Reviewed by: Pat Byington
NEW: First beer brewed from Alabama-grown barley malt
Reading time: 3 minutes
Now this is worthy of a cheers, Alabama. A Mobile brewery just released the first-ever beer brewed from Alabama-grown barley malt. Keep reading for the story behind the new brew, as well as how you can try it.
A partnership between Braided River Brewing Co., HudsonAlpha + more
The story behind the new Harvest Ale is one of teamwork (and some agriculture experts). To craft the first beer made from Alabama-grown barley malt, experts from Auburn University, Alabama A&M University and HudsonAlpha put their heads together.
The result? Harvest Ale.
“We brewed a fresh and floral pale ale, which we call Harvest Ale.
The malt tastes great and is the same quality as any other malt we’ve ever used. Most of our malt is usually sourced from the Upper Midwest.”
David Nelson, brewmaster, Braided River Brewing Co., as quoted in a release from HudsonAlpha
This beer has been years in the making. In 2021, the team of experts planted over 50 different varieties of barley throughout Alabama. Then, they narrowed it down to the best varieties and locations.
After the trial-and-error phase, they harvested 30,000 pounds of barley from a North Alabama plot, and it successfully met malting standards.
Breweries around the state are lining up to create new brews with the barley, and a Mobile brewery was excited to be one of the first.
Where you can find Braided River Brewing Co.’s Harvest Ale
Braided River Brewing Co. in Mobile created Harvest Ale with the coveted barley malt.
“We certainly like to support our local economy.
We also recognize that using in-state ingredients like HudsonAlpha’s barley lessens our environmental impact, which is very important to our company. Braided River was founded on the banks of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, known as ‘American’s Amazon’ for its biodiversity, and we take our duty to preserve this unique natural resource seriously. We hope to celebrate it and help preserve it—while connecting with each other over delicious beer—for generations to come.”
David Nelson, brewmaster, Braided River Brewing Co., as quoted in a release from HudsonAlpha
The Harvest Ale is Alabama-made through-and-through, with several ingredients from around the state.
“Harvest Ale is extra special because it also incorporates Alabama-grown hops.
The Cascade hops are experimental, too, as hops typically thrive in the Pacific Northwest. But these were grown a few miles from our brewery, at the Auburn University Ornamental Horticulture Research Center in Mobile.”
David Nelson, brewmaster, Braided River Brewing Co., as quoted in a release from HudsonAlpha
If you’re ready to give the Harvest Ale a try, here’s where you can find it in beautiful downtown Mobile.
- Location: Braided River Brewing Co., 420 St Louis St, Mobile, AL 36602
- Hours: Monday-Thursday 3:30-9PM, Friday 2:30-10PM, Saturday Noon-10PM, Sunday Noon-7PM
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