Pale Ales

[Guest Ace309]

So, drinking in Canada has gotten me hooked on Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale, otherwise known (for simplicity's sake) as AKIPA. It's not readily available in the States, or at least not in Buffalo.

 

With that in mind, I decided to try to expand my horizons, starting with whatever the local Premier had on hand. This week's was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It left me thoroughly confused. Satisfied and happy, but confused.

 

AKIPA: Light, fruity, happy tastes. Substantially more interesting than most light beers. In fact, the only light beer I drink with any regularity.

Sierra Nevada: German in flavour. Bitter aftertaste, seems fairly complex, and mid-to-dark amber in colour.

 

So... er... what makes it a pale ale? I'm pretty confused here.

[Guest treble charged]

Well, I had my first Keith's today, and it was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I'm not exactly a big drinker, but it's good stuff.

[Guest ElectricRaccoon]

If you're into Keith's, I'd recommend Rickard's Pale, too. It's similar, but with kind of a stronger taste. I always found Keith's to be kind of watery. Still, the fact that it's on tap everywhere makes it a great compromise beer when everyone else wants Canadian or Bud.

[Guest ElectricRaccoon]

Also, a pale ale is dry, kind of bitter, lightish in colour and heavy on hop flavour. I haven't had Sierra Nevada, but Keith's is basically the mass-market take on pale ale, so it's one of the least ambitious. A lot of people really aren't into bitterness, which is unfortunate. It's always been advertised as a negative, so people miss out on good beer when they hear it's "bitter".

[Chunk]

Does WieschBier come under "Pale ale"?

 

In Germany, it seems like every small village has their own unique WieschBier, and they all taste amazing.

 

Has anyone tried it before? Erdinger WieschBier is the most common one.

 

ChUnK!