Beer Alert!: Sam Adams New Albion Ale Special Release: A Six-Pack of History

New Albion Brewing's original logo.  New Albion refers to a region of Northern California that English explorer Sir Francis Drake discovered in the late 16th Century

Since I've been on a bit of a craft brew history kick recently, Sam Adams, who are huge readers of this blog and incessantly poke me on Facebook, decided to pay homage to one of the original American craft breweries, New Albion  out of Sonoma, CA, and reproduce their pale ale based on the recipe developed by founder Jack McAuliffe.  As previously posted, New Albion and Anchor, both out of Northern California, are widely considered the fathers of the American craft brewing movement and inspired such brewers as Kenn Grossman from Sierra Nevada and seemingly Jim Koch of Sam Adams.  Unfortunately, New Albion folded in 1983, but it's legacy and reputation remain very much alive.  Thanks to Sam Adams, we now have the rare opportunity of tasting a clone of one of the first American Pale Ales which would go on to launch a nationwide brewing revolution that emphasizes the generous use of domestically grown hops.

At a recent in-store promotional event I was working, I happened to stumble upon this baby blue-labeled special release in a bargain bin next to New Zealand's middling Steinlager at Tower Piedmont in Atlanta.  For the low price of $3.99 (as of 5/11), I was able to purchase a six-pack of craft brewing history.  The only reason I can imagine for why it's on clearance is that people don't recognize the historic significance of the limited edition reproduction.  

My first New Albion experience 30 years after the brewery folded

Anyhoo, upon pouring a bottle in my trusty Innis and Gunn glass, it became quite sensually evident that this was a classic American Pale Ale.  Although the hop aroma doesn't overwhelm the olfactory nerves (not sure if it's dry-hopped, but I would guess not), you still get a nice whiff of the earthy, citrusy hops so associated with APAs nowadays.  As you can gather from the photo, compared to Sierra Nevada's pale, the malt bill of the New Albion is fairly lighter.  Consequently, the IBUs of the hops come off much stronger, IMO, than in Sierra's.  I thought the dry grapefruit-like citrus flavor of the hops was just a bit harsh, but then again, I'm not a huge hop head to begin with. 

To conclude in a timely manner, although I prefer a bit maltier APA like Sierra, if you appreciate the American craft brewing movement, do pay homage to one of its most famous forefathers by rescuing a six-pack of Sam Adams New Albion Pale Ale from the bargain bin and giving it the respect it most definitely deserves.  Cheers to Jack McAuliffe and his legacy that keeps on giving!

Thanks Jack and Jim!