"Extra" pale ale?

[Rudedawg]

Noob question. What is the diff between pale ale and extra pale ale?

 

[McGarnigle]

I'm guessing 'extra' is meant to designate more hops. I don't think it's a regular term.

 

[Rudedawg]

So the extra is just to make it sound better, no changes to the brewing?

 

[McGarnigle]

I think so. It's not an official style or anything.

 

[Sigafoos]

It's stronger, ie Ordinary Bitter, Special Bitter, Extra Special Bitter. An Extra Pale Ale is probably an American use of the term.

 

[Trevor57]

Typically more of everything. (Or I guess just less water.)

 

[vinyl_key]

My thinking was backwards on this. When I see "extra pale ale," I see the "extra pale" part and think its lighter or something..

 

[jgourd]

My thinking was backwards on this. When I see "extra pale ale," I see the "extra pale" part and think its lighter or something..

Most extra pale ales I've seen are lighter in color and body.

 

[dunnright00]

My thinking was backwards on this. When I see "extra pale ale," I see the "extra pale" part and think its lighter or something..

this is what i thought too...

 

[ArcaneXor]

They can be "tweener" beers (between Pale Ale and IPA), or Pale Ales with light or no crystal malts, producing a lighter color and cleaner, less malty flavor than most pale ales.

 

[Nugent]

Most extra pale ales I've seen are lighter in color and body.

My 'experience' with EPAs, which tend to be more common in the PNW in spring/summer, is a light coloured, but snappy hopped ale with a 4.5%-5.5% range.

The one that I really like is Portland's Bridgeport Haymaker. It's a really well balanced and refreshing ale that comes in at about 5.2%, I think. Can't wait for it to come back this year.

Found one in the beer fridge at the place in Point Roberts the other day. I let out a 'woo-hoo'; the wife was puzzled, but not surprised that a beer made me so happy.

 

[Beernik]

I'm drinking an Extra IPA right now. It looks looks its midrange between an IPA and a double IPA.

 

[jacketsfans]

I brewed the Extra Pale Ale kit from Northern Brewer. The ingredients are all in the lighter part of the scale and the beer itself is very blonde in appearance, whereas with a typical Pale Ale you'd see some Crystal 60 or something similar to give it more of a coppery/golden color.

 

[Walker]

The only extra pale ale I've ever had is sweetwater 420. It's way below a pale ale in all ways (lighter color, lower body and alcohol, lower hops.)

It's just a "light beer", but avoids the negative opinion that craft beer drinkers have of "light beer" by not putting the word "light" it.

"Extra pale" sounds better.

 

[Nugent]

The only extra pale ale I've ever had is sweetwater 420. It's way below a pale ale in all ways (lighter color, lower body and alcohol, lower hops.)

It's just a "light beer", but avoids the negative opinion that craft beer drinkers have of "light beer" by not putting the word "light" it.

"Extra pale" sounds better.

I think that you hit the nail on the head. I've noticed that craft breweries almost never (I've never actually seen one, but I haven't had every craft beer in existence ... yet) see the word "light". Good call, sir.

 

[dunnright00]

So, is the consensus that it means "Extra Pale" Ale, and not "Extra" Pale Ale?

Or is it a Brewery by Brewery label?

 

[KCBrewer]

I was also under the "extra pale" ale assumption when I purchased it from northern brewer as the english pale ale was about $2.50 more and had an og of 1.050 vs 1.045 of the extra pale ale.

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

The most common Extra Pale Ale that I have seen commercially available is Rolling Rock. It's between a blonde ale and a pale ale.

 

[Nugent]

Since we seem to have reached consensus on this, any good recipes for an Extra Pale Ale from anyone? Or, what seem to be the key ingredients in the ExPAs that you have tried?

I'm thinking 2-row or Pilsner base, really light crystal for some maltiness, maybe some adjunct(s), Carapils or flaked barley? As for hops, the ExPAs that I have tried have been balanced and clean - so Willamette? Saaz? Clean, neutral yeast like 1056/001.

Here's some info on Bridgeport Haymaker Extra Pale Ale: http://www.bridgeportbrew.com/flashblocks/data/pdf/haymakerrelease.pdf

 

[dunnright00]

I have an Extract recipe that I made some time ago. I remember it being very light and crisp.

Let me dig it out...

 

[dunnright00]

Here we go:

Extra Pale Ale, brewed on 12/6/97

5 lbs Pale LME
1 lb Rice Extract (not sure if it was dry or liquid. probably dry)
1 oz Willamette 30 minute boil
1/2 oz Willamette End of Boil
1 oz Cascade End of Boil

#1056 American Ale Yeast (Wyeast? I think this is the same as WLP001, no?)

OG 1.041
FG 1.010

I'm pretty sure it's the second from the left:

 

[BrewBrain]

The only extra pale ale I've ever had is sweetwater 420. It's way below a pale ale in all ways (lighter color, lower body and alcohol, lower hops.)

It's just a "light beer", but avoids the negative opinion that craft beer drinkers have of "light beer" by not putting the word "light" it.

"Extra pale" sounds better.

I just tried this one for the first time last night. Also my first experience with "extra pale". Not bad, but would not go out of my way for it.

 

[DavidSteel]

There are extra IPA's too (SN torpedo). It's just a term to distinguish it since it doesn't quite fit the style of an "IPA"

 

[brewagentjay]

The only extra pale ale I've ever had is sweetwater 420. It's way below a pale ale in all ways (lighter color, lower body and alcohol, lower hops.)

It's just a "light beer", but avoids the negative opinion that craft beer drinkers have of "light beer" by not putting the word "light" it.

"Extra pale" sounds better.

Sorry but SW 420 has lots of flavor and nearly as hoppy as IPA. Are you sure your drinking the right stuff? It's a great beer.

 

[NorCalAngler]

I recommend the Northern Brewer Extra Pale Ale. It's very hoppy, but delicious. I added a cup of dextrose so mine is probably a bit dryer than typical, but it's good.

Check out the lacing. The picture doesn't show it, but it's crystal clear. The color from the extract is more toward amber than pale.

 

[brewagentjay]

I recommend the Northern Brewer Extra Pale Ale. It's very hoppy, but delicious. I added a cup of dextrose so mine is probably a bit dryer than typical, but it's good.

Check out the lacing. The picture doesn't show it, but it's crystal clear. The color from the extract is more toward amber than pale.

You got the recipe for it? I like Extra Pale Ale. I love SW 420 I did a clone. I'd rather do it AG but with the extra recipe I can convert it to AG.

Thanks in advance.:rockin:

 

[brewagentjay]

I just tried this one for the first time last night. Also my first experience with "extra pale". Not bad, but would not go out of my way for it.

Was it on tap or bottle? Man that is some good stuff on tap.

 

[NorCalAngler]

You got the recipe for it? I like Extra Pale Ale. I love SW 420 I did a clone. I'd rather do it AG but with the extra recipe I can convert it to AG.

Thanks in advance.:rockin:

Northern Brewer shares all their recipes. You can find the pale ale recipe here.

 

[danculwell]

The most common Extra Pale Ale that I have seen commercially available is Rolling Rock. It's between a blonde ale and a pale ale.

Rolling Rock is a lager.

 

[chefmike]

The only extra pale ale I've ever had is sweetwater 420. It's way below a pale ale in all ways (lighter color, lower body and alcohol, lower hops.)

It's just a "light beer", but avoids the negative opinion that craft beer drinkers have of "light beer" by not putting the word "light" it.

"Extra pale" sounds better.

I would have to call this one out of line... it being a local beer. The "extra" is marketing. 420 is a solid American Pale Ale and competes very strongly with anything you can put in that category.

No clue where you get less color, body or alcohol on a 420... less than what? It is a 5.4%, quite hoppy and has an excellent mouthfeel with a good malt note.

You got the part right about "extra" sounds better. That is why they put it there.

Now I am done defending my local brewery. Hey... its georgia... we dont have many!

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

Rolling Rock is a lager.

That's right... it's "Extra Pale" but it isn't an ale. My mistake.

 

[BrewBrain]

Was it on tap or bottle? Man that is some good stuff on tap.

It was a bottle given to me from a Beer Of The Month shipment.

I assumed "extra pale" meant it was more pale than most other pale ales since it is. I found no real difference in body though, just color. Didn't know the alcohol content.

 

[BrewBrain]

There are extra IPA's too (SN torpedo). It's just a term to distinguish it since it doesn't quite fit the style of an "IPA"

Officially, the "extra" in the SN Torpedo is for "extra yummy" as far as I know.

 

[grammatron]

Chiming in on the Sweetwater debate here, I gotta agree that there's nothing "light beer" about the 420. It's not that far off from Sierra Nevada's pale ale. It's fairly hoppy (as are all of Sweetwater's beers) and the abv is 5.4%, which isn't exactly low for a pale ale.