There’s a reason why the golden hues of the pale ale craft beer is so popular among the craft beer community, and it’s an easy answer. They’re the perfect beer for the summer, perfect for the ease of a hot afternoon or a day session with your craftie friends! But what makes the pale ale so special? 

The golden coloured amber comes from the brewing style. Brewed with pale malt and ale yeast, making pale ales the perfect choice to bridge the gap between the dark stouts you enjoy in winter and lagers that are just too light. For those that desire a malty hop-forward and thirst-quenching drink in the Aussie sunshine – the pale ale crafty has the right balance and will hit the spot.

This style is so approachable we’ve simply got so many to share with you! Slight nuances of woody malt profiles or hits of light floral hops are all in harmony here. Your palate will be singing out for more!

WHAT IS A PALE ALE?

Don’t be fooled by the name, the Pale Ale is no shrinking violet. This popular beer style gets its name because of the use of pale malted barley which gives it a lighter colour. The Pale Ale has been around since the early eighteenth century, with it’s first advertisement describing this new beer as ‘light and excellent’, adjectives that are, of course  still used today for the description of the amazing pale ale. Although this beer is not full-bodied and wintry like a stout, or as light as a lager, pale ales fall in the middle ground of delicious and thirst-quenching. So, how was the pale ale first created? Using a different fuel in the traditional brewing process, brewers discovered they could make a new beer that had a new type of roasted malt, thus creating a lighter golden beer and changing brewing and beer history. Through the creation of the pale ale, the IPA or India Pale Ale was also born, from the travelling of the Pale Ale to british-colonised India. If you would like to learn more about IPA’s or look at our IPA products, click here to visit our IPA webpage. 

Flavour
Generally Pale Ales have a more equal malt-to-hop balance, with the hops being definitely present, but fairly moderate. In saying that, the taste of Pale Ales varies quite a bit. You can get easy drinking fruity ones that have aromas and palates of tropical, citrus and even pine flavours or those that display heavier hop characters (hint hint, take a look at IPA’s if you’re interested). These varying flavour profiles come down to the type and amount of hops used in the brewing process, with scales of ABV and IBU of course coming into consideration. 

What is IBU? 

Bitterness levels are measured through a scale that is aptly named International Bitterness Units, or IBU. These units measure the level of hop and alpha acids in beer through the use of a formula. For most pale ale beers, the IBU is usually between 15-40, with the exception of the IPA category, which is known for its high levels of bitterness and malt flavours. 

What is ABV? 

ABV stands for alcohol by volume and represents the percentage of alcohol in the beer. The amount of alcohol in the brew can actually affect the taste of the beer. Beers with a higher ABV have a more bitter flavor. Brewers use ABV to achieve balance between sweetness and bitterness, so with the pale ale, the ABV usually sits in the middle-range, indicating perfect balance.

Pale Ale Styles
American Amber Ale: The American Amber ale is malty and medium-bodied, with caramel coloured pour as well as flavour profile! A great Cartel example of an American Amber Ale is the Little Bang Beard Fiction American Pale Ale, which has nutty flavours, a good amount of bitterness (but not too much of course!) and a huge fruitiness to match the hop profile it boasts of. 

American Pale Ale: This pale ale has big citrus levels, piney American hop characters and a medium to high level of bitterness. Craft Cartel recommends the Mountain Culture American Pale Ale which is said to be ‘more Lemony than Mr. Snicket and goes down easier than a diving submarine with the hatch still open!’ Pair it with some spicy Mexican food and you’ve got a perfect afternoon feast. 

Indian Pale Ale: To balance the strong hop flavour, lightly dried and roasted pale malts are often used as they provide a warming malt finish, the IPA is heralded by the craft beer community as god tier. With a high IBU and delicious bitterness, this is the beer to choose on a hot summer’s day. Go for a Balter IPA or an Akasha Hopsmith IPA for an after work session. 

Australian Pale Ale: This ale beer is slightly yeasty with passionfruit notes, making extremely easy drinking. Usually having a more dry finish, this beer is said to go a treat with fresh seafood (kind of like the beer version of a white wine). Try Young Henrys Newtowner Pale Ale for the quintessential Aussie beer.

English Pale Ale: The English Pale Ale is richer in colour and maltiness than other pale ales with less emphasis on hoppy aromas. Go full Englishman and eat some roast chicken with an English pale ale for the full British experience!

Irish Red Ale: The Irish Red Ale could be an homage to all the gingers out there! With their sweet toffee and malt characters, this beer is easily distinguishable through its amber to bright red colouring. On offer at Craft Cartel we have the Hop and Clover Brewing Irish Red Ale, with it’s light smoky flavour and delectable toffee taste. 

Hazy Pale Ale: Finally, the Hazy Pale Ale, a new phenomenon in the craft beer world!  Made in both pale ale and IPA styles, the Hazy is heralded as a new favourite for its fruity flavour and frothy, ‘hazy’ colouring. Looking at the Hazy, Craft Cartel recommends trying every one possible, but especially the Ballistic Hawaiian Haze Pale Ale and the Balter Hazy IPA as the perfect entrance to the Hazy community. 

PALE ALES AT CRAFT CARTEL
The best way to taste all the amazing styles and types of pale ales would be to sign up to become a Craft Cartel Member! Experience membership perks of discount and limited edition beers, as well as a Craft Cartel box monthly of a range of our great beers on offer. Of course, the monthly boxes, or year subscriptions (which can be found through this link), contain the perfect examples of pale ales we have on offer! 

If you’re looking for something less permanent, our online range of Pale Ales or more specific IPAs are an excellent way to start your pale ale journey.