In 1703, an English chap did coke, and by did “coke” we mean roast malt with fuel derived from coal, “coke,” resulting in lighter roasted malts that produced paler ales. Someone called it a “Pale Ale,” since the ale in the glass was visibly lighter when placed next to the other beers at the bar. In addition to the lighter color, because the resulting malt had a milder flavor, the hops were able to shine through more prominently, thus Pale Ales came to be associated not only with their pale color, but their mild hop flavor as well. In 1829, English chaps living in the British colony were stunned when their imported English pale ales were hoppy AF due to the much stronger backbone of hops and alcohol, protecting them on their six-month journey across the sea. And thus, the IPA was born. Technically, an IPA is a more assertively hopped and stronger version of a pale ale, yet what that actually means differs depending on the brewer making both beverages. Today, Peaks and Pints presents a flight of pal ales, including a couple that could be IPAs. We call the flight Craft Beer Crosscut 12.4.17: A Flight of Pale Ales.

Modern Times Spaceship Earth

5.2% ABV, 40 IBU

With Modern Times Spaceship Earth, you get all the aroma hop fun from a hazy IPA, but this pale ale is more refreshing with small acidity and quenching character like carbonated white grapefruit juice. Named after Buckminster Fuller’s 1968 short book, this crushable hazy pale ale is packed with Centennial, Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo and Denali hops, yielding an aroma of green mango, green banana, pineapple upside down cake and canned pineapple. Grapefruit dominates the front of the palate followed by more grapefruit pith and herbal bitterness accentuated by the dry body. The light bodied pale finishes with bread, lemon and more grapefruit.

Fort George City of Dreams

5.5% ABV

“Whether you call it Shangri-La or Utopia or City of Dreams, one thing is certain — this is the beer you will find there.” So states Fort George Brewery’s City of Dreams hazy pale hype. For the amount of love Fort George gushes over its hometown of Astoria it would seem they brewed this delicious pale for the city. Fort George’s new year-round pale tastes like the bastard love child of their Suicide Squeeze IPA. There’s a mango/tropical quality on the nose that translates to the taste, with a touch of grapefruit. It’s not bitter. It’s creamy. It’s delicious.

Ballast Point Grunion Pale Ale

5.5% ABV, 50 IBU

Originating from an employee-only homebrew contest, Ballast Point Brewing Co.’s award-winning hoppy pale ale is named after the tiny San Diego fish known for late night frolics on shore. Mosaic and Calypso hops give off pungent summer fruit aromas and flavors with hints of pineapple, ripe cantaloupe, basil, cherry blossoms, spruce and grapefruit. The underlying nutty malt base has hints of toasted bagel and fresh crepes from the use of Marris Otter barley and Carapils malt. Grunion took gold at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, but not for an over-the-top bitterness. Rather, it brings a floral and tropical hop character over a dry drinkable body so that you have the flavor of an IPA, but with the bitterness and feel of a session-friendly pale ale.

Founders Mosaic Promise

5.5% ABV, 50 IBU

Founders Mosaic Promise showcases two unique ingredients: Mosaic hops and Golden Promise malt. Mosaic hops’ natural attributes bring notes of mango, citrus, earthy pine, and tropical fruits, while providing a clean finish with a crisp bitter flavor. Golden Promise, which comes from a Scottish barley, also has a clean flavor. The pairing is nearly perfect. The simplicity in Mosaic Promise is what makes it shine — clean and drinkable like a pilsner or session IPA, but full-flavored enough so that it never disappoints the taste buds. This is probably the kind of crowd-pleasing pale ale that could instantly convert someone who had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale back in the day and decided that hops simply weren’t for him or her.

Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale

6.5% ABV, 65 IBU

Founded by Dale Katechis in 1999, Oskar Blues Brewery began life as a simple brewpub. The people of Lyons, Colorado, visited and drank often, but none of the place’s beers were available anywhere except draft lines in the immediate area. It wasn’t until that fateful day in November 2002 that Katechis decided to package his brews, and then he had a decision to make. Would he invest, as most emerging craft breweries were, in a bottling line and a responsible order of 12-ounce bottles? Or would he go all in on cans, a more expensive option that at the time was the realm of the big brewers and soda producers? Katechis ignored the status quo, and by 2003 the “Canned Beer Apocalypse” had begun. Dale’s Pale Ale, Oskar Blue’s flagship American pale, was the first to hit shelves. Brewed with hefty amounts of European malts, Northern Brewer hops for bittering, Cascade and Columbus hops for flavor, and a big, post-boil addition of Centennial hops for aroma, Dale’s Pale Ale delivers a blast of hop aromas, moderate bitterness, stone fruit flavors, bready malts and a peppery citrus and arugula-like hop finish. A really nice and fresh, hoppy pale ale.