SRM (EBC) 1-100 (2-200 EBC)