When you enjoy a certain food or beverage, it is always nice to know a little bit about the food or beverage you're enjoying. This is particularly true of beers. The beer industry is vast, and different types of beers are made quite differently. If you're drinking a pale ale, here are some fun facts about this beer style worth pondering as you sip.
Pale ales come in many varieties.
You'll find plenty of beers that are labeled specifically "pale ale." However, you will also find lots of beers that are more specific styles under the pale ale umbrella. India pale ales, for example, are a style of pale ale once sent on ships from England to India. English pale ales are those typically brewed in and served at pubs in England. These beers are all quite similar but made in slightly different ways with slightly different balances of ingredients. If you have a pale ale and enjoy it, you may want to start expanding your horizons by trying different sub-types of pale ales.
Pale ales are pretty hop-forward.
This is a hoppier style of beer, and the types of hops used to make pale ales are usually quite potent. The hoppiest of the pale ales tend to be the India pale ales. Brewers added extra hops to these beers to help preserve them on the voyage to India. Other pale ales are not quite as hoppy, but the hop flavor will be present. Some people love this, and others find pale ales too hoppy. Plenty of people find India pale ales too hoppy but enjoy other pale ale varieties.
Pale ales pair well with meat.
Pale ales may not look like a hardy, heavy beer that you'd pair with hearty food, but their taste says differently. The robust flavor of these beers means they can stand up well to meaty, hearty dishes. The hop flavor almost helps cleanse your palate between bites. Take one sip of beer, and it will cleanse your palate from whatever you've been eating. Take your next sip of beer, and you can fully enjoy the flavors in that sip of beer.
Pale ale beers are fairly easy to find at most grocery stores and beer shops. The next time you're looking for a nice, versatile beer to enjoy, buy yourself one. Then, review these pale ale facts as you sip and enjoy your drink.