Tasting History - New Albion Ale

Jack McAuliffe started New Albion Brewing Co. in 1976 and while the brewery only survived a few years, brewing its final batch in 1982, McAuliffe and New Albion made brewing history as one of breweries that started craft brewing in the U.S.  New Albion has been described as, “the most important failed brewery in the industry’s history” (Ogle, Maureen).  It was important for serving as an example to other brewers who were getting started in that time period, brewing beers that were not like the large marco-breweries, using hops differently and in larger volumes, and a number of other reasons.  Flash forward to 2012 and Jim Koch of Boston Beer Co. announces that New Albion Ale (6% ABV and 30 IBU) would be brewed under the Samuel Adams brand and available in January 2012. 

American Pale Ale – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/97 - BeerAdvocate

Appearance – Straw gold with a one-finger head that quickly dissipates.  The beer is very clear with good carbonation – a steady stream of bubbles from the bottom of the glass.

Aroma – Grain, floral, citrus and pine / resin.  I picked up the grain the most.

Taste – A solid APA that starts with a sweetness, bread from the malt then a bit of citrus, grass from the hops and then a clean finish with little aftertastes

Overall – B – New Albion Ale is very easy to drink and I really appreciate Boston Beer Co. brewing a bit of history.  We have a plethora of choices in beer today and we are in the middle of a craft beer renaissance.  I am happy to have the opportunity to try a bit of history.  It will be here for only a limited time – pick some up and taste a bit of history.

Website description – “Brewed solely with American Cascade hops (why? Because that was all that was available to Jack at the time), New Albion Ale is a golden American Pale Ale that holds a distinct citrus hop note and subtle piney character. A delicious brew, it’s no wonder New Albion Ale inspired so many of the Pale Ales we drink today.”

Wikipedia – New Albion Brewing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Albion_Brewing_Company

New Albion Ale - http://blog.samueladams.com/2013/01/14/new-albion-arrives/

Firestone – Pale 31

I picked up Pale 31 as part of a mixed 6 pack a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it with a couple of other selections from Firestone.  Pale 31 (4.8% ABV) is a pale ale – Firestone calls it a California Pale Ale – that has won a ton of awards over the years, including a Gold Medal at the 2011 GABF.

American Pale Ale – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/97 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Crystal clear, gold with a two-finger head.

Aroma – One can detect the grain and sweetness from the malt and nice citrus aroma from the hops.

Taste – Excellent, well-balanced, quaffable, very nice.

Overall – A – One could drink these all day.  This is very well-balanced beer that has a great aroma and taste.  This is one of those beers that shows why you should seek out and try craft beer.

Website description – “Pale 31 is an ode to our home California, the 31st state to be added to the union.  Beer may not be associated with terroir the way wine is, but we believe that where we’re from impacts how our beers taste. This dry-hopped California Pale Ale represents the bold yet approachable spirit that embodies our state.”

Firestone – http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/pale-31

Two Organic Beers from Uinta

I tried a couple of organic beers from Uinta that I picked up as part of a mixed 6 pack.  Hazel (4% ABV and 38 IBU) is an organic Pale Wheat Ale and Wyld (4% ABV and 29 IBU) is an organic American Pale Ale.  I have had a few beers from Uinta and this Salt Lake City brewer makes a number of different styles.

Appearance – Both had the correct color for their respective style, but there was little to no head on these beers.

Aroma – Malt sweetness and some hop aromas.  There is nothing overwhelming with either of these.

Taste – There is nothing outstanding on either of these offerings.  These do not taste bad and are better than any macro.  These may be a bit aged, but I am not sure.

Overall – B- – These are not bad beers and they are not great beers either.

Website description – Hazel - “This amber wheat ale has a balanced malt body, hints of coriander, and bright hop character.” and

Wyld – “A lighter bodied pale ale, this EPA is aggressively dry hopped to showcase fresh hop flavors and aromas.”

URL – http://www.uintabrewing.com/brews.php

New Belgium - Dig

New Belgium is a local brewer in Ft. Collins and they make a number of great beers.  They are best known for Fat Tire and when I saw Dig, their new spring offering, I wanted to try it.  Dig (5.6% ABV and 36 IBU) is a Pale Ale.

American Pale Ale (APA) – description - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/97 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Pours gold with a two-finger white head.

Aroma – Lemon, citrus, and tropical fruit, with a hint of evergreen / pine needle and malt sweetness.

Taste – The focus is on the hops and the use of Sorachi Ace and Nelson Sauvin.  One tastes lemon and tropical fruit and then a finish of grassy / spicy / weed notes.  Interesting tasting beer.

Overall – B – At first I was not sure of this beer and the more I tried it, the more I liked it. 

Description – “Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig.  Sorachi Ace provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma.  Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach.  American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.  Dig in!”

URL - http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=6bf4da61-f80d-4947-b024-397616f1888f

Horton’s Homebrew – Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon (5.5% ABV and 38 IBU) is a pale ale and one of my newer creations in my adventure in home brewing.  My recipe is 6# Briess Pale LME, 1.25# Briess Sparkling Amber DME, 8 oz. Briess Caramel 20L and 8 oz. Briess Caramel 40L.  Steep the Caramel Malts in 153-degree water for 30 minutes and strain.  Add enough water for approximately 2.5 gallons, added the DME and brought it to a boil for 60 minutes.  Cascade hops were added in 0.5 oz increments at 60 – 30 –15 - 5 minutes with a 1 oz. additional at knockout.  During the boil, I heated up the Briess Pale LME to make it easy to pour.  The wort was chilled and water was added to bring to 5 gallons in the fermenter.  Yeast was Wyeast 1968 – London ESB ale and fermented 2 weeks at 68 degrees.  Finally, use 4.5 oz of corn sugar in 1 C. water – bring to boil – chill and add to bottling bucket with the beer.  This resulted in 24 – 12 oz. bottles and 13 – 22 oz. bottles with some left over for tasting.  OG – 1.058, FG – 1.016, SRM 11.1, IBU 38.19 with the Rager formula, and 5.5% ABV.  I was shooting for an APA that was more on the malty side with a nice hop bitterness too.

American Pale Ale (APA)  - Of British origin, this style is now popular worldwide and the use of local ingredients, or imported, produces variances in character from region to region. Generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent.   American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced.  Beeradvocate

Appearance – Light Amber with a nice two-finger head this has good carbonation too.

Aroma – One can easily pick up a biscuit / light dough aroma from the malts and a fruit / citrus smell from the hops.

Taste – You first taste sweetness a little honey or caramel then a hit of hop bitterness that is fruity and a finish of biscuit / bread.

Overall – B - this turned out very well and I will stick with the base grain bill.  I will brew this again and will next play with the yeast and the hops

URL - Ingredients sourced at The Brew Hut - http://www.thebrewhut.com/

Sierra Nevada – Pale Ale & Glissade and Boulevard Nutcracker Ale

I consider Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale the standard bearer for the American Pale Ale style. Sierra Nevada is one of the oldest craft brewers in America and the Pale Ale should be tasted so one knows how the style should look, smell and taste. Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale has an ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 37. I have had a number of these over the years and I had not had one in awhile and it was great to drink one again. Sierra Nevada describes Pale Ale as “Our most popular beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor. “Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale is a very good beer and it should be used to understand the style and as a comparison with other American Pale Ales.

Glissade is a Golden Bock with an ABV of 6.4% and an IBU of 42. This one pours a golden yellow with a nice head and has nice malt sweetness with a balanced bitterness on the finish. This is a drinkable beer and Sierra Nevada describes Glissade as “With restrained sweetness, we emphasize subtle malt flavor, balanced against delicate aromas of spicy and floral European hops. This complex balance helps Glissade slide across the palate—bracing us against the last cold nights of winter, while its bright golden color turns our thoughts toward spring.” Sierra Nevada is one of my favorite brewers. They brew consistently good beer and they continue to try new recipes and styles. They took a gold at GABF this year with the 30th Anniversary Black Barleywine and I look forward to sampling this in the near future.

I did not know much of Boulevard and I think I had not tried any of the beer from this Kansas City brewer. Nutcracker Ale is a winter seasonal with an ABV of 5.8% and an IBU of 38. This is a tasty seasonal ale that pours a reddish-brown with a nice head. This has sweet caramel tastes with balanced bitterness from spicy and floral hops. Boulevard describes Nutcracker Ale as “Boulevard’s holiday gift for real beer lovers. This hearty, warming brew is a classic winter ale, deep amber in color, with hints of molasses balanced by the “spiciness” of freshly harvested Chinook hops.” The brewer added brown sugar and dark sugar, but it is not too sweet. This would go great with deserts and strong meat dishes. I look forward to sampling more from Boulevard.