Having "Session" Thoughts on St. Peter's English Ale and Black Sheep AleAug 25 '04 (Updated Sep 11 '04) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Both St. Peter's English Ale and Black Sheep Ale should appeal to fans of the "session" beer.
A Beery Good Evening----Having "Session" Thoughts Whenever I think of “session” beers, more likely than not, I’m referring to the kinds of beers I serve company (or would if cost were no object). These are brews that, in my view, go well with friends and serve to keep conversation flowing throughout the course of evening, dinner, or get together. Beer has always been served best with conversation (and is certainly welcome when faced with the kind one endures rather than participates in). Others define "session beers" strictly as the kinds of beers that are easy drinking and not too expensive. I tend to look at those beers as "lawnmower beers" or "everyday beers." I drink plenty of those beers of course, but in my definition, I elevate the "session beer" to a higher status. In any event, I’ve discovered two newer English ales now available in the U.S. that I think could become especially welcome session choices: St. Peter’s English Ale and Black Sheep Ale. St. Peter’s English Ale is organic ale, made by St. Peter’s Brewery in Northern Bungay, Suffolk, which was founded in 1995. The brewers set out to brew real ale and embraced the idea of establishing one brand only rather than try to multiple offerings under different names. They’ve seemingly been successful as St. Peter’s offers 12 cask-conditioned ales and 15-17 bottled ales, all under one brand. The bottle is one thing that sets the brewery off from others as it is an 18th Century antique oval shaped bottle, based on a 1770 design by Thomas Gerrard of Gibbstown in the Philadelphia area. [More information about the brewery can be found at www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk] St. Peter’s English Ale meets the organic requirements of the UK Soil Association standard and includes light malted barley from Scotland, with organic 'Target' hops, water from a pure source and is a refreshingly wholesome flavoured ale with a delicate character. St. Peter’s English Ale pours to a tawny pale color with a decent amount of beer lace and a full-on whiff of decidedly “earthy tones.” The ale has a solid malt foundation with an underlying caramel-like sweetness that is nicely balanced with the more understated earthy, drier hops at the finish. The finish is kind of peaty or smoky; there is a decided “grassy” texture to the taste profile I think. As the ale warms up, the sweetness becomes more pronounced with the butterscotch toffee asserting itself. The earthiness remains vigilant though, and keeps the ale in check from becoming too sweet. The mouthfeel continues to walk a fine line between the malt/hops. This is a nicely done ale (four stars), well worth a chance at $4.00 per 16.9 oz bottle. It strikes me as too expensive for everyday drinking, but certainly meets my session needs for company and special occasions. With a 4.5 alcohol by volume (ABV) rating, it certainly meets the criteria as well. It will not overwhelm the drinker, and will certainly hold up over the course of an evening. Black Sheep Ale is a little stronger at 4.9 ABV, and the same price at $4.00 per 16.9 oz bottle. It is made by Paul Theakston’s Blacksheep Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire, founded in 1992. Theakston’s family has a long history of brewing in England and this brewery traces its beginnings to the demise of the family tradition after its namesake brewery was taken over by the larger Scottish & Newcastle in 1988. Theakston family tradition is well served with the new brewery which currently offers 5 bottled beers and 4 cask-conditioned ales. More information about the brewery can be found at www.blacksheepbrewery.com. Black Sheep Ale is its flagship offering, described as a premium bitter and the brewer notes that it is “. . . brewed in restored antique brewing vessels and fermented in the unusual Yorkshire Square system to produce a distinctive robust ale. . . many generous handfuls of choice Golding hops, it is full flavoured ale with a rich fruit nose. The bittersweet malty taste is followed by an uncompromising long, dry and bitter finish.”. Black Sheep Ale pours to a pale tinged color with a nicely formed head of beer lace. The head quickly dissipates as the beer’s fragrance is pronounced; kind of earthy but with a flowery scent to it. The immediate mouthfeel is kind of mixed between two extremes: one of toffee sweetness and the other of the strong hops presence. The strong hops presence might be off-putting to some drinkers, but there is something to be said for an ale that announces itself with a flourish. It may strike some as not as balanced as some bitters. It’s a bit more carbonated than I would have liked which produces a bit of a gassy feeling. Still, Black Sheep Ale warms up nicely and is a satisfying bitter over the course of an evening. And, it’s certainly not a “quaffer” by any means; this is a conversation ale all the way (three stars). Both ales are imported by Eurobubblies (www.eurobrews.com). Of the two, I like both, but St. Peter’s English Ale more closely matches what I like about session ales and the taste profile seems more suitable to me over the course of an evening. I recognize that the prices for these products can be consideration, but friends are worth the added expense from time to time. [A night out at a decent beer bar would see one paying more per round.] Both ales would make good selections for those interested in having a "tasting party," where a few bottles could be shared amongst friends for the nominal cost of the "sessions."  |
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