Lake Placid Craft Brewing - Ubu Ale

This English-style Strong Ale was a Gold Medal winner at the World Beer Championships, and it’s easy to see why. On the pour, expect a rich, dark, brownish-red color with a moderate tan head that leaves nice lacing as you drink it down. Quite aromatic on the nose, you can tell it’s a malt-driven brew right away with deep, toasty, bready aromas with a nutty and lightly woody undertone. On the palate, a big, rich malt profile offers up notes of bread, caramel, and brown sugar sweetness. There’s also a significant layer of esters akin to red apples, figs, and a touch of raisin, accompanied by some citric zest. Look also for notes of chocolate, a hint of tobacco, and some toasty nuttiness. A light hint of alcohol merges with a rather assertive hop bitterness that adds a peppery tingle, creating a pleasant counterpoint that keeps this brew well balanced. An excellent rendition of an English Strong Ale, Ubu offers all the complexity and body one expects from the style. The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery recommends this brew with their Open Roast Beef Sandwich, Steak Tips, or any dish involving the use of charcoal – we couldn’t agree more. Enjoy!!

Founder Chris Ericson’s love of brewing had begun, like that of so many other microbrewery owners, with a homebrewing kit. After stints working for Federal Jack’s in Kennebunk, ME (birthplace of the famous Shipyard brewery) and The Shed Restaurant & Brewery in Stowe, VT, he was ready to strike out on his own. In 1996, Chris, along with a college buddy, bought a pub in Lake Placid known as P.J. O’Neill’s, installed a 7 barrel brewing system, and renamed it the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery (LPP&B).

It wasn’t long before LPP&B’s fresh microbrews had grown so popular that other local restaurant and pub owners began ordering kegs for their own establishments. Chris and his team ramped up production to full tilt, and they were selling every drop they brewed (often before it was actually brewed). To keep up with the ever-increasing demand, in November 2001 Chris purchased the 13,000 square foot brewhouse of the defunct AAA Brewery in Plattsburgh, NY, and named the new brewery the Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company. This much larger facility quadrupled their brewing capacity and gave them a bottling line, allowing the company to expand beyond draft-only sales and increase their exposure and distribution. In recent years, a partnership with Utica, NY’s Matt Brewing Company has allowed supply and distribution to increase even further.

Awarded the title “Best Brewery in New York State” by the TAP New York Beer Festival in 2005 & 2007, they’ve also been recognized as the “Best Brewery in the Hudson Valley” three times, in 2003, 2005, and 2007. For more info on their excellent brewpub and beer, call (518) 523-3813 or visit www.ubuale.com.