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All About Beer
  • Support All About Beer
  • Articles
    • Magazine Archives
    • Beyond Beer
    • What’s Brewing
    • In The Brewhouse
    • Appreciation
    • Blogs
      • John Holl
      • Acitelli on History
    • Brewing
      • Brewing Chemistry
      • Brewing Features
      • Brewstyles
      • Ingredients
    • Culture
    • Food
    • History
    • Home Brewing
      • Brewing Instructions
      • Equipment
      • Homebrewing Features
    • People
      • It’s My Round
      • Beer Enthusiast
      • In The Barrel
      • People Features
      • Pull Up A Stool
      • The Beer Curmudgeon
      • In The Brewhouse
      • Visiting the Pub
      • Behind the Bar
    • Styles
      • Stylistically Speaking
      • Your Next Beer
    • Travel
      • Beer Travelers
      • A Closer Look
      • Beer Weekend
  • About
  • Podcasts
    • All About Beer Podcast
    • The Beer Travelers Podcast
    • Brewer To Brewer Podcast
    • Drink Beer, Think Beer Podcast
  • Reviews
    • Beer Talk
    • Book Reviews
    • Staff Reviews
    • Buyer’s Guide for Beer Lovers
  • Learn
    • What is Beer?
      • Water
      • Malt
      • Hops
      • Yeast
    • Styles
      • Lagers
      • British and North American Ales
      • Belgian and Continental Ales
      • Wheat Ales
      • Stouts and Porters
      • Seasonal and Specialty
    • Glossary
    • Educational
      • Photos
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All About Beer

Specialty beer

This category is, practically speaking, a catchall tasting for beers that don’t fit neatly in an existing category. However, if enthusiasm for a particular innovation grows, an emerging style may come to warrant its own, new category, as was the case for the Imperial IPA or Barrel-Aged categories. Simply put, Specialty Beers may be flavored with or affected by unusual ingredients (ginger, chipotle peppers) or fermentation agents (Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus), or brewed with unusual fermentables (buckwheat, sweet potatoes, maple syrup). In addition, the base beer may be related to almost any classic beer style. Given the variation possible in this category, there are no established standards for appearance, aroma or flavor. Instead, judges look for a pleasing combination of the beer’s elements, and overall drinkability.

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All About Beer offers engaging and in-depth articles and interviews covering every aspect of brewing, from the process and ingredients to styles, trends, recipes, business, and the social pleasures of drinking.

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