Pale ales are my go-to beer. And Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is said to be the “grand-daddy” of craft brewing in Amer’ca. Here in Atlanta, the Sweetwater 420 could possibly be called the king of the locals.
So let’s give this most important of beer styles the respect it deserves and spend a little time talkin’ about yer favs.
Two recent discoveries of mine are Great Divide’s Denver Pale Ale and Founders Pale Ale.
Whatcha got?
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I think Dale’s Pale Ale is the best. While I love Sweetwater IPA, I think 420 is swill.
I’m with you on the Founder’s Pale Ale – but again there are so many wonderful Pale Ales its difficult to put it down to just one – therein lies the beauty of it – the tasting must continue! Stone Pale Ale is awesome also….
Walrus is right about 420 not being Sweetwater’s best offering. I find this style a bit boring, but I’d recommend Great Divide’s Fresh Hop Pale Ale (when available) as a hoppy option and Fuller’s London Pride as an excellent, traditional (year-round) option.
Agreed, most are boring. The the Great Divide Fresh Hop is a good one though.
Had the Great Divide Fresh Hop at Marlay the other night. Definitely the best pale ale I’ve had.
Dales Pale Ale is my favorite pale in the country, hands down. Terrapin’s Rye Pale Ale is a great local option though, much better than 420.
+1 on Rye PA.
I, too, like the Rye Pale Ale, but it’s a tad on the sweet side for me. Of Terrapin’s Pale Ales, I prefer their Hopsecutioner. Overall, My go-to is Dogfish Head 60.
But, I’ll admit I haven’t tried half of the Pale Ales mentioned in this tread. Gives me something to look forward to !
Wait – Sierra Nevada is the grandaddy of craft brewing? What about San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing, who taught the Chico boys how to brew?
Good point. I think I read that particular “fact” on a Brick Store menu recently.
You people and your “craft” this and “artisan” that. The real granddaddy of American brewing today is Yuengling. In fact, when Anchor wanted to make a porter, who do you think they called for the recipe?
About 10 years ago, I did the Anchor brewery tour in San Fran. At the end of the tour, they bring you to a taproom/bar area (also much like Yuengling, in their old brewery at least) and you could pretty much sit and drink there as long as you want while the tour guide and brewmaster drank with you. When I mentioned that I had gone to college in Pennsylvania and loved the Yuengling Porter, one of the other people on the tour laughed and said that anything Yuengling produced was crap. One of the Anchor guys laughed back and told the guy that he’d better not say he liked the Anchor Porter then, because it was basically the same beer. To this day, from what I understand, Anchor’s porter is based on the Yuengling recipe except that they us top-fermenting yeast rather than a lager yeast like in a true Pennsylvania porter.
OK, it’s almost 4:00. Anyone thirsty yet???
Lagunitas Pale Ale is definitely worth checking out
http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/paleale.html
Yes. Me likey the Lagunitas.
Ok, so I’m confused. Isn’t an IPA considered a type of Pale Ale? Or is that a completely different category?
Different category. Just as a double IPA is a different category from IPA.
Got an Imperial Red Rye carbonating in the keg right now. Now that’s more my style! Pale Ale’s are for pedestrians…
Ever since someone called me “pretentious” regarding my reply in a different post, I’ve been wanting to get revenge by calling someone else the same name. I think I’ve found a target rich environment over here. And by the way, I don’t often drink beer, but when I do, I drink Georgia’s own Terrapin Rye Pale Ale.
Ha, I am certainly a beer snob! I’ll wearing that hat proudly.
Now, now Warren. We all know that you’re a fancy boat drink kinda guy…
It’s official: the world of beer is now just as impenetrable, intimidating and at the same time mockery-inspiring as the world of wine ever was. I long for simpler times, when it was a three-way choice: import, domestic, or really-really cheap.
sounds like this is up your alley then
http://www.flickr.com/photos/missbethd/3044204379/
But that’s like saying you long for the simpler times of hot dogs and hamburgers!!! It awesome that real beer is becoming more accessible.
Has the concept of terrior been applied to beer?
Somewhat, insofar as the soil where the hops are grown can impart a distinct flavor.
Definitely applied to the hops that go into beer. And, rightly so. Different areas produce wildly different hops that really impact the taste of a beer. For pale ales, I’m a Fuller’s fan. However, I most always go for the IPAs on the menu right now. Sweetwater has one of the best. Hopsecutioner from Terrapin is awesome, too.
I’ve got a great idea for a DM meetup. Let’s all hit the bar at Brick Store, try one of each Belgian Beer on tap upstairs and the walk down the street for some McRibs!
I’m in.
I’m in too if we can do the McRib before and after the beer.
Friday. Let’s do this Friday.
Can’t go wrong with Friday.
I may (stress “may”) have been joking about the McRib part, especially with the free beef tongue apparently available on the Square, but I’m serious about the beer. The woman will be out of town on a business trip and I should be done with work for the week by noon. I don’t see any scenario in which I’m *not* somewhere drinking beer by happy hour. With the chance of afternoon showers tomorrow, what better place to begin the weekend than at the Brick Store?
I will also post this in FFAF tomorrow. Although I’m well aware that this will likely end in me sitting upstairs and drinking alone for an hour, I’m really curious as to whether I can get at least one DMer to join me. You don’t even have to identify yourself. Just ask for JT and mention the secret password (Free Westchester, of course) and I’ll even buy you a beer!
McRib or nothing!!! Kidding, I’m in.
Shooting for 5:00. Belgian Bar upstairs at the Brick Store.
This event is not officially endorsed by Decatur Metro. If you are injured or stain your clothes with McRib sauce, DM will not pay for your medical or dry-cleaning expenses.
True. I am not DM, just a site hijacker and general ne’er do well. This is also not an “event” in any sense of the word, unless “event”, unbeknownst to me, actually means “Hey y’all, watch this, Jeff’s getting drunk!”
That being said, I hope to see at least one of you degenerates tomorrow!
Yuppies and their craft beers are comic gold.
You know what’s the antithesis of comic gold? Posting the same unoriginal, disparaging comment to every craft beer thread that comes up.
People who like things – especially in groups – are always hilarious.
That’s why I try to hate everything to protect myself from ridicule.
and their are comic gold.
Let’s try one on for size:
Trolls and their snarky posts are comic gold.
Shows I have a following
STG, I have gone to the GABF a number of times and the amount and variety of beers is overwhelming. The different categories have gone from a handful to to much to know and understand. But I like the variety. Keeps you from drinking the same old stuff all the time. And although 420 was my ‘go to’ beer years ago I prefer other flavors now. It reminds me of Sierra Nevada though. Cheers!
Can’t get it south of the Ohio River, but the cleverly named Burning River Pale from Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland is superb. Otherwise, Dale’s — the best beer you can get in a can.
Not a big fan of the hop-monster pale ales, but I do pick up Heavy Seas Loose Cannon pretty often. ANd, though not an PA, the Heavy Seas Davy Jones Lager is muy yummy.
I was for some reason insanely happy to get a 30 pack of Genny Cream for $14 recently at the Beverage Superstore in Suwanee.
That’s only because they did not carry Genny Ice. Yes, they made that for about six months in 1993. I have a cousin who can probably still hook you up, born on dates be damned!
+1 for genny screamers!!
I sure do like Wild Heaven Innovocation. I can walk to their future brewery and stumble back home. Of course I can do that to Brick Store, Leons, and a couple of the Growler boutiques.
An interesting aside on the history of IPA – I had seen recently.
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/styles/2_2style.html
I love IPAs. My favorite is Stone IPA. Can’t go wrong, unless you don’t like hops, in which case you shouldn’t drink an IPA.
Apparently it’s National Beer Day today!
(Stone or Hopsecutioner, hmmm, ok, both!)
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/10/27/breakfast-buffet-national-american-beer-day/