BJCP 30A · Spiced Beer
Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
A base style with spices, herbs or vegetables that should come through and fit in. Chile beers and coffee beers also go here.
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 Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer is like
A beer in which the spices, herbs or vegetables are clearly noticeable without covering up the base. It should come across as a beer with a special touch, not an herbal tea.
Appearance
That of the base; some ingredients can shift the color a bit or add haze.
Aroma
The added ingredient, recognizable and natural, alongside the aroma of the base style. Spices shouldn't smell like perfume or medicine.
Flavor
Base and addition in balance. Some ingredients, such as chile or ginger, add heat; others add bitterness or herbal notes. No harsh aftertastes.
Mouthfeel
Depends on the base, with whatever heat or warmth the ingredient brings.
Where Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer comes from
Before hops took over, beer was flavored with blends of herbs and spices. Today craft beer has brought the idea back with all kinds of ingredients.
Ingredients
A base style and one or more spices, herbs or vegetables. The BJCP puts chile, coffee, tea and chocolate here when they aren't used in a base style that already calls for them.
Brew it yourself
How to brew Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer at home
Add the spices late in the boil or as a dry addition during fermentation, and if you're unsure about the amount, make a vodka tincture and dose it at bottling after tasting. Be very careful with chile: the heat builds over time. You have to state the base and the ingredients; judges look for them to be recognizable and for the beer to stay pleasant to drink.
Food pairing
Mild curry, tacos and fresh cheese with herbs.
Glassware: Teku glass, a tasting glass that works with almost any style.
Frequently asked questions
What food pairs well with Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer?
Mild curry, tacos and fresh cheese with herbs.
Which styles are similar?
If you like it, also try Specialty Spice Beer, Fruit and Spice Beer and Witbier.
If you like Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer, try these
Classification and statistics: official Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer guidelines from the BJCP, 2021 edition. Original text by Hacer Cerveza Casera.