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What Awards Has Epic Pale Ale Won?

Awards won to date for Epic Pale Ale

2008

Metro Magazine - Feature "Best of Auckland"
Epic Pale Ale - Best Beer

2007

NZ Listener Magazine - Feature "Best of New Zealand"
Epic Pale Ale - Best Beer

Australian International Beer Awards 2007
Silver
Silver

BrewNZ 2007
Silver - Pale Ale

2006

New Zealand International Beer Awards 2006
Supreme Champion Beer - Trophy
Best in Class - Pale Ale - Trophy
Gold Medal - Pale Ale

Australian International Beer Awards 2006
Silver Medal
Silver Medal

BrewNZ 2006
Best in Class - Pale Ale
Gold Medal - Pale Ale

Copies of the Awards

15 different hops per bottle?

No. Many people make this mistake on there first reading of the back label of the bottle. It is actually one single hop variety used in the brewing of Epic Pale Ale - US grown Cascade.

The back label says "...In fact there are 15 crammed into this bottle."

I knew I was using alot of hops to make Epic Pale Ale so I thought it should be celebrated on the label. I had to work out some measure that people could possibly understand.

I contacted our hop supplier Hopunion, and ask how we could work this out. We came up with a formula and worked out it was 15.4 hops per bottle. Wanting under promise and over deliver we rounded it down to 15 for the label.

Cheers
Luke

What fruits do you add to Epic Pale Ale?

Yes the aroma of Epic is very fruit driven with people getting citrus, grapefruit, rose petals, turkish delight and apricots. But there is nothing other than malt, hops, yeast and water used in the making of Epic to give it the aroma and flavour it has.

The intensity is the significant amount of hops we add to the beer throughout the process. And I mean alot, like 3000% more than the average beer.

So the answer is no fruits are added, just shed-loads of hops.

Where is Epic Pale Ale brewed?

Epic Pale Ale is brewed at Steam Brewing Company, 186 James Fletcher Drive, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand.

Steam Brewing Company started in October 1995 and was the brewery operation behind the original Cock & Bull brewpub. As the company grew and more pubs opened a larger brewery was purchased (previously Auckland Breweries).

The capacity was large and the idea of creating a stand alone bottled beer brand separate from the Cock & Bull beers was proposed by me in late 2004. 2005 was the brand creation and recipe development year, and an official launch in 2006 after the winning of Supreme Champion Beer. October 2007 I purchased the Epic brand from Steam Brewing Company and we have a manufacturing agreement to continue production of Epic at Steam.

What hops are used in Epic Pale Ale?

Epic Pale Ale uses just one hop variety - US Cascade. These Cascade hops are grown in the Yakima Valley in Washington State, USA.

Cascade – Very successful and well-established American aroma hop developed by Oregon State University's breeding program in 1956 from Fuggle and Serebrianker (a Russian variety), but not released for cultivation until 1972. Piney, citrusy, and quite assertive.(Alpha acid: 4.5–6.0% / beta acid: 5.0–7.0% )

Is Epic Pale Ale vegan?

Yes. Epic Pale Ale is vegan as there is no animal products used in the brewing of the beer. No fining agents such as isinglass, gelatin, or egg whites are used.

Epic Pale Ale is cold conditioned for 4 weeks at -1.5C which helps with clarity and stability. It is then filtered for final clarity.