Happy Birthday To The Craft Beer Standard

Thirty-five year ago in a tiny metal warehouse in Chico, Calif. our hero began work on his second batch of beer. Having already brewed up a version of an English stout, he decided to shoot for a less malt-centric brew. It took 11 tries, but in March of 1981, the perfect balance of ingredients was settled to unleash upon the world possibly the greatest craft beer concoction known to man.
After studying chemistry and physics in local classes, Ken Grossman went from home brew supply sales to brewing on the small scale in the late ’70s. Soon, Sierra Nevada Brewing would have their flagship beer, simply called Pale Ale. Ken’s version of English pale ale was one of the first, and most memorable shots fired in the craft beer revolution in this country. With offerings such as wheat beer, stout, porter, IPA, barleywine style ale, and a winter Celebration ale, all with a trademark hop punch, Sierra Nevada is a microbrewery that made the jump to the big time in style. However, it is the Pale Ale that has always been the true winner.
Co-opted from the UK style, the American version is more hoppy, crisper, sharper and lighter-bodied, compared to the stronger malt levels and thicker character of the import variety. American pale ales often employ a citrus hop flavor which dominated the malt presence, although the earthy nature of the malt taste should still be in the mix. The beers tend to be extremely clear and bright, colors range from slightly dark golden to reddish-amber. Another characteristic of American pale ales is a mountainous head of white foam. Not reaching the levels of American India Pale Ales, there should still be a semi-strong bitter aspect to these brews, which typically remains in the aftertaste. Hops will dominate the taste, flavors and mouthfeel, but should not be overwhelming, which can be the case with American IPAs. Unlike English pale ales, American versions will have high carbonation levels, which make them great for hot summer days, as well as good companions for grill fare and spicier foods alike.
In recent times, American Pale Ale has definitely taken a back seat to IPA, as craft beer drinkers’ tastes demand more punch and bitterness. With the rise of session IPA, lines have begun to blur between what constitutes a true APA, and what is a lower gravity, slightly less hoppy but still flavorful session IPA. But I encourage you to revisit SNPA on it’s birthday, and raise a glass to this fantastic legend.
Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale is the Gold Medal Winner at the Great American Beer Festival in 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1989, 1987. Weighing in at 5.6% ABV and 37 IBUs, it’s a session pale ale, but is a bit hoppier than most American pale ales. Employing Magnum and Perle hops for the bitterness and Cascade for the flavor along with Pale and Caramel malts, this beer has much to offer in the flavor department. The beer is bottle conditioned, which means there should be a small amount of sediment (hop and malt bits) at the bottom of the bottle. The aromas are all citrus and flowers. The spicy hop citrus flavors are on top, with a touch of bready malt underneath to keep the bitterness in check. A strange/wonderful sweetness is evident, a mix of the citrus hops and bread-like malts. Overall, a classic, a beer you can find everywhere, and one that will never let you down; hats off to Mr. Grossman and his wonderful pale ale. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.