Looking For Pale Ale Suggestions

[Dennis1979]

Can you guys suggest a commercial pale ale or IPA that I can try to see if I like it and or/one that is good and easily copied in a home brew. I tried some breckenridge 471 IPA but didn't like it. Too strong, too hoppy I guess. If all IPA's are like that, I'm not interested. I have also tried Killians and I liked that. I have never had Smithwick, Bass or Sierra Nevada though. I am sure there are many others.

Just thinking about what I want to brew in the future. I thought I would go to the liquor store and try a few things but want to narrow the sample because money's not growing on trees any more.

Dennis

 

[nosmatt]

PA i suggest "mirror pond" from Deschutes brewery. awesome good.

IPA i suggest "Long Hammer" from red hook. as the bottle says "liquid goodness"

i went through 2 12ers of EACH this weekend.
good luck!

 

[mmb]

I'm a real fan of Bell's Pale Ale. Bass Ale, Redhook ESB and Fullers ESB would be other examples. The difference between American Pale Ales and British Pale Ales will be hop character and hop bitterness with American PA coming across as hoppier. American usually equals "Bigger, Bolder, More."

IPAs can be a little trickier. American IPAs will come across as citrusy floral notes from American hops. English IPAs will be grassy, floral and and the hop character will be lower than the American verities. Good American IPAs that I like would include the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, and Stone IPA. English IPAs I like would include Goose Island IPA, Sam Smith's IPA and Fuller's.

Killian's would be an American Amber Lager masquerading as an Irish Red Ale. Not a bad beer by any means but not indicative of the styles you mentioned. I'm not a fan of any of the Breckenridge Brewery beers so I can't help there. Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is hands down the worst beer I've ever had.

 

[telemarc]

The definition of a good (great) pale ale is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

I think a good example of an American Pale Ale is Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewery. IMO, Sierra Nevada is pretty close to an IPA and might push it a little if you are very hops averse.
After brewing EdWorts Haus ale 4-5 times, I've found that if I up the crystal a taste and tweak the hops schedule, it turns out very similar to Liberty Ale. Outside of a SMaSH the Haus Ale is probably the easiest recipe to brew and works well both as an All Grain or and MiniMash with extract. Search the recipes here for it.

 

[FreakinA]

I would definitely try the Sierra Nevada since you said you haven't.

 

[FreakinA]

I think a good example of an American Pale Ale is Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewery. IMO, Sierra Nevada is pretty close to an IPA and might push it a little if you are very hops averse.
After brewing EdWorts Haus ale 4-5 times, I've found that if I up the crystal a taste and tweak the hops schedule, it turns out very similar to Liberty Ale. Outside of a SMaSH the Haus Ale is probably the easiest recipe to brew and works well both as an All Grain or and MiniMash with extract. Search the recipes here for it.

Never had a Liberty Ale myself(although I would love to) but isn't that a rather hoppy beer? I have the Micheal Jackson Big Beer Book and he labels it as a testament to Cascade hops.

 

[Chriso]

My favorite standard pale ale (non-IPA) is Great Divide's Denver Pale Ale. Very flavorful but not over the top at all.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

FreakinA
Liberty might just be a hop bomb. I drank about 10 of 'em on Halloween and damn it was tasty. I've never been a "hopHead" but since starting homebrewing maybe my palate has shifted.
Sounds like a great reason to pick up a 6er of Liberty and SNPA and see what I see...

 

[MN_Jay]

+1 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

 

[Kungpaodog]

Just to clarifiy to the OP, an India Pale Ale is going to always be very hoppy, that's just the style. If you aren't a fan of huge hop flavors, then you may want to steer away from them. At the same time, you may want to try a few different IPAs and see if you find one that floats your boat. Stone Ruination is about as extreme as an IPA gets, but most here will say it is a damn fine beer.

I thought whiskey was pretty foul the first time I tried it, but now a good glass up or on the rocks is about as good as it gets. Maybe if you try a few IPAs they will grow on you.

 

[ChshreCat]

+1 Mirror Pond

 

[BierMuncher]

Find a liquor/beer store that lets you make your own six pack.

I’d add:
Sierra Nevada
Bells Two Hearted IPA
Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale
Bridgeport IPA
Stone IPA

And a 6th beer of your choice.

 

[Dennis1979]

Thanks fellas. These all sound like great slecetions. I have my list in my pocket and will start gathering, uh, research specimens. This beer research is such hard work.

Dennis

 

[TeleTwanger]

Anchor Liberty is a great IPA.

 

[telemarc]

I think I'll do a little "research" myself!

 

[nosmatt]

do you have a "BEVMO" in the area?

great place for a very wide variety... otherwise it is going to be difficult to get some beers, especially deschutes....

BevMo! - Wine, Spirits, Liquor, Beer, Microbrews, Gourmet, Champagne, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Bordeaux, Scotch, Vodka, Tequila

 

[Malticulous]

I like Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale. I think it is a IPA.

 

[Dennis1979]

do you have a "BEVMO" in the area?

great place for a very wide variety... otherwise it is going to be difficult to get some beers, especially deschutes....

BevMo! - Wine, Spirits, Liquor, Beer, Microbrews, Gourmet, Champagne, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Bordeaux, Scotch, Vodka, Tequila

No BEVMO around here. This is a big city but not as much beer variety as I would like to see. Best place is a big liquor chain called Specs. They have a lot of beer brands but not everything by far. I have received some recommendations for several beers that they do not carry. I asked them about it once and they said the laws in Texas are real strict and there are a lot of beer brands they want to stock but can't. I don't know what these laws are and how they restrict what they can sell but that's what they told me. - POLITICAL COMMENTARY TO FOLLW - Texas is a pretty damn conservative state with strong religious groups that have power over the politics. They don't like drinking, dancing, rock-n-roll, you know all the things I love. A great many of our rural counties are dry. I guess that's the problem. I suppose we will just stay bass-ackwards around here while the rest of the country moves on. - END OF POLITICAL COMMENTARY-

Anyway, of all the beer you guys listed I'm going to see what I can scrounge up and give it a try.

Dennis

 

[ChshreCat]

Nearest Bevmo to me is about 650 miles according to the website. Only state run stores can sell the hard stuff here. Great selection of beer and wine in grocery stores though.

 

[TeleTwanger]

they have a pick your own 6pack by me for $8.49 so last time I put 4 dogfish 60 and 2 Anchor Barley Wines in it and got +$10 beer for $8.49 :rockin:

 

[Chriso]

All the pick-a-6 places near me know better than to make that mistake... They charge $8.99 for the mixer, but don't let you select singles of anything over $7.99/6pk regular cost. Of course, with NE's beer selection, especially @ the grocery stores, that means you can get St. Pauli, Heinie, Sam Adams, Goose Island, the A-B "craft" of the season (Beach Bum, Bourbon Barrel, etc) and some Breckenridge.

 

[Righlander]

Good Pale Ales: Brooklyn Pennant Ale, Sierra Nevada, Stone Pale Ale, Bell's Pale Ale,

 

[Righlander]

ACME Pale Ale is good too if you're not a fan of hopped up pales.

 

[BarleyWater]

All the pick-a-6 places near me know better than to make that mistake... They charge $8.99 for the mixer, but don't let you select singles of anything over $7.99/6pk regular cost. Of course, with NE's beer selection, especially @ the grocery stores, that means you can get St. Pauli, Heinie, Sam Adams, Goose Island, the A-B "craft" of the season (Beach Bum, Bourbon Barrel, etc) and some Breckenridge.

The one around here just charges per bottle. I have made some pretty damn expensive 6-packs with beers that only come in singles. He's right about the Texas beer scene, it blows but it's getting better. I can get Deschuttes like mentioned above (I love Mirror Pond and Black Butte) along with a lot of other great beers, but some more popular ones are hard to come by because smaller breweries don't want to have to deal with our Texas ABC and distributions laws.

 

[Hikeon3]

Firestone Walker's Pale Ale is very good.

 

[onejdn]

my favorite right now is Racer 5 from Bear Republic. Can't get enough!