New style list poll - the English pale ale conundrum & other pale ale related questions

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Inspired by the discussion about a new style list https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HqTu-FkP1rbdONm_cOT1lpJhXOUYNPcbV8IF2QcrST4/edit input is needed on topics.

What should we do with English pale ale? Lots of pale ales about that don’t specify being American or English so I like the idea of adding a style just called Pale Ale. Do you agree?

  • Rename to generic pale ale and keep APA
  • Rename to generic pale ale and include APA in that
  • Keep it as it is and add a generic pale ale
  • Keep it as it is and no new generic pale ale style

0 voters

Add Rye Pale Ale / Specialty Grain Pale Ale (name can be negotiable)

  • Yes
  • No

0 voters

Add Belgian pale ale (meaning a Belgian yeast APA like Belgian IPA)

  • Yes
  • No

0 voters

Add Fruited / Flavoured pale ale (name negotiable)

  • Yes
  • Yes but only fruited
  • No

0 voters

2

You missed off the obvious one - just get rid of EPA altogether.

1 Like
3

Both renaming it pale ale and merging it into APA and calling that pale ale get rid of EPA.

4

I think it’s generally agreed that EPAs are golds or bitters with pale ale on the label. No need for a pale ale style.

1 Like
5

There’s a definite need for a pale ale style. In NZ there are literally hundreds of NZ pale ales, Australia has lots of Australian pale ales etc. They’re significantly hoppier than any gold or bitter should be, but they’re not APAs because they don’t go for the big bitterness or American hop flavours. A generic pale ale category - whether it’s separate to APA or includes them - means that thousands of beers worldwide don’t get put into a category with American or English in the name when there’s nothing particuarly American or English about them.

I can’t speak for EPA in the US, because I have no idea, but the EPAs in NZ tend to be less aggressively hopped NZPA that belong in a pale ale category not bitter / gold.

6

Should Pale Ale - NZ be a style?

To be honest I’m happy with 80 or so styles ( some new and some retired) but it’s good to see discussion. And if a load of new styles are to be introduced I’d rather see no half measures:)

7

I thought it’s a North American brewed pale ale using English hops. So things brewed in Britain are bitters and golds and across the pond EPA

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Obviously I shouldn’t be the judge of that, because I feel like every other beer is a NZPA. I also think you then need a German Pale Ale and an Australian Pale Ale and whatever other countries grow hops. That’s why I want a generic pale ale category - a style for beers made in the APA tradition to some extent but making use of non-American hops and so having distinct flavours.

9

I’ve got no idea what the answer is on this one so I didn’t vote

Would need a pop-up: if you’re in the UK is this really a Gold or bitter?

10

Or alternatively, the UK admins can just fix those added wrong - which is what they presumably have to do now…

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Don’t forget that some in the UK consider Golds to just be Bitters that are a bit paler than average in colour, nothing more, and certainly not distinct.

It is possible to make absolutely bang on English style pale ales, such as what would be described as a typical bitter, without English water, English malts, and English hops (and even “English” yeast). So if some of the beers labelled EPA, because there was an attempt to make an English-style pale ale, don’t taste like they’re very English at all, it’s because of bad mimicry, that’s all, and the ratings should reflect that (which means you might give it a higher score if you prefer them, all tastes are subjective).