I have a bit of a problem.

The problem is that I haven't really found a style of beer I don't like. In fact, I very rarely find a beer that I can't appreciate on some level, that's not to say that they don't exist but there haven't been many.

I know, I know....you're all out there saying "I don't really see that as a problem. Drink and be merry!"


The double edged sword of all the excellent craft and micro brewers in this country is variety. I love it but I think it makes it harder to quantify a style of beer when everyone is putting there individual spin on it.

What I would like to see is a chart of some kind that displays different styles of beer and commercially available beer that is consider to be within style guidlines. Nothing formal or fancy just a nice reference chart. Anyone got a link?

This is kind of simplistic, so not exactly what you're looking for, but it's a help:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-3.html

Along with this chart: http://www.howtobrew.com/images/f111.jpg

I often use that chart when I'm trying to decide what to brew.

Great links, Yooper. I don't think that I've ever seen the second one before.

Another good source for commercial examples of each style would be the BJCP style guidelines themselves.

At the bottle of the description of each style there are commercial examples given.

Also, http://www.beertown.org/education/styles.html for more commercial examples.

Awesome...Thanks all.

You, my friend, need to read Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels. It does precisely what you are looking for. It's chapters are separated by different styles, it goes into what makes that beer that particular style, grains used, hops used, yeasts used, and commercial examples. Pick it up, you wont be disappointed.