Beer of the Weekend #333: Schlafly Pale Ale
It is that time of the month again: sampling time for my LV recommendation. This time I will likely tackle two months at once. I plan to be on the road a lot in April and think it is best to take care of my May recommendation now.
For April and May I am planning a two-step introduction to hoppy brews. I want to recommend a pale ale for April and an IPA for May. I would like to plum the depths of hops and why they are all the rage right now, so I will see how much information I can cram into a 300-word space.
Obviously, I am starting with the pale ales first. Last night I retried Millstream’s Iowa Pale Ale (BotW #133) and Acme California Pale Ale (BotW #134). (I did not realize until now I tried them consecutively, just as I did last night.) The ACPA tasting did not go well: my first whiff was a nose full of fresh dog shit. I am not kidding. I wondered if it had to do with me tasting ACPA so soon after sampling IPA, but I doubt it. I drank a little water to cleanse my palate and waited 10 minutes or so. The smell of dog shit faded, thankfully, but it ruined the whole experience. Plus the beer tasted unfinished, like stale bread or cardboard. I think it was a bad bottle. Regardless, I am plowing forward with a couple other pale ales recommended by the incomparable Joe Hotek, “bier guy” extraordinaire.
The beer tonight is Schlafly Pale Ale, brewed by the Saint Louis Brewery of Saint Louis, Missouri.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “Bottled With Love on” date printed on the label is “11 22 2011.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is hazy, light honey with maybe a hint of amber. Two fingers of dense, buttery, eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly.
Smell: The aromas are rather subdued, but musky grain dominates. There are flashes of caramel, toffee, and lemon zest. Much more English than American. However, grassy malts, honey, and a nuttiness also emerge after the beer has warmed.
Taste: Smooth and easy drinking; the beer goes down so well it is almost difficult to savor. It offers a tame, herbal bite along with a little orange and lemon zest. Caramel provides a little maltiness but it is really window dressing. As the pint continues to warm, honey creeps in along with the nuttiness from the smell. The sides and back of the tongue are left tingling and after a couple sips I thought I tasted a little freshly ground black pepper.
Drinkability: This is as fickle little creature. I like it. It is smooth drinking and offers an adequate amount of flavor and complexity to satisfy.
Fun facts about SPA:
-Style: Schlafly calls it pale ale and BA classifies it as “English Pale Ale.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.4 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Indian, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern cuisine; peppery and sharp cheeses (Monterrey/Pepper Jack, Blue, Cheddar); and fish and shellfish.
-IBU: 25.
-Color: 13.5 SRM.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
-Nerdiness on the neck label claims SPA is “[p]erfect for those hot summer days and nights as well as a cozy winter fire.”
-In April, Bobblehead and I plan to take a road trip to Shiloh, Tennessee for a Civil War anniversary. During our return we may stop in Saint Louis. I have never been there and Schlafly’s taproom sounds like a potential pit stop.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
For April and May I am planning a two-step introduction to hoppy brews. I want to recommend a pale ale for April and an IPA for May. I would like to plum the depths of hops and why they are all the rage right now, so I will see how much information I can cram into a 300-word space.
Obviously, I am starting with the pale ales first. Last night I retried Millstream’s Iowa Pale Ale (BotW #133) and Acme California Pale Ale (BotW #134). (I did not realize until now I tried them consecutively, just as I did last night.) The ACPA tasting did not go well: my first whiff was a nose full of fresh dog shit. I am not kidding. I wondered if it had to do with me tasting ACPA so soon after sampling IPA, but I doubt it. I drank a little water to cleanse my palate and waited 10 minutes or so. The smell of dog shit faded, thankfully, but it ruined the whole experience. Plus the beer tasted unfinished, like stale bread or cardboard. I think it was a bad bottle. Regardless, I am plowing forward with a couple other pale ales recommended by the incomparable Joe Hotek, “bier guy” extraordinaire.
The beer tonight is Schlafly Pale Ale, brewed by the Saint Louis Brewery of Saint Louis, Missouri.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “Bottled With Love on” date printed on the label is “11 22 2011.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is hazy, light honey with maybe a hint of amber. Two fingers of dense, buttery, eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly.
Smell: The aromas are rather subdued, but musky grain dominates. There are flashes of caramel, toffee, and lemon zest. Much more English than American. However, grassy malts, honey, and a nuttiness also emerge after the beer has warmed.
Taste: Smooth and easy drinking; the beer goes down so well it is almost difficult to savor. It offers a tame, herbal bite along with a little orange and lemon zest. Caramel provides a little maltiness but it is really window dressing. As the pint continues to warm, honey creeps in along with the nuttiness from the smell. The sides and back of the tongue are left tingling and after a couple sips I thought I tasted a little freshly ground black pepper.
Drinkability: This is as fickle little creature. I like it. It is smooth drinking and offers an adequate amount of flavor and complexity to satisfy.
Fun facts about SPA:
-Style: Schlafly calls it pale ale and BA classifies it as “English Pale Ale.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.4 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Indian, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern cuisine; peppery and sharp cheeses (Monterrey/Pepper Jack, Blue, Cheddar); and fish and shellfish.
-IBU: 25.
-Color: 13.5 SRM.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
Our flagship Pale Ale is a smooth, balanced, copper-colored session beer with mildly spiced flavor and aroma from the East Kent Goldings hops. The bready, lightly caramel malt complements the hint of fruitiness contributed by the London Ale yeast, making it satisfying and authentic; the perfect flagship beer for Schlafly.
-Nerdiness on the neck label claims SPA is “[p]erfect for those hot summer days and nights as well as a cozy winter fire.”
-In April, Bobblehead and I plan to take a road trip to Shiloh, Tennessee for a Civil War anniversary. During our return we may stop in Saint Louis. I have never been there and Schlafly’s taproom sounds like a potential pit stop.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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