Since I don’t drink English Strong Ales that often I looked up the style guidelines after recording the review and here they are:

Beer Advocate:

Bigger than a Pale Ale yet smaller than a Barleywine the English Strong Ale is a rich and complex beer. Many are unfiltered and bottle conditioned. The color tends to land somewhere between amber and reddish copper. They usually have a bold fruity, estery and malty mix. Hops can vary from mild bitterness to a full blown hop character with a bold hop flavor and aroma. The alcohol can be quite noticeable, a hint of solvent is possible.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 5.5-7.5%

Brewer’s Association

Light amber to mid-range brown in color, strong ales are medium to full bodied with a malty sweetness. Hop aroma should be minimal and flavor can vary from none to medium in character intensity. Fruity-ester flavors and aromas can contribute to the character of this ale. Bitterness should be minimal but evident and balanced with malt and/or caramel-like sweetness. Alcohol types can be varied and complex. A rich, often sweet and complex estery character may be evident. Very low levels of diacetyl are acceptable. Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. (This style may often be split into two categories, strong and very strong.) Original Gravity (oPlato) 1.060-1.125 (15-31.5 oPlato) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (oPlato) 1.014-1.040 (3.5-10 oPlato) ● Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.5-8.9% (7-11%) ● Bitterness (IBU) 30-65 ● Color SRM (EBC) 8-21 (16-42 EBC)