Defining english vs. American?

[aqualung23]

I just made a pale ale with american 2-row, english ale yeast (us04) and hopped exclusively with cascade. Would this be defined as an English or american pale ale? Btw I intended to use us05 but accidentally bought us04, and I'm really happy with this Smash beer. Will probably become a mainstay for me.

 

[JKaranka]

Depends more on what it tastes like than on what goes into it. I'd say American. We don't really get US 2-row in the UK and it is distinctively bland when compared to most British barleys. Same with the malting. We do get extra pale MO now, that is a bit more like US 2-row, but it's not very commonplace.

Styles have always been very fluid and boundaries very blurred. American brewers have used foreign hops for a long time and so have British ones too. A pint of regular British bitter would have had an average OG of 1.055 in 1910, 1.035 in 1970, more around 1.042 now. Back in the day it would have often had cheap American hops or expensive German ones, in the 1970s mainly British ones and nowadays again a bit of everything. Most British beers don't conform to any standards anyway, like BJCP guidelines and stuff.

 

[hottpeper13]

04 is tasty. I brew like that all the time and just call them pale ales. But technically I think the yeast is the deciding factor. And the UK imports a lot of cascade so who knows.

 

[aqualung23]

The IBUs are pretty low, about 32, and the fruity esters of the English yeast really come out. I was going to dry hop, but I think I'm going to leave it alone. Amazingly smooth at 6.2%.

 

[agrazela]

Everything is American. That's how we roll.

 

[JKaranka]

At 6.2% in Britain you could even get away with calling it an Old Ale, a Strong Bitter or a Strong Golden Ale. After all it's up to you how you want to classify it.

 

[Jmarsh544]

Double Haul from KettleHouse brewery in Missoula MT won gold in the English IPA category at the GABF and their beer uses Montana grown malt and cascade; the yeast must be the deciding factor?

 

[Billy-Klubb]

did you brew it in 'Uhmerka?

 

[zmanzorro]

I would say it depends what stands out the most. If the yeasty esters come through the most, call it English. If the hops are more prevalent and bright, call it American.

 

[Calder]

I would say it depends what stands out the most. If the yeasty esters come through the most, call it English. If the hops are more prevalent and bright, call it American.

This!

Stone brews American beers with English yeast.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Uhmerca!

 

[zoomzilla]

American beers are overkill on everything. Hops, carbonation and abv. Just like America. I had an English IPA tonight and I thought it was flat. No hop character and little carbonation. Then I went next door and had an APA fermented on a pound of ghost peppers and dry hopped on 18% alpha acid summit hops. Carb to 20psi and rake in the money.