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International Lager / 2C

International Dark Lager

Unfiltered BJCP Styles Style Profile

This BJCP record is outside the Certified Cicerone® Level 2 beer-style list and is included for Advanced Cicerone® review.

Certification exam alignment
Advanced Cicerone® BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Exam
Source
BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines

Overall Impression

A darker, richer, and somewhat sweeter version of international pale lager with a little more body and flavor, but equally restrained in bitterness. The low bitterness leaves the malt as the primary flavor element, and the low hop levels provide very little in the way of balance.

Aroma

Faint malt aroma. Medium-low roast and caramel malt aroma optional. Light spicy, herbal, or floral hop aroma optional. Clean fermentation profile.

Appearance

Deep amber to very dark brown with bright clarity and ruby highlights. Foam stand may not be long lasting, and is beige to light tan in color.

Flavor

Low to medium sweet maltiness. Medium-low caramel or roasted malt flavors optional, possibly with hints of coffee, molasses, brown sugar, or cocoa. Low floral, spicy, or herbal hop flavor optional. Low to medium bitterness. May have a very light fruitiness. Moderately crisp finish. The balance is typically somewhat malty. Burnt or moderately strong roasted malt flavors are inappropriate.

Mouthfeel

Light to medium-light body. Smooth with a light creaminess. Medium to high carbonation.

Comments

A broad range of international lagers that are darker than pale, and not assertively bitter or roasted.

Characteristic Ingredients

Two- or six-row barley with corn, rice, or sugars adjuncts. Light use of caramel and darker roasted malts. Commercial versions may use coloring agents.

Style Comparison

Less flavor and richness than Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier, or other dark lagers. Frequently uses adjuncts, as is typical of other International Lagers.

Vital Statistics

IBU
8 - 20
SRM
14 - 30
OG
1.044 - 1.056
FG
1.008 - 1.012
ABV
4.2% - 6%

Commercial Examples

  • Baltika #4 Original
  • Dixie Blackened Voodoo
  • Heineken Dark Lager
  • Saint Pauli Girl Dark
  • San Miguel Dark
  • Shiner Bock

Style Attributes

bottom-fermented dark-color dark-lager-family lagered malty standard-strength traditional-style

Similar Styles: How to Tell Them Apart

Use these guideline-based sensory contrasts to organize comparative tasting practice.

These clean dark lagers can show caramel, toast, chocolate, or coffee without burnt harshness. International Dark Lager is light and simple, Munich Dunkel is deeply bready and malt-centric without roast, and Czech Dark Lager is the richest and most variable in roast, fruit, hops, and malt complexity.

Compare with: 3D. Czech Dark Lager; 8A. Munich Dunkel

By aroma

  • International Dark Lager has only faint malt with optional medium-low caramel or roast, far less rich than Munich Dunkel or Czech Dark Lager.
  • Hints of coffee, cocoa, molasses, or brown sugar may appear, but strong roast or burnt character is inappropriate.
  • Its clean, restrained aroma lacks Czech Dark Lager's possible dark fruit, diacetyl, and stronger spicy hops.

By taste

  • International Dark Lager is light to medium-light in body with simple low to medium sweet malt and restrained bitterness.
  • It has less flavor and richness than Munich Dunkel and much less deep complexity than Czech Dark Lager, often with an adjunct-like impression.
  • A moderately crisp finish and relatively high carbonation keep it lighter than the soft, fuller palates of the other two.

Quick tell: A light, simple, crisp dark lager with modest caramel or roast is International Dark Lager.

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