Empress Ale a royal British ale

Empress Ale is a beer which is designed to offer a more traditional ale alternative to the otherwise lagerful Indian beers. Unlike other ales this is a British ale which is a light, mild hoppy drink which works perfectly with spicy food.

On a courtesy basis I was gifted a few bottles and a branded glass on a PR basis to try at home which did not disappoint.

Empress Ale

Founded by Surj Virk Empress Ale took many months of testing, tasting, tweaking, working with chefs, restaurateurs and award winning brewers to bring an ale of British and Indian influences together. Empress Ale was then born 2016 bringing to the market a premium craft British pale ale that’s smooth, light and easy-drinking.

Empress Ale is brewed in an award-winning brewery in London by chefs and restaurateurs Empress Ale has been designed to be enjoyed on any occasion, leaving you craving for more after every sip. They use the finest natural ingredients, which are sourced locally where possible.

This British crafted ale was designed by the founder to be enjoyed with food within his favourite restaurants to accompliment their dishes. It is light, well-balanced with a floral and malty aroma. Which after every sip will cleanse the palate, and give a smooth citrus and hoppy taste making it incredibly refreshing and an easy drinking ale.

Since it’s launch back in 2016 Empress Ale’s reputation has spread far and wide within the Food & Beverage sector, and it is available in some of the finest Michelin starred restaurants, gastro pubs and up-and-coming eateries.

Empress Ale can also be made bought and made available for festivals, events and venues. With Empress Ale being an easy drinking ale it compliments an array of foods making it the perfect choice to have available at any indoor or outdoor event.

Empress Ale is available on draught, bottles, cans, and even plastic bottles. All their packaging is fully recyclable. For all their pints and half pint cups they use either reusable or 100% recyclable cups. Plus they can supply portable draught machines and bottle fridges for your event.

Their mission is to collaborate with people and venues who share the same passion and enthusiasm about their products as themselves. Whether on trade or off trade, they work directly with their clients and through their key drinks distributors up and down the country.

Empress Ale a taste of royal British ale

Firstly you might be asking what is the difference between a beer and an ale? well not a lot the difference is in how it has been fermented, using a warm fermentation ales result in a sweeter, full bodied and fruity taste.

Empress Ale is a lovely light and cleansing ale. It’s golden with plenty of rising bubbles and a fine-textured head with aromas of malt and spicy hops. Upon sipping it gives a light and gently sweet fizziness with a slightly spicy bitterness and fruitiness to it. This ale is lovely on it’s own but even better with food especially spicy food. As the spices from both plate and pint re-enforce each other perfectly, cleanses the palate nicely with the gentle fizz cleansing the palette.

Apart from drinking Empress Ale I also used to make Hairy Bikers Steak and Ale pie with it which worked beautifully and gave it a real maltiness.

The Hairy Bikers’ superb steak and ale pie recipe

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 500g puff pastry
• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 200g smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into 1cm strips
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 850g braising steak, trimmed of hard fat or gristle
• 500ml bottle of real ale
• 500ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped from stalks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
• 250g small chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
• 1 pinch flaked sea salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C / Gas 4.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the bacon strips with the onions until pale golden brown, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and fry for a minute or two until softened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions, garlic and bacon to a flameproof casserole dish.
3. Cut the steak into roughly 2.5cm cubes and season with salt and pepper. Then add 2 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan and cook on medium heat until meat is browned all over. Then transfer the beef to the casserole dish.
4. Deglaze the frying pan with half the ale. Bring it to the boil while stirring hard to lift all the sediment from the bottom of the pan. Then pour this over the beef in the casserole dish.
5. Then add the remaining ale, and beef stock, tomato puree and herbs to the casserole dish. Bring everything to the boil, cover and then cook in the oven for 1½ – 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
6. Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the cornflour paste, then put it back for 5 minutes or until the juices are thick. Once done remove from oven and leave to cool.
7. Turn the oven up to 200°C / Fan 180°C / Gas 6.
8. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat for about 5 minutes until golden, then add them to the meat. Then spoon everything into the pie dish.
9. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface until about 5mm thick and at least 5cm larger than your pie dish. Cut some strips, about 1cm wider than the rim of the dish, from around the edge. Brush the rim of the pie dish with beaten egg and fix the strips in place, overlapping a little where necessary, then brush with more egg.
10. Place the pastry lid carefully over the filling. Trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife and knock up the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg. Pierce middle with a fork to allow steam to escape.
11. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 30 – 35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.

Verdict

Empress Ale is a premium craft British Pale Ale which was designed to be enjoyed on any occasion, leaving you craving for more after every sip and it certainly did do that.

Empress Ale is one of the nicest ales I have tasted as it is a lovely pale, light, fizzy and a malty drink, very refreshing. So if you love pale ale and fizzy ones then I highly recommend Empress Ale you won’t be disappointed.

Empress Ale can be bought direct via their website or you can taste in a variety of top restaurants such Vivek Singh The Cinnamon Kitchen venues and Atul Kochhar Kanishka.

A very royal ale!

Empress Ale buy yours now

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A unique easy drinking British Pale Ale, perfect for any occasion.

Purchase 12 x 330ml bottles of Empress Ale

Limited time save 20% discount off your first order with Empress Ale. Just head to www.empressale.com and enter code JM20 at the checkout.

Thanks to Empress Ale for the lovely refreshing ale. All views are my own honest opinion.