Experimental Beer
Color: Varies with underlying style
Clarity: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Bitterness: Varies with underlying style
Fermentation Characteristics: Experimental beers are any beers that are primarily grain-based and employ unique and unusual techniques and/or ingredients. A minimum of 51% of the fermentable carbohydrates must be derived from malted grains.
The overall uniqueness and creativity of the process and/or ingredients should be considered when evaluating these beers. By definition, beers which represent a combination of two or more existing categories and exhibit distinctive characteristics of each of those categories would also be categorized as Experimental Beers.
Body: Varies with underlying style
Additional Notes:
Uniqueness is the primary consideration when evaluating this category. Within the framework of these guidelines, field, fruit, chocolate, coffee, spice, specialty, wood-aged or other beers that fit within another category should not be categorized as experimental beers.
When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, brewers may be asked to provide supplemental information about entries in this category to allow for accurate evaluation of diverse entries. Such information might include the underlying beer style(s) upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as ingredients or processing which influence perceived sensory outcomes. Competition organizers may create subcategories which reflect groups of entries based on color, hop varieties, microflora, fruit, spices or other ingredients, wood aging, etc.
- Color SRM (EBC): Varies with style
- ABV: Varies with style %
- IBU: Varies with style
- AE - Apparent Extract: Varies with style
- OG - Original Gravity: Varies with style