BJCP 31A · Alternative Fermentables Beer
Alternative Grain Beer
A base style with an unusual grain, such as rye, oats, buckwheat or sorghum, whose character should come through. Gluten-free beers are included.
This is a specialty category, so it has no numbers of its own. Gravity, bitterness, color and alcohol are those of the base style you choose, plus whatever the special ingredient or process adds.
What Alternative Grain Beer is like
A beer in which a grain other than the ones usual for the base style adds recognizable flavor or texture. It can also be a gluten-free beer made with alternative grains.
Appearance
That of the base; some grains can add haze or shift the color a bit.
Aroma
That of the base with a touch of the grain: spicy with rye, earthy with buckwheat, cereal-like with oats.
Flavor
The base style modified by the alternative grain, which should be recognizable. Sorghum can give a sour or metallic edge that needs to be kept in check.
Mouthfeel
Depends on the grain: oats and rye add body and creaminess; rice and corn lighten it.
Where Alternative Grain Beer comes from
Beer has been brewed with almost every grain, depending on the place and the era. The modern category groups those uses together with gluten-free beers.
Ingredients
A base style and one or more grains such as rye, oats, spelt, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, sorghum or rice. Styles in which that grain is already normal, such as Roggenbier or Oatmeal Stout, go in their own category.
Brew it yourself
How to brew Alternative Grain Beer at home
Many huskless grains gum up the mash: add rice hulls and do a rest at about 40 °C (104 °F) if you're using a lot of rye or oats. Unmalted grains need enzymes from other malts or added enzymes. You have to state the base and the grain; judges look for the grain to come through and for the beer to stay balanced.
Food pairing
Rye bread, mushroom dishes and grilled meats.
Glassware: Teku glass, a tasting glass that works with almost any style.
Frequently asked questions
What food pairs well with Alternative Grain Beer?
Rye bread, mushroom dishes and grilled meats.
Which styles are similar?
If you like it, also try Roggenbier, Rye IPA and Oatmeal Stout.
If you like Alternative Grain Beer, try these
Classification and statistics: official Alternative Grain Beer guidelines from the BJCP, 2021 edition. Original text by Hacer Cerveza Casera.