British Style Pale Ale

British and North American Ales

The Lords of the Ales: A Powerful Onslaught of Ales from the Two Towers of North America and Great Britain

Pale ales tend to be fuller-bodied with a more assertive character on the palate than the standard bitter in a English brewer’s portfolio. In England, they are generally bottled, as opposed to being sold on draft. Despite the name, pale ales are not pale but, in fact, more of an amber hue. The original designation was in reference to this style of beer being paler than the brown and black beers that were more popular at the time of the style’s inception. In the United States, pale ale styles have become one of the benchmarks by which craft brewers are judged. The U.S. version of pale ale is crisper and generally much more hoppy. Indeed, this style is well suited to assertive domestic Pacific Northwestern hop varieties that give the United States examples inimitable character. A good U.S. example should be available on tap in any bar worth frequenting for its beer selection.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range	Quality Band
96-100 points	Platinum
90-95 points	Gold
85-90 points	Silver
80-84 points	Bronze
Less than 80	Not Recommended

Legend

= Brewpub
ABV = Alcohol by volume
Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

90 Michelob Pale Ale, Michelob Brewing Co. (MO). 5.6% ABV (2/09)
Brilliant new copper penny color. Aromas of honeyed orange peel, barnyard haystack and toasted baguette follow through on a supple entry to a dryish medium body with earthy nut, orange, mineral and pepper accents on the crisp, Czech pilsner-like fade. Clean and precise with a solid earth hop and nutty malt character.

90 Triple XB (XXXB) Classic Pale Ale, Batemans (England). 5% ABV (2/09)
Deep brilliant copper color with a taupe head. Mild aromas of dried cherries and peaches, dusty roasted nuts, toffee follow through on a supple frothy entry to a dryish medium body with nut skin, slate and mineral notes. Finishes with a crisp, refreshing and balanced fade.

90 Helios Pale Ale, Upland Brewing (IN). 4.9% ABV (3/11)
Golden amber color. Aromas of toasty apricot custard pastry and praline aromas with a supple, dryish medium body and a crisp, clean melon sherbet and grassy, frisée-like hop finish. A really nice session ale.

89 Meantime London Pale Ale, Meantime Brewing Co. (England). 4.3% ABV (3/11)
Deep amber color. Aromas of peach soufflé and praline aromas with a crisp, dryish medium body and a tangy watercress, water chestnut and grassy earth-accented finish. A very traditional, earthy, session ale.

88 Anglers Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co. (UT). 5.8% ABV (3/09)
Rich amber color. Praline, dried peach and grapefruit aromas follow through on a soft, round entry to a dry medium body with toasty brioche notes and a mellow earthy hop fade. A nice, even, session beer that will cover a lot of bases.

88 Pike Pale Ale, Pike Brewing Co. (WA). 5% ABV (3/10)
Amber color. Aromas of chocolate-covered roasted nuts, honeyed whole grain bread and faint soy follow through on a round, silky entry to a dryish medium body with good depth and an earthy, mineral, cocoa and dried citrus-accented fade. A nice food beer.

88 Samuel Adams Pale Ale, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 5.3% ABV (3/11)
Bright golden amber color. Peach marmalade on raisin toast and lemon butter cream aromas with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a hint of tortilla on the earthy finish. Nicely drinkable.

87 Kentucky Ale, Alltech Lexington Brewing (KY). 5.5% ABV (3/11)
Deep amber color. Creamy coconut custard and fig nut bread with a dry-yet-fruity medium body and a honeyed zucchini and peppery radish-like hop finish. A nice easy drinking ale.

86 Lancaster Blonde, Lancaster Brewery (England). 4.1% ABV (3/10)
Pale golden yellow color. Aromas of roasted corn and salty root vegetables follow through on a round entry to a dry medium body with cracker-like malt and a chalky, grassy hop finish with good astringency.

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