This week, I have chosen to discuss my favourite American Pale Ale, Emerson's APA, which shares many of the characteristics Barack Obama embodies.

Emerson's APA is a cloudy orange/amber colour, with an off-white head. The aromas are incredibly bitter with the hop and malt notes coming through strongly. And just as you'd expect the flavours are incredibly bitter with strong hop and robust malt characters making their mark.

Although the sweetness (which also includes a touch of caramel) of the APA complements the ale beautifully, it is the hoppy bitterness which lingers on the palate long after the last of the bottle has been consumed.
And while the US have entered a new era with the appointment of Barack Obama as US president, Emersons are leaving one behind with the September 2008 brew of their acclaimed APA to be their last. So if you can get your hands on a bottle (there are still a few floating around), do, and enjoy its robust, smooth and soothing qualties. As Obama and the APA style have proven, SOME American characters can have a lasting impression.
2 comments:
Just tuned into your blog...love it! i've had a few of the APA's and found them to be a bit of a mixed bunch, some with a lovely juice malt/hop flavour but some with a strange almost tobacco like astringency to them....not sure if you'd noticed that too?
Thanks Kempicus! I do agree, I think the APA style is quite a difficult one to do well. These beers can often turn out too one-dimensional, with the bitterness too overpowering for the other flavours to come through, which then leaves an unfortunate tobacco-y taste on the palate.
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