Ballantine India Pale Ale, Storied 136-Year-Old Craft Beer, Re-Launches in Northeast

Discussion in 'Beer Releases' started by Todd, Aug 14, 2014.

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  1. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,254) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    Staff Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    First brewed in 1878, America’s Original IPA returns in style to select markets

    Los Angeles, CA (August 13, 2014) – Pabst Brewing Company, the largest American-owned brewery with over 30 beers in its portfolio, today announced the re-launch of Ballantine India Pale Ale, one of the oldest and most iconic craft beers in the country. The beer will be available beginning in September in major Northeast markets.

    First brewed in 1878 by P. Ballantine & Sons Brewing Company in Newark, NJ, Ballantine India Pale Ale was the only American-made beer that successfully continued the tradition of the 19th century IPAs once Prohibition ended. This was due in large part to the brewery’s steadfast commitment to “Purity, Body, and Flavor”— as exemplified by the three interlocking Borromean rings found on every bottle.

    Ballantine’s brewers were meticulous about ensuring that the beer’s gravity, alcohol content, IBUs, and hopping rates remained consistent well into the mid-20th century. Another unique method that characterized BallantineIndia Pale Ale was a hopping process in which the distilled oils from a hop-and-water mixture were added to the brew, giving the beer an intense hoppy flavor that was quite distinct from its competition. P. Ballantine & Sons was also rumored to have matured the India Pale Ale in huge wooden vats for up to a year in order to help develop the ale’s original flavor.

    In order to replicate the original recipe as closely as possible, Pabst Master Brewer Gregory Deuhs reverse-engineered the beer, ensuring the robust heritage and quality of the 136-year-old brew was properly reflected in the 21st century version.

    “I began this project with a simple question: How would Peter Ballantine make his beer today?” said Master Brewer Deuhs, adding, “There wasn’t a ‘secret formula’ in anyone’s basement we could copy, so I conducted extensive research looking for any and all mentions of Ballantine India Pale Ale, from the ale’s processing parameters, aroma and color, alcohol and bitterness specifications. Many brewers and craft beer drinkers would be impressed that the Ballantine India Pale Ale of the 1950s and ‘60s would rival any craft IPA brewed today.”

    Over the course of two years and over two dozen iterations of five-gallon batches handmade at his home near Milwaukee, WI, Deuhs finally struck gold.

    “Unlike recreating a lost brew from long ago, I had the advantage of actually being able to speak with people who drank Ballantine back in the day,” continued Deuhs. “Their feedback was crucial to ensuring that the hoppy, complex flavor that was revered for over a hundred years was front and center in my recipe.”

    Ballantine IPA will be sold in bottled six-packs and limited-edition 750 ml bottles in major markets across the Northeast, including New York, New Jersey, Boston, Portland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh.

    Ballantine Background
    • Dry hopping and the addition of hop oil has long been credited as the key to the beer’s unique profile. In addition, a proprietary brewing method ensures that every drop of Ballantine India Pale Ale comes in contact with American Oak, effectively capturing the robust flavor and heritage of the brand. With the reintroduction, an entirely new generation of craft beer enthusiasts will experience what made America’s Original IPA so exceptional.
    • In the 1950s, Ballantine was the third largest brewery in the country, going on to become the primary broadcast sponsor for the New York Yankees. Despite stiff competition, the IPA continued to flourish as its dry hopping process gave the beer an intense, distinct hop presence, unlike anything else available in the United States at that time.
    • In the 1970s, taste preferences changed and American lagers edged out the IPA, a trend that was abruptly reversed with the craft beer movement of the past few years. This increased interest in craft beer gave Pabst the perfect opportunity to bring back America’s Original IPA.

    About Pabst Brewing Company
    In business since 1844, the Pabst Brewing Company is North America’s largest privately held brewing company. Pabst’s portfolio includes iconic brands with deep ties to America’s heritage such as Ballantine, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Colt 45, Old Style, Lone Star, Stroh’s, Old Milwaukee and Rainier.

    Pabst’s decision to re-launch Ballantine IPA after more than 30 years reflects the company’s recent move into the craft beer market where the company will maintain Peter Ballantine’s commitment to Purity, Body and Flavor. For more information, visit http://pabstbrewingco.com/.

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  2. BottleCaps80

    BottleCaps80 Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2013 Iowa

    "Pabst’s decision to re-launch Ballantine IPA after more than 30 years reflects the company’s recent move into the craft beer market...."

    Oh cool. Another BMC creating "crafty" beers that will cater to the PBR crowd.
     
    Roguer and A2HB like this.
  3. abkayak

    abkayak Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2013 New York

    hope the beers ok..should be good t-shirts anyway
     
    Pzellot and Glenney67 like this.
  4. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Does anyone the abv on this beer? Wasn't it quite low for an IPA, around 3%?

    Edit: Nope, just looked it up. Looks it was wood-aged for a year, and was 7.5% abv. I was thinking of Greene King IPA at 3.6%.
     
    A2HB likes this.
  5. dustinjkline

    dustinjkline Zealot (520) Aug 30, 2007 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Looking forward to trying it. Anyone alert Jesskidden yet?
     
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  6. JCrider

    JCrider Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2012 New York

    Had the latest test batch a couple of weeks ago. It was a pretty un-eventful, but perfectly drinkable IPA. The price point will be what prevents or encourages me to have it again.
     
    A2HB likes this.
  7. Wolfhead

    Wolfhead Initiate (0) Sep 1, 2009 Illinois

    What might be the price point? The last time I bought PBR I was wearing flannels and bell bottoms, think I paid $2.99 for a case of those cute little 7oz bottles while listening to Relayer :slight_smile:
     
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  8. PSU_Mike

    PSU_Mike Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Still a ripoff... :wink:
     
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  9. A2HB

    A2HB Initiate (0) Oct 30, 2013 Michigan

    If it makes it to Michigan I'll buy a pack to try. Assuming it's reasonably priced, it is from PBR after all
     
  10. JCrider

    JCrider Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2012 New York

    Sorry, didn't specify that I have no clue what the price point will be. I was simply trying to say that if it's priced reasonably I'd definitely have it again. We shall see I guess.
     
  11. mnredsoxfan69

    mnredsoxfan69 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2013 Minnesota

    I'm willing to give it a fair chance, assuming it proves popular enough for them to expand to the Midwest. I'm not expecting Hop Stoopid or Saga, but I won't dismiss it out of hand.
     
  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    For some reason another thread on this topic was deleted.

    The OP provided the link to the article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/13/pabst-to-bring-back-ball antine-ipa/14013995/

    In that article/past thread I noted:

    “The IPA uses four different malts and eight different hops, as well as hop oil to finish it off. American oak chips are used in the process, harking back to the oak and cypress barrels used for the original beer.”

    I then made mention that there were two recipes for Ballantine IPA in the Mitch Steele book on IPA.

    From discussions with Bill Pierce I was educated: “From the research I did, the original Ballantine IPA used Clusters, Brewers Gold and Goldings.”

    In that other thread I tagged @jesskidden and asked if he had any knowledge of “eight different hops”.

    To the best of my recollection I re-created my earlier post to the deleted thread here.

    Cheers!
     
  13. RockAZ

    RockAZ Pundit (983) Jan 6, 2009 Arizona

    I would love to try this beer, I remember people talking about it in the '70's in Michigan. Keen to know if PBR invested in the year aging in wooden barrels on this one - odd that the press release mentions it so many times if they didn't plan on making it that way. I see they used oak chips in one article, but I hope a pilot run was done in barrels.

    Reminds me of Pete Brown and his search for the Burton IPA http://petebrown.blogspot.com/p/hops-and-glory.html
     
  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    "I see they used oak chips in one article, but I hope a pilot run was done in barrels." I would suggest that the article is 'correct' in that oak chips were/are used vs. aging in barrels. Aging in barrels (or tuns like they did it 'back in the day') is expensive (times costs money; oak tuns/barrels costs money).

    Cheers!
     
  15. Foyle

    Foyle Maven (1,457) Sep 29, 2007 North Carolina

    Pete Brown is a terrific beer writer. I have read all of his books and highly recommend them for those who enjoy reading travel/history books that revolve around beer. Hops and Glory is a rollicking global adventure that follows Pete and a keg of Burton lPA by sea from England all the way to India.

    His books Man Walks into a Pub and Three Sheets to the Wind are terrific as well.

    Warning: do not attempt reading them without having some beer on hand. They will make you thirsty!
     
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  16. mnredsoxfan69

    mnredsoxfan69 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2013 Minnesota

    A few years ago that would have been disappointing to read, but I understand that Cold Spring has cleaned up its act in the past couple of years.
     
  17. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My concerns about that would be put to rest if some of the original fans of the beer just report that it 'brings them back' to the older beer.

    I would like to know why the increase in types of hops, though, just for my own curiosity. Maybe they couldn't contract enough of one type and used reasonable substitutes, or other explanations to that effect.
     
  18. dennis3951

    dennis3951 Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2008 New Jersey

    I may be wrong but I pretty sure the IPA in Newark was aged in large wooden vats lined with paraffin wax. The brew had no contact with the wood.
     
  19. Flashy

    Flashy Pooh-Bah (1,755) Oct 22, 2003 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Certainly was a gateway beer for me.
     
  20. JimKal

    JimKal Savant (1,149) Jul 31, 2011 North Carolina

    I remember having Ballantine Ale back in the late 60's. I remember liking it but remember nothing about how it tasted. Let us hope this doesn't show up in a green bottle.
     
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