Barley and Me Puppy Pale Ale, Little Village‘s beer of the month, is for the dogs. And cats, rabbits, ferrets, pigs and the many other animals sheltered and cared for by the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL).
A portion of every sale of Barley and Me goes to the ARL, Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal shelter. The ARL was founded in 1926 and serves people and pets from across Iowa through programs that include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay and neutering and animal cruelty intervention. The beer itself is a collaboration between Des Moines’ Confluence Brewing Company and Jethro’s BBQ.
Serve Barley and Me in a favorite pint glass. The beer pours a hazy, medium-amber color, and a finger and a half of dense, buttery, eggshell-colored foam dissipates slowly, leaving lacing along the side of the glass. The aroma is bursting with fresh and invigorating tropical fruit and citrus. Scents of mango, pineapple, kiwi, a little tangerine, cara cara orange, lemon zest and grapefruit stand out. Sweet caramel malt provides a very enticing balance. The Nelson Sauvin hops used in the brewing process also impart aromas reminiscent of gooseberry.
The beer’s mouthfeel is full and bready and the taste is a delicious mirror image of the aroma. Flavors of mango, tangerine, kiwi, a touch of pineapple, lemon zest and grapefruit are most prominent. A nice, hoppy bite provides backing and lingers on the taste buds after each sip. Sweet caramel malt is also noticeable and balances the hop bitterness.
Serving Temperature: 45ºF.
Alcohol Content: 5.5 percent ABV.
Food Pairing: Eric Selander, Confluence’s sales and distribution manager, recommends “something along the lines of an aged cheddar and smoked sausage for an appetizer and fish and chips or a pork chop with a pineapple demi-glaze for an entree. The New Zealand Motueka and Nelson Sauvin hops are hearty on the front end but finish softly and linger on the palate.”
Where to Buy: Barley and Me is available in 32-ounce mini-growlers at John’s Grocery, New Pioneer Food Co-op and the Coralville Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits. It is on tap at Blackstone, Short’s Burger and Shine downtown, Old Capitol Brew Works, Stella and will soon be at both Quinton’s locations.
Price: $9 per mini-growler.
