Apple ales are a highlight of the harvest season. They range in being sweet to tart or sour, and are best enjoyed fresh to bring out the fruity accents. Among the new Wisconsin entries this year is Lakefront’s Ted.
What is it? Ted from Lakefront Brewery of Milwaukee.
Style: A common method used to make apple ales is to add fruit juice to the wort and ferment it with brewer’s yeast. Generally, brewers want the fruit qualities to be evident but not so much that it overwhelms the underlying flavors of the base beer. In the case of Ted, the background beer is an amber ale.
Background: Ted is the latest in Lakefront’s My Turn series of beers that feature recipe creations from brewery staff. Ted is named after packaging technician Ted Thompson, who has been with the brewery for about six years. “Ted and I worked through the recipe and our goal was to make something that was crisp for the fall season,” says Lakefront’s head brewer, Luther Paul.
The amber ale in the background was created to soften the sharp apple flavor; there are hints of malty sweetness from Vienna and honey malts. The apple character comes from the juice (added to the beer during secondary fermentation and which makes up about a third of the overall volume). Adding the right amount of juice to the beer was a challenge. “You want the apples to shine, but not be too cidery or you lose the beer,” says Paul.
The beer is fermented at a slightly lower temperature than most ales. It is also cold-conditioned, much like a lager, for nearly a month. All that attention to time and temperature helps reduce off flavors and sometimes sourness, from the ale yeast. That allows more of the crisp apple character to emerge.
Ted finishes around 6.2 percent ABV. It is available statewide and sells in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles for $9.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: A light malty start, with subtle sweet notes of fruity apple.
- Appearance: Copper-colored. A bubbly and marbled tan head.
- Texture: Medium- to full-bodied, with softness.
- Taste: Begins with light clean maltiness and a hint of toasted toffee sweetness. Firm notes of apple shine through, softened by the malt.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Crisp and dry. The apple tends to be a little more noticeable in the finish.
Glassware: Apple ales are nice sipping beers. I prefer a wine glass with the shape of an apple as a nod to the fruit while also focusing the aroma.
Pairs well with: nothing. Ted is crisp and well-balanced with a nice apple aroma and flavor, so it’s best to appreciate it without mixing it with other tastes. It can a be fine pre-meal beer.
The Verdict: I like that the apple character in Ted is firm without overshadowing the malty amber ale. There is still a beer here. The malts offer a solid backbone with just enough sweetness to dampen the sharpness of the apple and create a balance. The juice in this beer also ferments out well, as evident from its crisp, dry finish. However, if you want a touch more apple tartness, serve Ted very cold. On the other hand, sipping slowly and allowing it to gradually warm calls attention to this beer’s balance; you might even discover hints of honey from the honey malt. Put this beer on your list of fall beers worth trying.
