Pumpkin beer has a long history in the United States that goes back to colonial brewing, but its modern interpretation is believed to have first appeared in the 1980s, while the first commercial batch came from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery in Hayward, California.

In its basic form, pumpkin beer is made with fresh, frozen, or pureed pumpkins that are fermented with malted grains. However, many producers do not even include pumpkin but opt for pumpkin-spice flavorings and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg. 

Blonde ale is a beer style that has vague boundaries, but which falls somewhere between cream ales and Kölsch style. This rather new style probably originated as a lighter version of pale ale. Its origin is often associated with American microbreweries, but modern blonde ales are commonly produced in other countries as well, namely Belgium and France.

They are sometimes referred to as golden ales, though some make a distinction between the two. These beers range from pale yellow to golden, and they are characterized by malt sweetness, toasty and bready aromas, medium body, and low to moderate hop character. 

Brett beer is a modern craft beer style that first appeared in the United States. The style is brewed with the addition of wild Brett yeasts (Brettanomyces or British fungus)—hence the name—which are slightly unpredictable and create beers with a wild and funky character.

The final profile of these beers depends on the base style, and Brett yeast will only add the funky element. Color, aroma, and flavor vary in character and intensity among the examples. The beers are usually light-bodied with flavor and aroma ranging from fruity to earthy or barnyard-like. 

American amber ale originates from California and the Pacific Northwest, where it appeared in the 1980s. The style was modeled on pale ales and strong bitters, but it eventually grew as a separate and distinctive category. Amber ales are brewed with crystal malts, which provide toasty and toffee flavors.

The color of these medium-bodied beers may range from amber to copper or deep red. They are characterized by moderate to strong malt sweetness, while the use of American hops occasionally provides for citrusy and piney aromas. Although they often resemble American pale ales, amber ale should typically have more body and more pronounced caramel flavors. 

Although it has origins in traditional English brown ale, the American version has developed into a separate style with its distinctive characteristics. The first versions of the style appeared in Texas in the 1980s which coincided with the appearance of the craft beer revolution.

These beers are typically stronger and darker than their English counterparts. They are often robust with a malty character and flavors of caramel, chocolate, or coffee. Most varieties will have more notable hop aromas than classic English brown ales, but they should still remain below mid-level. 

A Session IPA (India Pale Ale) is a style of beer that merges the hoppy characteristics of a traditional IPA with a lower alcohol content, making it more suitable for extended drinking sessions. Typically, Session IPAs have an alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging between 3% and 5%, significantly lower than the standard IPA, which often has an ABV of 6% to 7.5% or higher.

Despite the reduced alcohol content, Session IPAs retain the bold hop flavors characteristic of IPAs, featuring aromatic profiles with notes of citrus, pine, floral, or tropical fruit. The malt backbone is lighter and less sweet, allowing the hops to shine while providing a crisp, refreshing finish. 

American pale ale was developed in the 1980s as an American counterpart to British pale ales and bitters. These beers are typically clean and crisp, and they will have more hop character than their British equivalents as well as higher alcohol content, usually around 4.4–6.0% ABV.

The use of American hops, primarily Cascade, will give these beers distinctive citrus and piney aromas. Their color may range from dark gold to amber and copper. They are usually medium-bodied and have a subtle bitter finish. Sierra Nevada Brewery produced the prototype of American pale ale, and their version was a model on which other breweries mainly relied in production of American pale ale style. 

Black IPA or American Black Ale is a versatile craft beer style that combines fruity hop character and moderate dark malts. The examples are typically medium-bodied and may be clear or hazy, while their color varies from dark brown to black.

They are packed with hop aromas and flavors that range from fruity, citrusy, piney, and floral. Their hop character is well-balanced with moderate amounts of dark caramel malt aroma and flavors reminiscent of chocolate and coffee. Alcohol content typically falls between 6 to 9% ABV. 

American barley wine originated from the original British style of barley wines—bold brews with strong malty flavors. The first examples of American-style barley wines appeared in 1975 with the first version that was released by Anchor Brewing Co., which was then followed by Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Bigfoot.

The American version is also characterized by intense malt character, but unlike the British counterparts, American versions will usually have more assertive hop flavors. The beers that fall into this style are typically rich, full-bodied, light amber to medium copper, and luscious.