Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale

For 103 years, Spoetzl Brewery has only made lagers. Until now.

Wild Hare Pale Ale has arrived, joining an ever grown line of innovative beers.  According the press release:

Shiner Wild Hare is a classic American Pale Ale made with American two-row barley with a blend of Munich and Caramel malts for rich malt flavor and clear amber color. US Golding and Bravo hop varieties are used in the kettle and fermenter for crisp bitterness and assertive fresh hop fruit and floral aroma. More than a pound of hops is used to produce each barrel of Shiner Wild Hare.

I've never tried Bravo hops, but according to this site, they are a high Alpha hop, 14-17%. And they have been used in many of my favorite West Coast Pale Ales.

The hophead in me is excited by this. I can't wait until February 3, the release date. And I have to factor in the inevitable lag between the beer is available in Austin and when the local distributor finally allows us to have some Wild Hare here in Paradise, but that's another post.

Anyway, although this is the first ale that Spoetzl has brewed it is not the first beer with the word "ale" on the label. Some of their stronger beers in the past have been labeled as ales thanks to state labeling laws. This is a true ale, made with top fermenting yeast.