Historical Walking Tour

Pale ale, a favorite beer among many, dates back to the beginning of the 1700s. Hailing from England, pale ale was first created using only pale malts, lending this beer its signature light-colored and crispy taste. With the introduction of coke-fuelled kilns, it was now possible for breweries to finally produce pale malt—without smoke and roasted notes of the primitive beers that dominated the scene for hundreds of years. And thus began the rise of pale ale to dominance, which would eventually span the globe.

What is Pale Ale?

Pale ale showcases a rather balanced profile of the sweetness of the malt with a balanced array of malt bitters and hop bitters. Pale ales can have a color that ranges from golden to amber. They have medium alcohol content that is best described as accessible at ease. The hops used in pales provide a wide dimensional character with floral, citrusy, earthy, and piney notes to the aroma and flavor. This flexibility of pale ales should stand to prove that many aficionados and casual enthusiasts are still hooked on this style of beer.

Ingredients and Brewing Techniques

Pale ales combine the perfect ingredients with the right brewing techniques. Any pale ale is founded on its malt bill, usually with pale malt as its primary grain. This is what provides the beer with a light color and a thin malt taste. Specialty malts are added from time to time by brewers to create other layers of complexity and depth.

Hops define the character of a pale ale; early process additions make the beer bitter, while later addition techniques contribute flavor and aroma. Dry hopping is a process whereby hops are added during or after fermentation to heighten this aroma without adding more bitterness. A critical factor in this equation is yeast selection. A clean-fermenting strain should be favored to make sure that beers have malty and hoppy flavors shining through.

The Evolution of Pale Ale

Pale ale has, over the centuries, evolved to develop into sub-styles with quite unique characteristics. One example is American pale ale, which came into being in the late 20th century and maintained much more bold hop profiles while remaining lighter in body than English pale ale. Often boasting American hop varieties, this style can lend citrus, pine, and intensely tropical fruit flavors.

Another well-liked variant is the Indian pale ale (IPA), which was developed from a stronger, hoppier version of pale ale for export to the British colonies in India. Modern IPAs have continued to diversify into sub-styles including double IPAs, New England IPAs, and session IPAs, all with a quite different balance of malt sweetness and hop intensity.

Pairing Pale Ale with Food

This balanced flavor profile will suit a good number of dishes. The reasonable bitterness and clean finish make it work well with a myriad of foods that are taken with it during dinner. For example, pale ale cuts through richness in fried foods by the malt sweetness and the hoppiness, thus pairing well with fish and chips or chicken wings.

Pale ale actually allows great versatility with wine and cheese pairing. Carbonation and hop bitterness can refresh the palate between bites, so it will be suitable for a rich, creamy cheese like Brie or Camembert. In addition, the pale ale is able to complement many flavors of grilled and barbecued dishes, from its malty backbone to its everyday character for standing up against the stronger flavors of smoked and charred foods with its hops.

The Future of Pale Ale

Pale ale is going to remain at the forefront in this ever-growing craft beer movement for times to come. The fruited brewers around the world experiment with novel hop varieties, malt combinations, and brewing techniques, all to refresh and renew this classic style. Be it the beer aficionado or the casual drinker, the discovery with pale ale is never going to end.