Classic English-Style Pale Ale

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Location:British
Category:Ale
BJCP Comparable Category:12A - British Golden Ale

Beer Style Description

This is the description of how the Classic English-Style Pale Ale style of beer should taste, feel and look. However, there may be perfectly fine beers in this style that fall outside of these ranges and descriptions. This information is just to show the most commonly accepted ranges for the Classic English-Style Pale Ale beer style.

  • Color: Gold to copper
  • Body: Medium
  • Malt Flavors & Aromas: Low to medium malt aroma and flavor is present. Low caramel character is allowable.
  • Hop Flavors & Aromas: Medium-low to medium-high, expressed as floral, herbal, earthy, stone fruit or other attributes. While English hop character should be present, this can result from the skillful use of hops of other origin.
  • IBUs/Bitterness: Medium-low to medium-high
  • Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are medium to medium-high. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
  • Common Ingredients: Low-color pale or lager malt acting as a blank canvas for the hop character. May use sugar adjuncts, corn or wheat. English hops frequently used, although citrusy American varietals are becoming more common. Somewhat clean-fermenting British yeast.
  • Commercial Examples: Crouch Vale Brewers Gold, Fuller's Discovery, Golden Hill Exmoor Gold, Hop Back Summer Lightning, Kelham Island Pale Rider, Morland Old Golden Hen, Oakham JHB

Brewing Properties of Classic English-Style Pale Ale

These are the functional brewing properties of Classic English-Style Pale Ale beers, as descided by the Brewers Association. These guidelines reflect, as accurately as possible, the historical significance, authenticity or a common profile in the current commercial beer market.

ABV
The alcohol by volume is shows the amount of alcohol this style of beer should have.
4.4 - 5.3%
Bitterness
The International Bittering Units (IBU) scale is used to approximately quantify the actual (not perceived) bitterness of beer.
20 - 40 IBUs
SRM
SRM is a scale for measuring the color intensity of a beer. Low SRM grains impart a pale straw color while higher values mean it will add a darker color to the wort. Learn more »
–
5 - 12 SRM
(10 - 24 EBC)
Original Gravity
Original Gravity (OG) is a measure of the sugar content in the wort before alcoholic fermentation has started to produce the beer.
1.040 - 1.056
Final Gravity
The Final Gravity (FG) is how much sugar is left over in the beer when fermentation is complete.
1.008 - 1.016

If you see an error in our data, please let us know!

Based on Brewers Association 2020 Beer Style Guidelines with changes. Used with permission of Brewer's Association.