Robin Shepard
Memorial Day weekend signals the beginning of the summer beer season. A new collaboration between UW-Madison students and Wisconsin Brewing calls attention to the origins of the holiday. Red Arrow pale ale is a tribute to the famous 32nd Infantry Division, also known as the Red Arrow Division in WWI.
What is it? Red Arrow Pale Ale from Wisconsin Brewing Company.
Style: The pale ale is a medium-bodied beer with modest hop character. The style is often golden to light amber in color with a range in strength from 4.5 to 5.5 percent ABV.
Background: Red Arrow pale ale is the third beer to emerge from UW Madison’s Campus Craft Brewery collaboration with Wisconsin Brewing. This spring, six student teams from the university’s fermentation science program brought ideas for a pale ale to a panel of brewers and other industry professionals. Each team consists of students from different disciplines such as engineering, food science and basic science. “The intent is to make it as much of a multidisciplinary experience as possible because that’s the type of environment they’ll be working in once they graduate,” says Jim Steele, professor in UW-Madison’s Department of Food Science. The winning team behind Red Arrow was food science student Elliot Dhuey and chemical engineering student Graham Michaels. Both were seniors at UW Madison.
“The most enjoyable part of creating this beer was using the university’s brew system during product development — a homebrewer and engineer’s dream,” says Michaels, who aspires to be a professional brewer. “Tasting the end result is a close second.”
On brew day in mid-March all of the students in the program came together at Wisconsin Brewing in Verona to take part in scaling up the recipe into a commercial batch that’s now finding its way into statewide distribution.
The hop bill for Red Arrow consists of Chinook, Mosaic, Citra and Hallertau Blanc. It also has a touch of Centennial hops for bitterness, a subtle nod to the 32nd Division’s founding 100 years ago in 1917. As a pale ale, it’s not intended to be a big assertive hoppy beer, rather one with balance. It ends up around 35 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).
“We want a product for the street,” says Wisconsin Brewing’s brewmaster Kirby Nelson. Students from journalism and history also became involved in designing the beer’s label, six-pack carriers and other marketing materials. “It’s all an exercise in going from concept to finished product,” says Nelson. Previous beers from the collaboration between the Campus Craft Brewing project and Wisconsin Brewing include Sweet Caroline American wheat (2016) and Inaugural Red lager (2015).
The Red Arrow infantry division was comprised of Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard volunteers in WWI who earned the name Red Arrow from their ability to consistently pierce enemy lines. The unit also has ties to the Iron Brigade of the American Civil War.
Red Arrow pale ale finishes at 5 percent ABV. Six-packs of 12-ounce bottles sell for around $9.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light hints of piney hoppiness from the Chinook.
- Appearance: Light orange-golden body with a slight chill haze. A medium, soft, light tan head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied and bubbly.
- Taste: Mild, yet firm, with hints of pine and herbal hoppiness. A growing bitterness that remains very approachable.
- Finish/Aftertaste: There is a crisp bitterness, and the dryness gradually builds on the palate.
Glassware: the Willi Becher. The inward taper near the lip will focus the hop aroma under the nose while the gentle slope of the glass shows off its brilliant orange-golden amber hues.
Pairs well with: just about anything you want to throw on the grill. A light pale ale will be suited for barbeques, especially burgers dressed with sharp cheddar cheese.
The Verdict: Red Arrow is a very approachable pale ale. There’s a modest amount of piney bitterness that rises from the combination of hops. Dryness builds over the course of a glass. It offers plenty of hop character yet remains mild, avoiding that sear of the palate of more aggressive pale ales. This is a fine tribute to the Red Arrow Division. It certainly earns a passing grade on my summer beer list.
