by John Little

American Pale Ales (APAs) are among the most popular craft beers consumed in the United States. It seems Americans are always driven to do things bigger and better than they’re done in other parts of the world, and producing craft beer is no exception. So, while built upon the tradition of English Pale Ales, APAs are characterized by a more assertive hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Most versions are made with distinctive American hops which tend to have a notable sharp citrus or piney character, such as Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial and Columbus hops (in contrast to English hops which tend to have a more subtle and subdued earthy and floral character in beer).

However, the relatively pronounced hop character of APAs is typically supported by a moderate yet clean malt backbone derived from indigenous North American 2-row pale barley (as opposed to the typical English pale malts which tend to have a bready, biscuity or toasty character). While the balance of an APA usually leans toward its hop character, the clean American malt character can be significant. Some APAs are now being made with a significant amount of rye malt, giving the beer a distinctive crisp and spicy rye bite.

In appearance, APAs are typically clear, though not usually crystal clear, with a golden copper color. Well made and properly poured APAs will have a large white to off-white creamy and persistent head.

The beer is typically served well carbonated and is best enjoyed at around 55 degrees in order to fully experience the APA’s flavor and aroma. It has a crisp finish and is a refreshing beer year-round.

If you’d like to enjoy a few APAs with a meal, remember that beers with assertive hop character can seem to deaden your taste buds. However, it is suggested by some that such beers go perfectly with smoked or fried seafood, as well as highly spiced cuisines.

Reprinted with permission from John Little of AuburnBrewClub.org

Sam Adams Black Lager is the fourth beer style I’ve had from Sam Adams. It is a deep, smooth, dark offering that was a bit of a suprise. It’s color is very similar to coke, black on the counter with a bit of amber when held to the light. It had a nice frothy head. It drinks smooth with no bite to speak of. As the beer warms up you get a bit of a different feel for the flavors at the end of each sip. You can catch just a bit of caramel and chocolate when you smell it and a bit of the same flavor aftertaste. I was plesently suprised by the smoothness and creamy flavors in this some what heavier beer and could see enjoying it for many different occasions.

-Rob

From Sam Adams website:

When one sees a beer with a darker complexion these days, more often than not it’s a Porter or Stout. However looks can be deceiving. There exists a style older than both and generally less well known; the Schwarzbier, which literally translated is “Black Beer.” Unlike its dark cousins which both hail from Britain and are highly hopped ales, Schwarzbier comes from Germany, is lightly hopped and is fermented using a bottom fermenting lager yeast. Samuel Adams® Black Lager is brewed in the tradition of the latter. A medium bodied beer brewed using several different roasts of malt to give the end product a smooth body and a depth of malt character that has to be tasted to be believed.

There will be an additional Review of this beer soon by another local reviewer so keep an eye out for it. Also, any additional reviews of this beer we receive before that one is posted we’ll put in that post so send in your reviews today!

Our selection for the week of 9/14-9/20 is FreeTheHops.org | Alabamians For Specialty Beer. As you may or may not know there are several states that have bans or limits on what beers can be legally sold within their borders. Free the Hops is the website created by those in Alabama and those friendly to Alabama that are attempting to get their restrictions removed. They seemed to be close to accomplishing this during the last state senate sessions but the vote didn’t make it to the floor in time. Here is a bit more information from their site.

Free the Hops is a grassroots, non-profit organization whose mission is to help bring the highest quality beers in the world to Alabama. These beers are commonly referred to as craft beers due to the skill and artistry required to brew them, but they are also appropriately classified as specialty or gourmet. You might think of them as the Mercedes of beers.

Visit FreetheHops.org now!

by John Little

Maybe you’ve heard some of your beer loving friends lament an increase in craft beer prices, the current world-wide hop shortage and how the shortage has altered the character of their favorite beers.  A combination of factors, including a vast surplus of hops in the 90s, decreased hop farm acreage in the early 2000s and a devastating hail storm in Czechoslovakia and Slovenia in 2007 has led to hop price increases of as much as 500% for some varieties.  Other varieties simply can’t be found.  Hopheads around the world fear they won’t see their favorite Imperial IPAs on the market for at least a few years, until the market recovers.  Many craft brewers are being forced to reformulate their most popular hoppy beers, substituting alternate hop varieties for their “signature” varieties.

However, Sierra Nevada isn’t letting the hop shortage damage their reputation for producing some of the best craft beers in the U.S.  Last month, Sierra Nevada released its “Early Spring Beer,” an American version of an English Extra Special Bitter (ESB) that “combines the best of English tradition with West Coast style;” and, at 5.9% abv, the beer just barely escapes being criminal in Alabama, so Auburn residents are fortunate to be able to enjoy it.  For this brew, Sierra Nevada uses a blend of English and American malts and hops to produce a delicious and refreshing unfiltered ale with a reddish-copper hue, a unique rich and malty sweetness, an earthy spiciness as bitterness and a slight cedar and citrus aroma.

John Little is a healthcare attorney whose real passion is brewing beer.  If you’re interested in learning to brew your own, visit auburnbrewclub.org.

John Little | Auburn, Alabama | http://auburnbrewclub.org