Coopers Original Pale Ale doesn’t mimic an English or American pale ale
Australia isn’t necessarily synonymous with beer, but its citizens are certainly no strangers to the enjoyment that beer can bring to any social event. The citizens of Australia rank near the top in terms of beer consumption per capita and it’s common to find beer on tap in less traditional places. However, Australia doesn’t export many great- tasting malt beverages and one case in point is Coopers Original Pale Ale, a light pale ale.
Beer Bio:
Style: English Pale Ale
Alcohol Level: 4.5 percent by volume
Calories: 131 per 12 oz. serving
Carbs: 5.9 grams per 12 oz. serving
Coopers Original Pale Ale isn’t like your typical English or American pale ale. This brew pours from the bottle with a golden/yellowish in color and its nose is yeasty and a little bit fruity- mainly green apple. A good deal of sediment exists in the bottom of each bottle and, as expected, it imparts a cloudiness to the body of the beer. There isn’t much foam, but it does maintain a thin, white layer as you consume.
As for the taste, Coopers Original Pale Ale has a flavor that emphasizes grains and yeast, with some bready notes and a light touch of citrus. The taste is tart, and there is little hop character. The body of this beer is light to medium and it has a creamy texture that makes it easy enough to drink, even though the flavor profile is rather plain. It undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, and this is what produces the sediment.
Coopers Original Pale Ale is quite ordinary and it has many qualities that are nothing like those you would expect in the pale ale style. On the positive side of the ledger, I like that Coopers Original Pale Ale is bottle- conditioned and I appreciate the lack of filtering, pasteurization, and other processes that interfere with the taste and quality of the finished product. Cooper brewing presents this ale in its purest form, free from the man- made alterations so common in the modern age of brewing, and for this, it deserves respect.
Howeer, I have a few issues with the overall taste of Coopers Original Pale Ale. It is a rather bland beer overall and it doesn’t taste anything like I expect a pale ale to taste. I wasn’t looking for a big, hoppy American pale ale when I sampled a bottle, but I at least expected something in line with an English pale ale. I didn’t get anything like that with this ale. It looks and tastes like a completely different style. In fact, when I took a whiff of this brew, I thought it was a hefeweizen style, which it is not.
One interesting thing to note about the yeast sediment in the bottom of each bottle is that it actually improves the overall taste. Many people do not like yeast sediment and will try to pour their beer very carefully to avoid transferring any of the sediment to their glass. I tried this, just to see what difference it would make, and the results were less than satisfying. Without the yeast sediment, the beer has a skunky aroma and a less satisfying flavor that is below average. With the yeaset sediment added to the glass of beer, it tastes better, even though it may not be as clean in appearance.
Australians consume a large amount of beer and there are undoubtedly a good number of first class ales and lagers brewed and consumed in the native land. Coopers Original Pale Ale isn’t one of them, but it is an acceptable beer overall. I would certainly choose this beer over an American mainstream brew, but it doesn’t compare to some of the better English or American pale ale on the market.
Rating: 5 Cheers out of 10
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