AleSmith Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
founded in 1995 by Skip Virgilio and Ted Newcomb in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. In 2002 the brewery was purchased by Peter Zien. AleSmith produces a variety of beers, many of which have high alcohol content
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
and are strongly hopped
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
beers. The beers have acquired a positive reputation among microbrew enthusiasts and hophead
Hophead
Hophead may mean* Someone who appreciates highly hopped beer. The term is used in the names of beers and brew clubs.* Pejorative slang, an alcoholic whose drink of choice is beer.* An early 1900s American slang term for a user of Opium...
s.
AleSmith Brewing Company is a craft brewery and has received awards for its beers and the bold approach of the brewer. The brewery has been the most popular on the RateBeer.com website in 2004 and 2005.
AleSmith's brewmaster, Peter Zien, is a BJCP "Grand Master level 1" beer judge, the only one in San Diego County. In 2008, AleSmith was awarded "Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year" at the Great American Beer Festival.
The beers
AleSmith's beers are inspired predominantly by the brewing styles of Great Britain and Belgium (though they once brewed a German-style Weizenbock, which has since been retired). Many of their beers are known for their depth of character. Nearly half of all AleSmith beers available in 2006 have an alcohol by volume measurement over 8.5%, compared to 4-6% ABV for most American-style pale lagers. AleSmith's strongest brew is its Imperial Stout, called "Speedway Stout", which has an ABV of 12%.Some AleSmith beers, such as their "Lil' Devil" Belgian Ale and their "Nautical Nut" Brown Ale
Brown ale
Brown ale is a style of beer with a dark amber or brown colour. The term was first used by London brewers in the late 17th century to describe their products, such as mild ale, though the term had a rather different meaning than it does today...
, are offered on draft only or in kegs at the brewery. Other beers, such as their Double India Pale Ale "Yulesmith" and their regular India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
, are available in 22-ounce bottles. Many of their higher gravity regular beers, such as "Speedway Stout" and their Barley Wine
Barley wine
Barley wine or Barleywine is a beer style of strong ale originating in England. The first beer to be marketed as Barley Wine was Bass No. 1 Ale, around 1870...
"Old Numbskull", are available in 750 ml champagne bottles. All of AleSmith's bottled beers are bottle conditioned
Bottle conditioning
Bottle conditioned beers are either unfiltered so the final conditioning of the beer takes place in the bottle, or filtered and then reseeded with yeast so that an additional fermentation may take place.-Priming:...
. Unlike most other American brewers, AleSmith does not distribute any of their beers in 12-ounce bottles.