We have a belated birthday we want to celebrate. This birthday beer is one of New Hampshire’s longest-running beers, recently celebrating its twenty-sixth trip around the sun. Join us as we celebrate Tuckerman Brewing Company‘s Pale Ale.
Tuckerman Brewing Company was founded in 1998 by owners Kirsten Neves and Nik Stanciu, and Pale Ale was the only beer this place made for years. “As Tuckerman grew as a business, the Pale Ale was always a constant,” said Matt Cowley, Marketing Manager for Tuckerman.
As of January 12th, Tuckerman has been making Pale Ale for twenty-six years, and it still represents around 80% of all the beer Tuckerman makes. Pale Ale can be found in stores all over New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. Tuckerman has future plans to extend their reach even further.
In today’s ever-changing craft beer market, it’s hard to imagine a beer being around for over two decades! That’s a huge feat for a single beer. Several craft breweries across the country have been around for many years, but to have a specific beer stay relevant for that long is incredible.
The Pale Ale is unique because it has always been bottle conditioned. “It uses three different types of malts sourced from Germany and four different hop types,” said Matt. Those malts being 2-row, Munich 2 and Caramunich 3. The hops used are Magnum, Sonnet, Cascade and Contessa.
Matt tells us the recipe has been tweaked throughout the years, but it’s always been made in Conway, NH, on the same water supply! Even though it’s an American Pale Ale, like most of their beers, the inspiration and ingredients come from Germany.
Tuckerman Pale Ale is a well-balanced American Pale Ale. Floral and Citrus hop flavors present themselves up front, followed by some mild spices. it has moderate bitterness, supplemented by a very well-balanced malt backbone. The finish is smooth and crisp, with bready characteristics.
Overall, Pale Ale is a downright treat to drink. It’s drinks remarkably similar to a West Coast style American IPA. Sitting at 5.3% ABV, you can enjoy a few of these without feeling you are overdoing it. Some beers seem to taste better in certain times of the year, but Pale Ale is a joy to drink in any season. We can also confirm that we thoroughly enjoyed sipping on this beer while we enjoyed some spicy tacos! Pale Ale would accentuate most types of mildly spicy foods, and vice versa.
The stunning label art for Pale Ale is a Hanna Lucy original, depicting Tuckerman Ravine on the side of Mt. Washington. Hanna is a renowned local artist known for her style of using colored pencils and pens.
We see many different beautiful label art designs in the craft beer world, but we had to take a minute to mention Hanna’s artwork. The beautiful scene on this particular beer makes you feel like you are there, or at least what it feels like to be there.