Style Details

Name
Wild Spe­cial­ty Beer
Cate­go­ry
Ame­ri­can Wild Ale
BJCP Style Code
28 C
Appearance
Varia­ble by base style, gene­ral­ly show­ing a color, tint, or hue from any fruit (if used) in both the beer and the head. Cla­ri­ty can be varia­ble; some haze is not a fault. Head reten­ti­on is often poor.
Aro­ma
Varia­ble by base style. Should show the fruit, sour and/or funk of a wild fer­men­ta­ti­on, as well as the cha­rac­te­ristics of the spe­cial ingre­di­ents used. The best examp­les will blend the aro­ma­tics from the fer­men­ta­ti­on with the spe­cial ingre­di­ents, crea­ting an aro­ma that may be dif­fi­cult to attri­bu­te precisely. 
Fla­vour
Varia­ble by base style. Should show the fruit, sour and/or funk of a wild fer­men­ta­ti­on, as well as the cha­rac­te­ristics of the spe­cial ingre­di­ents used. Any fruit sweet­ness is gene­ral­ly gone, so only the esters typi­cal­ly remain from the fruit. The sour cha­rac­ter from the fruit and wild fer­men­ta­ti­on could be pro­mi­nent, but should not be over­whel­ming. The aci­di­ty and tan­nin from any fruit can both enhan­ce the dry­ness of the beer, so care must be taken with the balan­ce. The aci­di­ty should enhan­ce the per­cep­ti­on of the fruit fla­vor, not detract from it. Wood notes, if pre­sent, add fla­vor but should be balanced.
Mouth­feel
Varia­ble by base style. Gene­ral­ly a light body, ligh­ter than what might be expec­ted from the base style. Gene­ral­ly mode­ra­te to high car­bo­na­ti­on; car­bo­na­ti­on should balan­ce the base style if one is declared. The pre­sence of tan­nin from some fruit or wood can pro­vi­de a slight astrin­gen­cy, enhan­ce the body, or make the beer seem drier than it is.
Over­all Impression
A sour and/or fun­ky ver­si­on of a fruit, herb, or spi­ce beer, or a wild beer aged in wood. If wood-aged, the wood should not be the pri­ma­ry or domi­nant character.
Typi­cal Ingredients
Vir­tual­ly any style of beer. Any com­bi­na­ti­on of Sac­ch­aro­my­ces, Brett­anomy­ces, Lac­to­ba­cil­lus, Pedio­coc­cus, or other simi­lar fer­ment­ers. Can also be a blend of styl­es. While cher­ries, raspber­ries, and pea­ches are most com­mon, other fruits can be used as well. Vege­ta­bles with fruit-like cha­rac­te­ristics (chi­le, rhub­arb, pump­kin, etc.) may also be used. Wood or bar­rel aging is very com­mon, but not required.
Histo­ry
Modern Ame­ri­can craft beer inter­pre­ta­ti­ons of Bel­gi­an wild ales, or expe­ri­men­ta­ti­ons inspi­red by Bel­gi­an wild ales.
Comm­ents
A wild beer fea­turing fruit, herbs, spi­ces, or wood based on a style other than lam­bic. Could be ano­ther Clas­sic Style (nor­mal­ly sour or not), or some­thing more gene­ric. The­se beers may be aged in wood, but any wood cha­rac­ter should not be a pri­ma­ry or domi­nant flavor.
Com­mer­cial Examples
Cas­ca­de Bour­bo­nic Pla­gue, Jes­ter King Atri­al Rubici­te, New Bel­gi­um Eric’s Ale, New Gla­rus Bel­gi­an Red, Rus­si­an River Sup­pli­ca­ti­on, The Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme
Ori­gi­nal Gravity
0.000 - 0.000 SG
Final Gra­vi­ty
0.000 - 0.000 SG
Color
0 - 0 SRM
Alco­hol
0.0 - 0.0 %vol
Bit­ter­ness
0 - 0 IBU