BA updates beer style guidelines

Imperial porter and American-style India black ale are two of the four new listings you'll find in the Brewers Association's annual update of beer style guidelines.

The guidelines now describe 140 different styles of beer, and the folks at the Colorado-based craft beer industry trade group say the 2010 update, which also added Belgian-style Quadruple and Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager, reflects the emerging popularity of these beers in the U.S. and other beer-drinking countries.

Amongst New Jersey brewers, Flying Fish and Iron Hill have turned out notable interpretations of imperial porter and India black ale, respectively.

Flying Fish opened its doors in 1996 with a bottle-conditioned session porter that it ultimately dropped from the lineup. When the Cherry Hill brewery returned porter to its offerings (as a winter-early spring seasonal) three years ago, it was with an amped-up, esspresso-infused version that clocks in at 8 percent ABV.

Iron Hill christened its new Maple Shade location in July 2009 with Black India Pale Ale on it taps. The brewpub's take on the style is a malty, roasty beer at 7 percent ABV that will put hops on your palate and in your nose.

Iron Hill was perhaps the first brewer to bring the style to New Jersey, but the folks at Basil T's in Red Bank recently mentioned they planning to take a turn at an India black ale.