Australian Sparkling Ale

[Graeck]

Hi all,

Cooper's Sparkling Ale is the only "sparkling ale" I've seen here in the US. Are there other "Sparkling Ale's" in Australia?

I'm researching some of the lesser-known beer styles, so I'm trying to figure out is "Sparkling Ale" is an actual style in Australia or if it's just that one beer by Cooper's. Though of course, it may "be" a style and only represented by that one beer.

From what I've read about Cooper's Sparkling Ale is that it's derived from an English Pale ale, but it's stronger in alcohol (5.8%) that a typical English Pale would be. Anyway...if it is a style, I'm trying to put together a style description with tasting notes, any history, typical ingredients and its compete stats (range for OG,FG,IBU,Color/SRM,%alc).

Any help appreciated...

Thanks!!

Greg

 

[geoffi]

AFAIK there aren't any others. I have heard that there used to be many others back in the 19th century, but they died out when lager became the fashion.

Cooper's Pale Ale is, I believe, brewed with the same ingredients, just at a lower gravity. I don't know of any other versions of that 'style' either.

 

[Graeck]

AFAIK there aren't any others. I have heard that there used to be many others back in the 19th century, but they died out when lager became the fashion.

Cooper's Pale Ale is, I believe, brewed with the same ingredients, just at a lower gravity. I don't know of any other versions of that 'style' either.

Thanks Geoffi! Any idea where I might be able to read up on the history of "Sparkling Ales"? I quick net search didn't produce anything interesting. I just sent off an email to Cooper's brewery asking them more details about their sparkling ale.

 

[geoffi]

Thanks Geoffi! Any idea where I might be able to read up on the history of "Sparkling Ales"? I quick net search didn't produce anything interesting. I just sent off an email to Cooper's brewery asking them more details about their sparkling ale.

Try this.

Or this.

 

[geoffi]

Sad to note that the first link above is from Google's cache.

www.beerhunter.com is no more.

 

[gerald]

there is another sparkling ale,

Pike's sparkling ale. made in a lil brewery up in the adelaide hills (oak bank) famous for their horse racing.

http://www.internationalbeershop.com.au/pr...?product_id=421

linky link above

cant find a website though.

 

[Thunderlips]

there is another sparkling ale,

Pike's sparkling ale. made in a lil brewery up in the adelaide hills (oak bank) famous for their horse racing.

http://www.internationalbeershop.com.au/pr...?product_id=421

linky link above

cant find a website though.

According to the website above it's a lager, not an ale.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

You might try the style guidelines from the Australian Amateur Brewing Championships. They give you pretty much everything you are looking for.

you can find them here - http://vicbrew.org/Files/AABC2007StyleGuidelines.pdf

Coopers Sparkling Ale is an Australian Pale Ale, as is Coopers Pale ale. Different interpretations, but either could be considered archetypes of the style. Between them they are by far the main commercial examples and were probably for a long time the only commercial examples. In more recent times craft brewers have begun to make their own versions and there are a fair few interpretations of the style around these days.

I doubt seriously if there would be anyone but Coopers exporting to the US, though it would be great if I were wrong.

Cheers

Thirsty

 

[Graeck]

Try this.

Or this.

Thanks! Perfect! I've read the Michael Jackson post, but hadn't seen that other one...the exact info I was looking for!

 

[braufrau]

Michael Jackson describes it in his Beer Companion.
He calls it Adelaide Sparkling because there used to be a number of beers in the style which have all gone now so it is, pretty much, a one beer style now.

There's 3 pages under the title Adelaide Sparkling Ale. I can copy them and send them to you if you want.

This is how MJ describes Sparkling in the 70s.

"I felt that I was drinking history - an early breed of British Pale Ale, adpated to colonial conditions, then trapped in amber - when I first sampled Adelaide's classic, Coopers Sparkling Ale, in the 1970s. The name seemed ironic, If served with a gentle hand of a seducer, the ale might jus sparkle in the glass, but any more clumsy technique results in a cloud of haze. The beer is heavily sedimented and cloudy, and the lovely secondary fermentation in the bottle gives it an almost agressively rough carbonation and fruitiness. It is sharp, sherety, refreshing and exploding with flavours."

and then ...

"'Sparkling Ale' seems to have been a well-known designation in Australia by the late 1800s. The word sparkling may have been a respnose to the brigher lager beers that began to appear by the 1880s and 90s. The production and serving of good ale was difficult in very hot weather, and the advent of refrigeration and pure culture yeasts made it possible for brewers to switch to more stable lager styles. "

and under producers he gives 3 ... coopers, kent town and lion but the last two don't exsist anymore and gives a more specific description of the 3 beers.

Anyway, let me know if you'd like me to scan it Graeck.

 

[warrenlw63]

Actually not a style (if it could be deemed that) exclusive to S.A.

I've got a copy of Keith Dunstan's book The Amber Nectar that shows some labels from old Vic breweries with the words "Sparkling Ale" printed on the label. As BF stated was an ale style of highly "variable" quality made in the days pre-dating refrigeration.

There were plenty of British style ales around at the same time. I think the added sugar and lighter colour was merely an attempt to produce something drinkable in the hotter months.

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Here's two labels for Victoria and Abbotsford Sparkling Ales. Be nice to know what they were like.

Warren -

 

[therook]

Here's two labels for Victoria and Abbotsford Sparkling Ales. Be nice to know what they were like.

Warren -

Surely you were around Wazza

Rook

 

[warrenlw63]

I wish! I reckon Richmond and Abbotsford/Collingwood must have been brewing havens once upon a time. B)

Warren -

 

[///]

I doubt seriously if there would be anyone but Coopers exporting to the US, though it would be great if I were wrong.

Cheers

Thirsty

Barons Brewing....

 

[Dave86]

I doubt seriously if there would be anyone but Coopers exporting to the US, though it would be great if I were wrong.

I'm pretty sure I read in beer and brewer that barons were exporting to the states. Don't have the mag handy so can't clarify that, anyone else?

 

[Dave86]

Barons Brewing....

Beat to the punch..

 

[Graeck]

I doubt seriously if there would be anyone but Coopers exporting to the US, though it would be great if I were wrong.

A couple posts mentioned Baron's brewing, but I haven't heard of them here. Sometimes the distribution of lesser-known imports is a bit spotty ... sometimes only making the west coast or east coast markets. It may be in the US, but not in California...or even just southern Cal, and not northern....

Another Australian beer we do get here that I love is Sheaf Stout.

A big thanks to all for the above info on Sparkling Ales, it's more info than I ever expected! If you're ever in the Santa Cruz, CA area (an hour south of San Francisco) I'll buy you a beer!

- Greg

 

[geoffi]

Does Barons Brewing really do a Cooper's-style 'sparkling ale'?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Does Barons Brewing really do a Cooper's-style 'sparkling ale'?

Maybe they've done it as a seasonal or something - their website doesn't mention an Australian Pale Ale. Their "Pale Ale" orat least the one which is being distributed to the States, is hopped with Nelson Sauvin - so its no doubt a fine beer, but would miss being a typical example of an Aussie Pale.

Graeck - They are supposed to be distributing nationally, so you might eventually see one. Give the pale a go anyway - if you haven't had a beer with Nelson Sauvin hops, its an experience worth having. Hell, give em all a go. I don't personally find the Barons range to be earth shatteringly great, but they are all certainly good, if slightly tilted towards the "unchallenging" end of the beer spetcrum. The Lemon Myrtle Wit is an exercise in zingy spiciness though. Great with a bit of fish if a bit much by itself.

TB