Us Brits have been drinking ales for yonks. Long before German migrants introduced their hopped libations (known then as "beer") to our shores, we were quenching slightly funky and herby concoctions simply termed ales. There was a strict divide then as there is now between lagers and ales. At Hampton Court Henry VIII had segregated breweries producing their respective beverages, while Shakespeare openly lamented these bitter, Bavarian alternatives to his native sweet and sour ales.
In the end hops prevailed (mostly due to their preservative qualities), and slowly alesters adjusted their recipes while we adjusted our palates.
"The original hop bombs"
"Pale" ales, however, were an 18th century novelty. The introduction of coke-fired kilning, as opposed to wood or peat, meant malt was no longer smokey, substantially paler and less adulterated. Though darker beers, especially porters, remained à la mode up to and beyond the turn of the 19th century, the Victorians were eventually want of something else; something sharper, more refreshing and altogether more hoppy. These were to become the original hop bombs.
The line between pale ale, bitter and India Pale Ale is a frustratingly blurry one, as is the case with much of beer history - which is rather fitting. Contemporaries could use the terms interchangeably, their distinctions accruing slowly over time. Pale ales were, however, dryer and noticeably more hoppy during the 19th century, be them a seasonal October brew, or a special batch en route to John Company out east.
It's westward, however, where the modern pale ale stems. The almost simultaneous development of the Cascade hop variety at Oregon State University and the Carter Administration's legalisation of home-brewing in the 1970s changed beer as we knew it.
"The craft zeitgeist had emerged"
If America had previously looked longingly towards Europe for exciting beer, suddenly they had their own unique ingredients to play with, and the license to do so. Resinous, piney, floral and citrusy flavours cascaded from American basements, and they wouldn't shut up about it. The craft zeitgeist had emerged and eventually we had to take note. Now New World inspired pale ales happily rub shoulders with a defiant traditional cask culture in a happy symbiosis of modern-day U.K. brewing.
"Hop forward, sessionable and balanced"
As is customary at Anspach & Hobday, our pale ale straddles between the old and the new. We wanted it to be just as light, crisp and refreshing as those of yore. It's hop forward and could easily make it to Kolkata, but it's also sessionable and balanced as it should be.
Where we've updated the style is in our choice of hops. English varieties certainly have their strengths, but we wanted the Pale Ale to stand out from our classic Ordinary Bitter. We also didn't want it treading on the IPA's slightly bigger and bolder toes. We think the marriage of American Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic deliver the fresh and fruitier notes we've come to expect from the style, without overbearing our malt selection.
Speaking of updates, we've just started canning our beers. The Pale Ale only benefits from this transition, the new format preserving its delicate hop characteristics and extending its shelf life, so you can enjoy it as if it were straight from our tank. I can personally confirm it's just as fresh...
Head over to The Shop to pre-order yours or hit up one of our venues from March 21st!