BJCP · Category 22 · 4 styles
Strong American Ale
Strong American ales share high alcohol, lots of malt body and plenty of American hops. They range from Double IPA, dry and hop-focused, to strong ale and barleywine, maltier and built for aging, and wheatwine rounds out the group by replacing a good share of the barley with wheat.
The 4 Strong American Ale styles
The numbers at a glance
| BJCP style | ABV | Bitterness | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double IPA | 7.5–10.0% | 60–100 IBU | 6–14 SRM |
| American Strong Ale | 6.3–10.0% | 50–100 IBU | 7–18 SRM |
| American Barleywine | 8.0–12.0% | 50–100 IBU | 9–18 SRM |
| Wheatwine | 8.0–12.0% | 30–60 IBU | 6–14 SRM |
How to tell the styles apart
All four sit well above 6%, but each puts the emphasis somewhere different. Double IPA (22A) is the palest (6-14 SRM) and the driest: 7.5-10% alcohol and 60-100 IBU, with hop aroma taking center stage. American Strong Ale (22B) covers 6.3 to 10% and 7 to 18 SRM, with more caramel and toffee and bitterness just as high.
American Barleywine (22C) is the densest, with gravities of 1.080 to 1.120 and 8-12%; it smells of dark fruit, caramel and alcohol, and its hops soften with age. Wheatwine (22D) is just as strong, but it's at least half wheat, with less bitterness (30-60 IBU) and a bread-and-honey profile instead of intense caramel.
Brew it yourself
Which one to brew first
Double IPA (22A) is the most approachable of the four because it's ready in weeks and needs no aging: if you already brew good IPAs, you just scale up the grain, yeast and hops. American Strong Ale (22B) is the next step. Barleywine (22C) and Wheatwine (22D) call for a big starter, a longer boil and months of waiting before you know how they turned out, so it's best to get there with several strong beers already under your belt.
Common mistakes
- Calculating yeast as if it were a normal beer. Above 1.080 you need far more cells, or fermentation stops too early.
- Aerating the wort by just shaking the fermenter for a few seconds. With beers this big, use pure oxygen or a long aeration before you pitch the yeast.
- Fermenting above 22 °C (72 °F) in the first few days. Fermentation generates a lot of its own heat, and you get fusel alcohols that taste hot and harsh.
- Cramming too much grain into a small system and losing efficiency. Adjust the recipe to your real efficiency or make up the gravity with malt extract or sugar.
How to serve them
Double IPA at 7-10 °C (45-50 °F) in a tulip; Strong Ale, Barleywine and Wheatwine warmer, at 10-16 °C (50-61 °F), in a balloon glass or snifter and in small pours. DIPA stands up to spicy food and grilled meats. Barleywine is for blue or aged cheeses, such as Cabrales or an aged Manchego, and for nut desserts; wheatwine pairs with honey or almond cakes.
Frequently asked questions
Which styles make up the Strong American Ale category?
According to the BJCP 2021 guidelines, 4: Double IPA, American Strong Ale, American Barleywine, Wheatwine.
Which is the strongest Strong American Ale style?
American Barleywine, which can reach 12.0% ABV.
Which is the most bitter?
Double IPA, with up to 100 IBUs.
Which is the palest and which is the darkest?
The palest is Double IPA and the darkest is American Barleywine.
Classification and statistics: BJCP category 22 (Strong American Ale), 2021 edition.