The Full Spectrum of Pale Ale

Brewers’ Perspectives:

Are pale ale differences a regional thing or an old-school/new-school thing? Four craft brewers share their thoughts on today’s pale ales.

Are pale ale differences a regional thing or an old-school/ new-school thing? Four craft brewers share their thoughts on today’s pale ales …

THERE’S NO DENYING THAT

the farther west one travels in the United States, the hoppier the local IPA will be. I expected the same for pale ale, but when I tracked down craft brewers from the western, midwestern, southern, and northeastern United States to speak to their respective quadrant’s pale ale, I found that wasn’t always the case.

Close to Kölsch

Here is the condensed spectrum of American pale ales according to Colby Chandler, the executive director and specialty brewer at Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen in San Diego, California: The pale ales made in the United States get hoppier—often from the addition of nouveau hops—and drier as you head west. They lose some of the malt profile that’s more apparent in English-style pale ales and take on the profiles of traditional German pale ales, inspired by crisp, refreshing Kölsch ales.

For Ballast Point, pale ale was a bridge beer from light macro lagers to beer that’s not too bitter and still incredibly flavorful, Chandler explains. The brewery came out of the gate with its original Pale Ale that uses American and Munich malts and German hops. This beer is hopped like a lager and fermented like an ale to create a smooth, bright taste that has just a hint of fruit and spice.

A later addition to Ballast Point’s beer lineup was the Grunion Pale Ale, an International Pale Ale brewed with two modern American hops varieties, Mosaic and Calypso. Much like its Kölsch-style sister, this pale ale has a light grain bill of Marris Otter and Carapils malt. Its hops aroma and flavor are that of cantaloupe and green melon.

“We’re getting to the point where regular single pale ales are starting to taste more like Ipas—they’re losing the malt base and boosting the hops aroma,” says Chandler. “The pale ales in the West, and especially in the San Diego area, are bright with strong hops aroma imparted from the late addition of hops into the kettle or into the fermentor for dry hopping post-fermentation.”

Gushing With Hops

“Generally speaking, the pale ales on the West Coast are very hoppy and dry and the pale ales on the East Coast are more ‘Brit-