BJCP · Category 30 · 4 styles
Spiced Beer
Beers with spices, herbs or vegetables added to a base style. Besides the general category, there are two seasonals with their own character, an autumn one with pumpkin and a winter one, plus a specialty category for when spices are combined with other ingredients or processes.
The 4 Spiced Beer styles
The numbers at a glance
| BJCP style | ABV | Bitterness | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | per base style | per base style | per base style |
| Autumn Seasonal Beer | per base style | per base style | per base style |
| Winter Seasonal Beer | per base style | per base style | per base style |
| Specialty Spice Beer | per base style | per base style | per base style |
How to tell the styles apart
All four start from a base style, and what changes is the type of addition and its intent. Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (30A) is the open category: any spice, herb or vegetable, including chile peppers and coffee, as long as it's recognizable and fits the base.
The two seasonals have a more fixed profile. Autumn Seasonal Beer (30B) is amber or copper, often with pumpkin, and uses pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or clove. Winter Seasonal Beer (30C) tends to be darker, stronger and maltier, made for Christmas, with spices, nuts or honey. Specialty Spice Beer (30D) is reserved for when another ingredient or process joins the spices, such as special sugars, and each element should be distinguishable.
Brew it yourself
Which one to brew first
Start with a Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (30A) with a single spice on a simple base, for example ginger in a Blonde Ale or vanilla in a porter. With just one addition you learn how to dose it and to recognize when you've overdone it. Winter Seasonal Beer (30C) is more demanding: higher alcohol, several spices that have to work together and a few weeks of conditioning for them to blend.
Common mistakes
- Dosing spices from someone else's recipe without tasting. Intensity varies a lot with freshness and origin; start low and adjust with a tincture at bottling.
- Adding the spices at the start of the boil. Long heating destroys their aromas and can extract bitterness; add them in the last few minutes or cold-side.
- Being heavy-handed with clove in an autumn seasonal. It's the first spice to take over and it tastes medicinal; even small doses come through.
- Choosing a very hoppy base for a spiced beer. The hops compete with the spices and the result is muddled; malty bases with moderate bitterness work better.
How to serve them
Autumn and winter beers at 10-14 °C (50-57 °F) in a balloon glass, so the malt and spices open up. 30A beers depend on the base, generally 6-10 °C (43-50 °F). Pumpkin beer goes with roast turkey, pumpkin soup or apple pie. The winter beer pairs with nougat, holiday cookies, braised meats and aged cheeses; one with chile, with Mexican food.
Frequently asked questions
Which styles make up the Spiced Beer category?
According to the BJCP 2021 guidelines, 4: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer, Autumn Seasonal Beer, Winter Seasonal Beer, Specialty Spice Beer.
Classification and statistics: BJCP category 30 (Spiced Beer), 2021 edition.