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2026 U.S. Open Beer Pale Ale Categories
Pale Ales
1: English Pale Ale
2: American Pale Ale
3: American Strong Pale Ale
4: International Style Pale Ale
5: Australian-Style Pale Ale
6: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
7: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
8: Specialty Pale Ale
9: Single Hop Pale Ale

—– IPAs —–
10: English India Pale Ale/IPA
11: Imperial India Pale Ale
12: Triple IPA
13: American India Pale Ale/IPA
14: Light IPA/Session IPA
15: Brut IPA
16: Fruit IPA
17: West Coast Style IPA
18: New Zealand IPA
19: New England/Juicy/Hazy IPA
20: New England/Juicy/Hazy DIPA
21: Experimental IPA
22: Milkshake IPA
23: Single Hop IPA
24: NEW – Cold IPA

—– Stouts —–
25: Classic Irish Dry Stout
26: Foreign Stout
27: American Stout
28: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
29: Oatmeal Stout
30: Russian/British Imperial Stout
31: American Imperial Stout
32: Imperial Stout Specialty
33: Pastry Stout – Subcategories Available
34: Golden Stout
35: Breakfast Stout

—– Ales —–
36: Golden or Blonde Ale
37: English Summer Ale
38: Bitter – Subcategories Available
39: ESB – Extra Special Bitter
40: English Mild Ale
41: English Brown Ale – Subcategories Available
42: Strong/Imperial Brown Ale
43: Brown Porter
44: Robust Porter
45: Imperial Porter
46: Old Ale / Strong Ale – Subcategories Available
47: English Barley Wine Ale
48: American Barley Wine Ale/Wheat Wine Ale – Subcategories Available
49: Scottish Ale – Subcategories Available
50: Strong Scotch Ale – Subcategories Available
51: Irish Red Ale
52: American Amber/Red Ale
53: Imperial Red Ale
54: American Brown Ale
55: American Black Ale / Black IPA
56: German Altbier
57: German Kölsch
58: German Wheat Ale – Subcategories Available
59: German Hefeweizen
60: French and Belgian Saison
61: Belgian Pale Ale
62: Belgian and French Ale – Subcategories Available
63: Belgian Dubbel
64: Belgian Tripel
65: Belgian Quadruple
66: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – Subcategories Available
67: Belgian Lambic and Miscellaneous Sours – Subcategories Available
68: Belgian Witbier
69: Berliner Weisse
70: Leipzig-Style Gose
71: Fruit Gose
72: Contemporary Gose
73: Other Kettle Sours
74: Smoothie Sours

—– Lagers —–
75: Light Lager – Subcategories Available
76: American-Style Lager/Pilsener – Subcategories Available
77: American Premium Lager
78: American Amber Lager
79: California Common Beer
80: Bohemian-Style Pilsener
81: German-Style Pilsener
82: International Style Pilsner – Subcategories Available
83: West Coast-Style Pilsner
84: Mexican Lager – Subcategories Available
85: Munich-Style Helles
86: Munich-Style Dunkel
87: German-Style Maerzen/Oktoberfest – Subcategories Available
88: Vienna-Style Lager
89: German-Style Schwarzbier
90: Traditional German-Style Bock
91: German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock
92: Strong Bock – Subcategories Available
93: Baltic-Style Porter
94: India Pale Lager
95: Dortmunder/European-Style Export
96: Dark Lager – Subcategories Available

—– Hybrids —–
97: American Cream Ale
98: American-Style Wheat Beer
99: American Specialty Wheat – Subcategories Available
100: American-Style Fruit Beer – Subcategories Available
101: Fruit Wheat Beer – Subcategories Available
102: Belgian Style Fruit Beer
103: Field Beer
104: Pumpkin – Subcategories Available
105: Coconut Beer
106: Herb and Spice Beer
107: Chili Pepper Beer
108: Chocolate or Cocoa Beer
109: Coffee Beer – Subcategories Available
110: Rye Beer
111: Smoke Beer
112: Specialty Honey Beer

—– Barrel Aged Beers —–
113: Barrel Aged Pale Beer
114: Barrel Aged Dark Beer
115: Barrel Aged Strong Beer
116: Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter
117: Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter-Extreme (Over 12.50% ABV)
118: Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter Specialty
119: Barrel-Aged Pastry Stout
120: Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
121: Barrel-Aged Fruited Sour Beer
122: Wood/Barrel-Aged Fruit Beer
123: Wood/Barrel-Aged Strong Scotch Ale
124: Barrel-Aged Barley Wine – Subcategories Available
125: Barrel-Aged Quad/Belgian Dark Ale
126: Blended Barrel-Aged Beer
127: Spirits(non-whiskey) Barrel Aged Beer – Subcategories Available
128: Wine Barrel Aged – Subcategories Available
129: Barrel-Aged German Lager – Subcategories Available
130: Foeders and Cask Aged Beer

—– Specialty —–
131: Aged Beer
132: Experimental Beer
133: Specialty Beer/Anything Goes
134:  American-Belgo-Style Ale
135: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
136: Brett Beer – Subcategories Available
137: Gluten-Free Beer
138: Session Beer
139: Near Gluten Free/Gluten Reduced
140: Peanut/Peanut Butter
141: Nut
142:Tea Beer
143: Historical Beer – Subcategories Available
144: Extreme Beer – 15%ABV +

—– Charity —–
Category(All fees to the Pink Boots Scholarship Fund)
145: Pink Boots Hop Blend

—– Collaboration —–
146: Collaboration Beer (2+Breweries, any style)

—– Non-Alcoholic —–
147: Root Beer
148: Non Alcoholic IPA
149: Non Alcoholic Stout
150: Non Alcoholic Fruit & Spices
151: Non Alcoholic Lager
152: Non Alcoholic Golden/Blonde Ale
153: Non Alcoholic Amber Ale
154: Non Alcoholic Belgian Ale
155: Non Alcoholic Wheat Ale
156: Non Alcoholic Hop Water