Description

Brasserie La Ressource’s Pale Ale is a top-fermented lager in the English tradition. Its fairly dry body and subtle malty notes, combined with a selection of hops offering floral notes and aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, make it a light beer with little bitterness. Ideal as an aperitif!

What to eat with a Pale Ale from Brasserie La Ressource?

• Aperitif
• Cold cuts
• Mussels in white wine sauce
• Chinese ravioli
• Cheeses: Young Comté or Mimolette

What is a Pale Ale?

Pale Ales are quite popular beers! Originally from England, they are copper-coloured with hints of amber. These beers have a moderate alcohol content and a fairly light, balanced flavour. The flavours on the palate range from the lightness of the hops on one hand, to the malt on the other. Many American beer styles have taken inspiration from Pale Ales as a basis for creating new styles that are now very well known, such as India Pale Ales (IPAs).

The history of Pale Ales: a brewing process that makes them unique!

The term ‘Pale Ale’ originated in Britain in the 1700s. The distinctive character of this style of beer is closely linked to its brewing process and the era in which it was developed. Before the creation of Pale Ales, most beers were dark in colour and were commonly referred to simply as ‘Ale’. This new technique, invented by the Burton-on-Trent brewery – “charcoal kilning” (a method for drying malt) – enabled brewers of the time to better control the process in order to create a lighter-coloured beer. It was at this point that the Pale Ale style was born.

In short, Pale Ales are therefore made from light malts (pale and crystal malt), but it was primarily the kilning technique that enabled their creation in the 1700s.

Pale Ale and Bitter: two words for a single style?

The term “Pale Ale” was used exclusively by breweries, whilst beer drinkers referred to this style as “Bitter”. Today, both terms are used interchangeably. There is therefore originally very little, if any, difference between the terms Pale Ale and Bitter. The word “Bitter”, which literally means “bitter”, refers to the bitterness present in this style of beer.

What does a Pale Ale taste like?

The Pale Ale style gives the beer a relatively mild and non-aggressive taste with a hint of bitterness provided by the hops used. The light profile of this beer further highlights the types of hops used. The IBU of a Pale Ale ranges between 20 and 40, meaning that bitterness is present but moderate.
It’s quite interesting to know which hops are used to better understand the taste of a Pale Ale. And that’s precisely why many craft breweries now list the hops used on their bottle labels. And yes, it’s not all useless information printed on those bits of paper! This style of beer is perfect for people who aren’t keen on bitterness in fermented drinks and who want to gently discover the aromatic delights of hops.

A little tasting tip:

Pale Ales are light beers and therefore ideal for starting a tasting session. If you drink an IPA or a Stout first, you won’t be able to properly taste the Pale Ale you try next… Because your palate will be ‘numbed’ by the bitterness or strength of your previous beer. Good to know during a tasting or a beer festival!

British Pale Ale vs American Pale Ale

There are two main varieties of Pale Ale: American Pale Ale (APA) and British Pale Ale.

• British Pale Ales, or English bitters (call them what you like ;)), are rather pleasant, well-balanced beers with a fairly malty profile and a fairly light floral bitterness. This style follows the classic traditional British Pale Ale style that originated in the 18th century. This type of beer often has a colour tending towards amber and reddish-brown.
• American Pale Ales, by contrast, are beers with a more pronounced and dry bitterness. The malty profile is tempered by the hops used, which then dominate the flavour. These are interesting beers, sometimes with a spicy edge. The hops used in this style are often more assertive.

Of course, and as you no doubt know (if not, here’s your chance), there are a multitude of styles in the world of craft beer, and particularly within the Pale Ale category itself! Minor variations coexist, such as Scottish Ale, Irish Red Ale, Belgian Pale Ale and many more.

(Source: www.monpetithoublon.com)