The Session no.64: Pale in Comparison
The
Session is a monthly event for the beer blogging community which was started by
Stan Hieronymus at Appellation Beer.
On the first Friday of each month, all participating bloggers write about a
predetermined topic. Each month a different blog is chosen to host The Session,
choose the topic, and post a roundup of all the responses received. For more
info on The Session, check out the Brookston Beer Bulletin’s nice archive page.
This month's session is hosted by The Beer Babe and is about Pale Ales.
I'm not sure I understand what The Beer Babe is saying. We never get excited about pale ales? What? Pale ales are wonderful... they're generally session beers. When you feel like drinking a fair few pints but don't want anything too powerful... Pale ales are great.
So our mission for The Session is to seek out and taste two different pale ales.
Mission accomplished!
The first pale ale I want to talk about is one that I've had many times before but I feel that I need to blog about right now and I expect many other British beer bloggers will too:
Kelham Island Pale Rider - One of the first ales I recall drinking (in a pub) that came from outside of Norfolk. I am writing about this because not only is it an awesome beer but recently we sadly lost Dave Wickett, the founder of Kelham Island Brewery. I never met the guy but I have so much respect for what he's done for British brewing. Pale Rider doesn't have a great aroma but the flavours, oh yes! This beer has American hops written all over it... it's citrusy and sweet - also probably too drinkable for a 5.2% beer! It's just generally a really nice beer. This is for you, Dave; Rest in Peace.
My second pale ale? Why, it's one I had for the first time last night at the City of Ale launch party (post up tomorrow).
Golden Triangle City Pale - A pale ale brewed for City of Ale. I had been excited about this ever since Kevin mentioned it on twitter. A really hoppy pale ale coming out of Norfolk? Yes please! Don't get me wrong, Norfolk has some great beers but you don't get too many that are hop forward. This hits the spot. Hopped with two American hops, Cascade & Summit; this pale ale has a nice citrusy, piney aroma and a full on, sweet, grapefruit flavour with a nice lingering bitterness. I require more of this immediately. There were plenty of other great beers at St Gregory's last night but this was my first and my last... this was my go-to beer. This is the shit right here.
The next person who generalises and says that nobody gets excited about pale ales is getting a slap.
Seriously.
Nate
http://www.twitter.com/NateDawg27
Two beers I've never tried, will look out for them!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've never had Kelham Island Pale Rider... it's pretty much a cult classic!
DeleteCity Pale would be a lot harder to get hold of... it has only been sold in Norfolk so far!