Where Have All the Pale Ales Gone?

“For a quart of Ale is a dish for a king.” ―William Shakespeare

Once upon a time, Pale Ale was the beer for craft beer lovers to drink. Sierra Nevada in Chico, California popularized this style of beer, and it remains to this day a staple, a classic, a beer of distinction. But it’s a style of beer that is increasingly hard to find on tap or in the grocery aisle.

I was in the beer section of Central Market in South Austin the other day. This spot in the store is jammed with India Pale Ales of every sort, taking up a large swathe of shelf space. Many of them have funny names to go with their loud and proud package designs. To the store’s credit, I did find one Pale Ale other than Sierra Nevada, and it was a beer that I’d never had before.

The beer is called Parallax Pale Ale, and it is made by Dutchess Ales in St. Louis, MO. I have to say Parallax Pale Ale is a wholesome brew. Extremely drinkable. Highly recommended.

This is how the brewer in St. Louis describes it:

Parallax Pale Ale

Parallax is a ​seasonal summer ale with a refreshing and brilliantly crisp profile. An effortless session beer brewed with British pilsner malt, Spring malt, wheat, and spelt malts & hopped with an array of juicy citrus expressions from Horizon, Loral, & Wai-iti. The aromatic blend of crisp citrus with fresh peaches and apricot provide a nice centering herbal zest.

IBU: 34 | ABV: 4.6%

There was a time when I didn’t consider the variety of malts or types of hops. I also didn’t concern myself with the alcohol by volume (ABV), which is a big concern for me today. The higher the percentage of alcohol, the fewer beers I can drink. Ideally, I drink beers in the 4.5% to 5.5% range and Pale Ales fit this bill. They also taste great, whereas many indelicate IPAs are hop bombs. They overpower you on the palette and due to the high alcohol content, kick you in the butt at the same time.

Last year, I had a Hazy Pale that I haven’t been able to locate since. It’s called Pseudo Sue and is made by Toppling Goliath in Decorah, Iowa. I’m going to ask my local provider, Bastrop Beer Company, to order a case, which I will guarantee with a cash deposit. I tasted this beer for the first time at a tavern in New York. I want to taste it again in the comforts of my own home.

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Texas brewers—and there are hundreds of them—make incredible beers, including incredible Pale Ales. In Austin, I like Twine Time from Independence Brewing. I like Rocket Park Pale Ale from True Anomaly in Houston. Rocket Park Pale uses 100% Citra hops, an American hop aptly named for its aromas and flavors of grapefruit, lime, and peach.

I recently learned that one of the best Pale Ales in the nation is brewed nearby in Temple, Texas. Bare Bones Disco by Bird Creek Brewing won a Bronze Medal at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Temple is not far from Bastrop, not by Texas Standards. It’s not as close as Taylor but it’s much closer than Tyler.

For what it’s worth, Taylor and Tyler are also home to excellent breweries. Texas Beer Co. in Taylor does not make a Pale Ale. True Vine Brewing in Tyler makes a Hazy Pale. They also make a Juicy Pale.

When I think Pale, I’m thinking about classic American-style Pale Ale. I’m not thinking Hazy or Juicy Pale, although I prefer to order a Hazy or Juicy Pale over its equivalent in the India Pale Ale category.

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Retail sales of craft beer increased by 3% in 2023, to $28.9 billion, and now accounts for 24.7% of the $117 billion U.S. beer market, according to the Brewers Association. It seems like there would be plenty of room in a market this large for an abundance of Pale Ales.

I can head to HEB or Spec’s right now and maybe find one offering of Pale Ales, while the IPAs offered number in the dozens. Hops are fascinating, but beer is more than hops. Malt is also critical to a well-balanced beer.

Did you know that hops come in 300-plus varieties? Many of the varietal names are intriguing and fun to say aloud. Astra, Pride of Ringwood, Sylva, Saaz, Vital, Elixir, Mistral, Opal, Orion, Progress, Amarillo, Bravo, Caliente, Diamond Springs, Delta, Meridian, Newport, Old Mission, Strata, Wild Wolf, and Trident are all hops. Next time you can’t think of a name for the stray cat you adopted, consult a list of hop varietals.

When it comes to malts, a brewer picks from Base Malts like Rye, Munich, or Maris Otter. There are also Caramel and Cystal Malts, Kilned Malts, and Roasted Malt. Pale Ale calls for Pale Malt (which is a Base Malt), but there are several kinds and sources, with each variant presenting the brewer with the option to alter their recipe and improve the beer in the glass.

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Con Todo is “the goods.” And it’s parked outside Celis Brewing in North Austin.

The word “craft” is an interesting choice of words for a food and beverage movement focused on local sourcing and quality outputs. The movement is now widespread.

What started with craft brewing has spread beyond brewing itself. Now, we have craft cocktails, craft coffee, craft tacos, craft baking, and all sorts of crafts I haven’t even heard of. These are not your grandmother’s crafts. As it happens, my mom’s mom was a skilled crafter of quilts, Afghans, and needle points. She also made clothes.

Craft to me means that extra care has been taken to produce the goods. There’s nothing pretentious about it. There is pride in one’s work and love of the people who will enjoy it one day. I take extra care to make this written product that’s now in front of you, but I don’t call myself a craft writer. I’m a person who cares. I also won’t call you a craft reader, although I can sense that you care. I feel it in the support that you provide via private emails, plus comments, chat, sharing with others, and paid subscriptions.

It may not seem like a big deal to comment or share someone’s work, but it is. Writers and artists often work alone and it is the contact with people who appreciate their work that deepens one’s belief in the path and ultimately helps inspire more and better work. It’s a virtuous loop and I will gladly raise a pint glass of Pale Ale to that. Cheers.