Mt. Begbie Cream Ale
Style: Cream Ale
ABV: 4.7%
Presentation: 650 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Mt. Begbie Brewing Co.
Country: Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada
KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk
Contrary to an unsettling common misconception Cream Ales possess no milk products whatsoever. Some brewers use lactose, which is milk sugar, in order to sweeten their darker ales like stouts and porters, but this is far from the case regarding the Cream Ale style. Even the expectation of a full, creamy texture is getting out of bounds. It’s the newer nitrogen injected Irish ales that are adding “Cream Ale” to their names that are advertising this sort of fullness and delivering it, however they are fairly recent innovation and considerably off the mark from the traditional incarnation of this style.
In essence a Cream Ale is practically a loose American version of the rare German Kölsch style, a pale, light refreshing beer that remains a sort of hybrid between a lager and an ale. Back in the late 1800’s American ale brewers were looking for ways to both to cut corners and to compete with the ever increasingly popular lager style. Since refrigeration still wasn’t commonplace at the time many of the ales were produced at room or cellar temperature with bottom-fermenting lager yeast that is normally required to be fermented at colder, near freezing temperatures. Without the colder “lagering” temperatures to help clarify the beers they retained the sweeter, fruitier notes that are associated with ales. Brewers also added corn sugar to lighten the body and mouthfeel more akin to lagers as well. Some brewers would cheat by blending in some actual portions of lager too. During the American Prohibition this style was actually kept alive by Canadian Brewers here in the great white north, who also found it an easier method to produce light and quaffable beers within a shorter processing time. Nowadays the small faction of modern brewers who tend to produce this style do so in the opposite way it used to be fashioned, thanks to common technological advancements. Although it still remains a hybrid, commonly now brewers will produce a light ale and then cold mature it for a shorter time than they would a lager.
What I enjoy about Mt. Begbie’s interpretation of their Cream Ale is that they take an already uncommon style and make it their own. It doesn’t require anything fancy to be served in, a mug or pint glass will be fine if you don’t own any fancy beer glasses. It’ll be nice and crisp if you drink it straight from the fridge just as with any lager, however if you allow it to warm up a bit there is a decent flavour profile waiting to be discovered. You’ll be glad you poured this stuff into a glass as it’s a rather attractive beer with a clean light coppery amber body crowned by a tall creamy, frothy white head that possesses impressive retention. Unlike many Cream Ales you’ll be greeted first by some light spicy, grassy hops in the aroma, complimented by some flowery honey sweetness and mild toasted and biscuity malt. The flavour also has more personality to it than the average Cream Ale, as subtle as it still remains. Biscuity malt that’s laced with a honey-like sweetness, crisp and dry from the middle to finish, with faint notes of green spicy hops on the finish, although not much in the way of any lingering aftertaste. One thing I did notice is that honey sweetness might get a little too bold and out of place if this ale is allowed to warm up too much, so perhaps don’t nurse it for too long if that’s something you’re not looking for. Lastly, although it’s quite smooth, don’t expect any serious creaminess in the mouthfeel, simply a medium-bodied ale with light dry carbonation on the finish.
For the most part this style of beer is produced to be consumed in a session, such as hanging out with your friends on a patio for an afternoon, or throughout an evening in your favourite social setting. As the flavour profile is fairly mild, consider this when you feel like pairing this Cream Ale from Mt. Begbie along with food. The brewery’s website recommends pairing their Cream Ale along with pasta or pizza. It’ll balance out foods with mild salty or citrus characteristics, and I’d recommend sticking to starters and finger foods such as sweet potato fries, deep-fried wontons or calamari, in order to not overpower the beer itself.
A cream ale with a personality beyond the norm, this a proper stepping stone for those wishing to cross over from lagers to ales, especially as it’s already a bit of both.
The next steps in the cooler:
From This Brewery:
High Country Kölsch
Tall Timber Ale
In-Style:
Eric’s Red Cream Ale
Bowen Island Irish Cream Ale
Warthog - Big Rock
Sleeman Cream Ale
Lateral Steps:
Dead Guy Ale - Rogue
Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale - Tree
Grumpy Bear Honey Wheat - Grizzly Paw
St-Ambroise Pale Ale
For The Adventurous:
Czechvar
Paulaner
Innis and Gunn Oak Aged Beer
Yukon Red