At the 2014 National Homebrewers Conference, Chair of the Style Guidelines committee and BJCP President Gordon Strong presented to a packed room a presentation on the 2014 BJCP Style Guidelines.

Strong began the presentation explaining the purpose for updating the style guidelines was that the guidelines had not seen a major update since 2004, noting the 2008 guidelines were more of a minor revisions. He also noted that the way in which the guidelines are being used internationally also played a role in the need for revision and updating. Within the United States, there have been a number of new styles that have been created since 2004, and there have also been a growing interest in reviving historical styles, brewing them, and entering them in homebrew competitions. Another motivating factor was changing examples of the styles, new ingredients being used across all styles, including new hop types, as well as new research and references being done on the styles included within the guidelines. He also noted that Competition Organizers have asked for revision because of the growing number of beers being entered into the Specialty category.

In explaining the goals and objectives for the new guidelines, he included expanding guidelines to include more popular styles; better reflecting world beer styles; helping competition organizers to better manage the complexity of entries; reducing the potential for misusing and misunderstanding the guidelines; reducing ingredient-based descriptors; splitting confusing styles with multiple variants; and making the guidelines easier to update in the future.

Strong was clear that the guidelines are just guidelines, and that competition organizers are free to organize competitions as they see fit, and don't necessarily have to award entrants based upon the categories or subcategories. He also noted that there is no historical or geographical association implied by the organizational structure of the guidelines, and that competition categories don't have eto be the same as style categories. He also noted that updates to the guidelines have significant effects across not only exams, but also competitions, software, and even products created to product beer that reference the style guideline category and subcategory numbers.

Style descriptions have been updated from the 2008 guidelines as well. The aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel sections have been updated with a focus on perception by the BJCP judge, not the ingredients included or the process used in making the beer, cider, or mead. The overall impression section has been expanded, and refined to be more "consumer-focused," as Strong noted. The comments section is used to include interesting facts and non-perception based comments. The history section of each style description has been shortened to be briefer, but also clarified to be better defined. The characteristic ingredients section includes notes that are important and that define the style, but are not supposed to be a recipe. The style comparison section explains how the style differs from other styles. The entry instructions section includes what's required by an entrant to a competition to be included when entering a beer, cider, or mead in the style category. The vital stats section has been updated with more recent information on the statistics of the beer, cider, or mead. Finally, the commercial examples section has, generally, been reduced in number and focused upon more widely available examples.

The mead and cider sections of the 2008 style guidelines included a primer on mead and cider, as well as common attributes and a glossary of terms. Strong noted that the beer section did not include this, and that the 2014 style guidelines do. Within the guidelines are an introduction on how beer styles are organized and categorized, the common attributes of all beer styles with some assumptions across all styles. There is also a glossary of terms related to beer. Also included within the guidance is a section on how to use the style guidelines, noting that the guidelines are just that -- guidelines, not specifications, as well as instructions on how not to misuse the guidelines.

Within the 2014 style guidelines is a new Historical category, which doesn't include specific sub-categories, but does include write-ups on several historical beers, such as Gose, Grodziskie, Lichtenainer, Sahti, Kentucky Common, and Pre-Prohibition Porter. Some styles within the 2008 guidelines, such as Classic American Pilsner, Roggenbier, and Southern English Brown Ale, are being moved to the Historical Category and being renamed due to the very few breweries that are currently producing these styles.

A new American Wild Ale category has been created, and includes Brett Beer, Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer, and Soured Fruit Beer. A base style must be specified when entering beers in a competition in the American Wild Ale category. Strong noted that a good reference for the category is the new American Sour Beers book written by Michael Tonsmeire, and published by Brewers Publications.

The 2014 guidelines also include new styles that have not been included in prior editions of the guidelines but have become increasingly popular in homebrew competitions. Examples of these new styles include German Leichtbier, Trappist Single, English Golden Ale or "Summer Ale", Australian Sparkling Ale, American Strong Ale, Wheatwine, International Pale Lager, International Amber Lager, and the Munich and Franconian variants of Kellerbier.

Because of the growing diversity of IPAs in recent years, IPA were broken out into a new Specialty IPA category, which includes write-ups for Black IPA, Brown IPA, Red IPA, White IPA, Belgian IPA, Rye IPA, or others. Also included in this category is the ability to specify a strength, such as session, standard, or double. Combinations may be allowed within competitions as well, such as a "Double Black Rye IPA." It should be noted that this category was put into place because of the ever-changing nature of IPAs in recent years and their impact to changing numbering schemes within the style guidelines.

Significant changes have been made to styles from the 2008 style guidelines due to feedback gathered through the last 6 years. Within the Premium American Lager category, some styles were combined with the Standard American Lager, while others were moved to the International Pale Lager category. The Oktoberfest category is being modified to include two separate styles: the amber-colored beer has been renamed to Marzen and gold-colored examples are now known as Festbier, which represents what most German brewers are producing for Oktoberfest now. Rye is being removed from the American Wheat or Rye category due to the way it has been misused when entering competitions. It has been moved to a new Alternative Grains specialty category. Scottish 60/- and Scottish 70/- have been combined into "Scottish Light" and Scottish 80/- has been renamed "Scottish Heavy." Strong noted that this is because this is how the beers are referred to in Scotland and most of Europe.

Northern English Brown Ale has been expanded and not reflective of simply Newcastle. Dry Stout has been split into two styles: Irish Stout and Irish Extra Stout due to the alcohol percentage of each beer. Tropical Stout has been split from Foreign Extra Stout due to similar differences between the styles. Weizenbock has been updated by allowing golden versions, such as dopplebock. Fruit lambic has been changed because a varying level of sweetness and a varying level of carbonation. Old Ale has been changed to be more reflective of how the English regard Old Ale, more like English Strong Ale.

Many many styles have been renamed due to confusion or inconsistency throughout the 2008 guidelines. These are due to feedback from competition organizers as well as how the industry refers to specific beers.

The Specialty category, which has seen a surge in most competitions, has been updated and altered to include some seasonal beer styles, as well as alternative grain beers, honey beers, smoked beers, and wood aged beers. Specialty Beer category has been refined to include Clone Beers, Mixed Style Beers, and Experimental Beers.

Meads have been broken out into four categories: traditional, fruit, spiced, and specialty. The guidelines have been updated as well for all these categories and sub-categories.

The Common Cider subcategory has been renamed to "New World", and Ice Cider and Cider with Herbs/Spices have been added to the Specialty Cider and Perry category.

The organization for the new guidelines has been altered as well and aligned more to how the guidelines are used in competitions, not for educational purposes. One example is to organize to avoid judging big beers with lower alcohol beers.

Strong noted that the draft version of the guidelines would be released shortly after his presentation, and that there would be a 1-2 month comment period on the BJCP forums. Comments were collected, reviewed, and some were worked into the final version of the guidelines. Once final, the individual competitions would be expected to use the 2014 guidelines going forward. Strong noted that the exam pool as well as the online exam would need to be updated.

Thanks to Chip Walton of "Chop and Brew", video of the presentation may be found above.