Eric's Peat-Smoked Ale
To the left: That's Dylan, our fearless brewer, putting up a new pirate flag. New Pirate Flag day is always a big deal at the brewery... now onto the real story.
In May, Dylan was making a beer and a roasty smokey note wafted over him as he was milling in. We have a coffee roastery not far from here and Dylan shook it off as the source of the aroma.
A few days later Dylan put his nose into Eric's Special Beer and, well, it was really special. It had somehow acquired a strong note of peat. So Dylan gets on the phone with the grain supplier and after telling him about the smokey peat note the distributors said something along the lines of, "Oh S&%*&", which if you really think about it is completely impossible to say. So it turns out the grain manufacturer switched out the grain bags before cleaning out the grain chute and into the earth came Eric's Peat Smoked Ale and more importantly a massive discount from the distributor.
ALL IN ALL, the peat notes in this beer are subtle and it really turned out great. The general consensus is that there is a nice peat note and a good deal of malt behind it. It's selling like crazy... I just wish we could make it again. -Jake Hafner, owner
A brief smokey historical review:
1861 Farmer Richard Fuggle of Brenchley found a special hop plant in a flower garden and propagated it like crazy.
1980s Jake Hafner and Eric Hildebrandt of Saint Louis met in grade school not knowing one day the brewery Jake owned would make not one but two beers with Eric's name.
2008 Eric began promoting the local beer scene via stlhops.com
2011 Jake, Dylan and Mike opened The Civil Life Brewing Co. and Eric promptly became a supporter.
2014 Civil Life brewed a special thank you for being Eric and then due to a grain error brewed yet another special thank you beer for him.
Western Civilization likely involved a few other events, definitely some significant fires and individuals along the way, but you're basically caught-up. This is a stronger, more traditional English Pale Ale with a nose reminiscent of freshly-baked peat scones drizzled with peat honey. It’s a perfect peaty bittersweet balance with profoundly grassy, earthy, woodsy notes and peat. Two special beers for a special friend (you too.)
Technical details:
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 40
Colour: Bright & Sunny golden orange
BJCP Style: 8C. English Pale Ale: ESB
Notable Ingredients: UK Golden Promise pale malt, undetermined amount of Peat, CaraPils and dark crystal malts, Mr. Challenger's & Mr. Fuggle's hops, English ale yeast
In May, Dylan was making a beer and a roasty smokey note wafted over him as he was milling in. We have a coffee roastery not far from here and Dylan shook it off as the source of the aroma.
A few days later Dylan put his nose into Eric's Special Beer and, well, it was really special. It had somehow acquired a strong note of peat. So Dylan gets on the phone with the grain supplier and after telling him about the smokey peat note the distributors said something along the lines of, "Oh S&%*&", which if you really think about it is completely impossible to say. So it turns out the grain manufacturer switched out the grain bags before cleaning out the grain chute and into the earth came Eric's Peat Smoked Ale and more importantly a massive discount from the distributor.
ALL IN ALL, the peat notes in this beer are subtle and it really turned out great. The general consensus is that there is a nice peat note and a good deal of malt behind it. It's selling like crazy... I just wish we could make it again. -Jake Hafner, owner
A brief smokey historical review:
1861 Farmer Richard Fuggle of Brenchley found a special hop plant in a flower garden and propagated it like crazy.
1980s Jake Hafner and Eric Hildebrandt of Saint Louis met in grade school not knowing one day the brewery Jake owned would make not one but two beers with Eric's name.
2008 Eric began promoting the local beer scene via stlhops.com
2011 Jake, Dylan and Mike opened The Civil Life Brewing Co. and Eric promptly became a supporter.
2014 Civil Life brewed a special thank you for being Eric and then due to a grain error brewed yet another special thank you beer for him.
Western Civilization likely involved a few other events, definitely some significant fires and individuals along the way, but you're basically caught-up. This is a stronger, more traditional English Pale Ale with a nose reminiscent of freshly-baked peat scones drizzled with peat honey. It’s a perfect peaty bittersweet balance with profoundly grassy, earthy, woodsy notes and peat. Two special beers for a special friend (you too.)
Technical details:
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 40
Colour: Bright & Sunny golden orange
BJCP Style: 8C. English Pale Ale: ESB
Notable Ingredients: UK Golden Promise pale malt, undetermined amount of Peat, CaraPils and dark crystal malts, Mr. Challenger's & Mr. Fuggle's hops, English ale yeast