Beer Style Guide: Get to Know American Pale Ale with Em Sauter
American pale ale is one of the best beer styles for all occasions and one of the first beers to showcase the glory of unique American hop varieties.
Another early era microbrewery/brewpub beer, the American pale ale is one of the best beer styles for all occasions and one of the first beers to showcase the glory of unique American hop varieties. After all, author Randy Mosher calls American pale ale “the style that defines craft beer.”
History of American Pale Ale
Like the blonde ale, the pale ale was created during the microbrewery movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s. American breweries took English styles and reformatted them using American ingredients. Brewers took the English pale ale (also known as a strong bitter) and used American ingredients like American two-row pale malt and American hops like Cascade with its grapefruit/pine flavor to create a very “American” experience. One of the first American pale ales to popularize the style is Sierra Nevada Pale ale, which was first brewed in 1980 and is still one of the most popular beers in America after forty years. We have Sierra Nevada’s aggressive brewing techniques for many beer styles that we will discuss more when we talk about other American style beers.
In addition to pale malt, American pale ales can also have a little crystal malt added for flavor/color. They are also brewed with American ale yeast which are less estery (fruity) than their English ale yeast relations. American hop varieties are traditional but in our modern hop world, essentially any hop that adds a fruit, pine or tropical aroma/flavor can be used. I bring this up because many new hop varieties from Old World countries like Germany are now growing hops with big pineapple (Hallertau Blanc) or orange (Mandarina Bavaria) vibes. This is something to keep in mind when we start to discuss IPA. We will also discuss “hazy” styles in the future—American pale ales should be clear, gold to amber and have a decent amount of hop bitterness.
Pairing Pale Ale
I’m a big fan of American pale ales as they have a lot of flavor with less alcohol (under 6% ABV). They also go well with lots of foods from fried chicken to veggie burgers to spice cake. There’s something about pale ales that feel like they are the ultimate “year-round” beer. You’re never sad when someone brings them to a party, be it the heat of summer at a pool party or in the deep of winter after an afternoon of skiing or shoveling out your neighbors' sidewalk. Pale ales are some of the beers I gravitate to the most.
Beers to Try
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
The original, the best, the GOAT. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the beer you never tire of seeing, the beer you are always excited for, the beer that will never disappoint you. Worth a spot in your fridge for eternity.
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