Robin Shepard
This is a light-bodied beer with mild flavor. It can easily be overwhelmed by most dishes.
Hausmann Pale Beer is an historical brew for Madison. The Hausmann family once owned the Capitol Brewery (no relation to today's Capital Brewing of Middleton) that spanned nearly two-thirds of the 300 block of State Street. This operated from 1854 as Voigt Capital Steam Brewery until 1863, when Joseph Hausmann purchased it. He and his sons operated it for decades subsequently until 1919. The brewery suffered a devastating fire during Prohibition in 1923, though, and it never reopened.
Fritz Hausmann, a great-great-grandson of Joseph, resurrected the family's brewing tradition in 2003. Hausmann Pale is brewed under contract by the Gray Brewing Company of Janesville. The label is patterned after the original Hausmann logo.
What is it? Pale Beer from Hausmann Brewing Company
Style: Pre-Prohibition ale with characteristics like blonde ale, which include light, malty aroma and a soft, sweet beginning accompanied by faint bitterness in the finish. Hausmann promotes this as a pale ale, but its mild character is considerably lighter than true pale ales.
Background: Although the Hausmann family's original recipes are lost, Gray's Brewing helped Fritz Hausmann with this pre-Prohibition style of beer, based on how it probably looked and tasted before breweries shut down in Madison around 1919.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Floral.
- Appearance: Golden, bubbly, white marbly head.
- Texture: Medium bodied, soft.
- Taste: Firm, yet mild malty body, with a slight fruity background.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Clean, light maltiness
Glassware: A traditional British pint glass will go well with the history of this brew.
Pairs well with: This is a light-bodied beer with mild flavor. It can easily be overwhelmed by most dishes. Try something light to compliment such as broiled fish.
Rating: Three Bottle Openers.
(I am using a one to four bottle opener scale: four is a great beer, distinctive, you'll have this over others; three is a beer you enjoy, reliable, close to its described style; two is problematic, lacks distinction, but worth having again; one is a beer that isn't true to its style, you would not recommend it to a friend.)
The Consensus: This beer has not received enough ratings to be evaluated by .
The Verdict: Drink this beer for what it celebrates -- the brewing history of our city. While this beer is more distinctive than most lighter-bodied "macro" brews, it is still a bit reserved for most micro fans.
