American-Style Fruit Beer

Notes

Fruit aromas, ranging from subtle to intense, should be present and should not be overpowered by hop aromas. Fruit or fruit extracts, used as an adjunct in either the mash, kettle, primary or secondary fermentation, provide harmonious fruit character ranging from subtle to intense. Some beers may fit into this category if they contain fruity adjuncts but no actual fruit (i.e. Hibiscus or similar ingredients that impart a fruity flavor). Within the framework of these guidelines, coconut is defined as a vegetable, and a beer containing coconut is categorized as Field Beer. Likewise beers containing chili peppers are categorized as Chili Beer. Fruit beers fermented with Belgian yeast (Wit, Abbey, Farmhouse, Saison, or Brettanomyces ) should be categorized as Belgian-Style Fruit Beers, or possibly as fruited Brett Beers. Fruit Beers with 30%+ wheat are categorized as Fruit Wheat Beers. All of the various IPA styles brewed with Fruit are categorized as Experimental IPA. All fruited Sour Beers are categorized elsewhere. All fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged beers (sour or not) are categorized elsewhere. 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 upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as fruit(s) used or processing which influence perceived sensory outcomes.