Posted in Don't Miss This, Pabst Blue Ribbon

Ballantine Burton Ale emerges from brewing history

Ballantine Burton Ale

Pabst Brewing Company is launching Ballantine Burton Ale in time for the holiday season. This particular beer… has quite a history.

P. Ballantine & Sons Brewing in Newark, New Jersey brewed the original Burton Ale, that was never sold commercially. The barleywine style ale was aged from 10-20 years in American oak before it was ever bottled. Even then, it was given away as gifts to brewery VIPs. President Harry Truman is even said to have had been given a bottle.

The surviving Ballantine Burton Ale bottles have been traded or sold for sizable sums. Interestingly, tastings over the years have shown the beer to hold up quite well thanks to a high alcohol by volume, and strong hop bill.

The revival edition of Ballantine Burton Ale is brewed “sweet and strong” with a “robust” hop character, similar to the original. It has been aged in American oak barrels for months prior to bottling.

Ballantine Burton Ale will be available in major northeast markets in November and December in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Barleywine (Oak Aged)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Nov-Dec
Distribution: MA, ME, PA, DE, RI, VT, CT, MD

Release: November, 2015

11.3% ABV, 75 IBUs

P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing was founded in 1840. They were acquired by Falstaff Brewing in 1972. In 1985, Pabst Brewing Company purchased the brand. 

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