By Danielle Taylor

Straub Brewery’s signature Adventure Series celebrates some of the special places found in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors and Pennsylvania Wilds regions, and their just-released Adventure Series #3 pack includes an Ancient Alt variety inspired by Cook Forest State Park’s revered Forest Cathedral. The beer, carefully crafted with German hops and malts in a traditional “old” style of German ale first brewed in 1838, honors Cook Forest’s 400-year-old hemlocks and pines revered as “The Ancients” for their longevity and grace in age.

“‘Alt’ literally translates to ‘old’ in German, fitting nicely with one our favorite areas of the PA Wilds: Cook Forest,” says Straub Brewmaster Vince Assetta. “The forest canopy is between 350 and 450 years old. We don’t age our Altbier quite that long, but it is well worth the wait.”

Credit: Scot Martin/Flickr

The Forest Cathedral covers more than 300 acres of old-growth forest and features one of the largest stands of primeval white pine and eastern hemlock in the northeastern United States. The area, protected as a National Natural Landmark for 50 years, includes the Longfellow Pine, the tallest tree in the northeastern United States at an eye-popping 184 feet. The Ancient Alt’s label mentions GPS coordinates of 41.3487 -79.2135, which point right to the popular Longfellow Trail in the heart of the Cathedral.

“This brew is ideal after a long hike in the woods during the fall and winter,” says Assetta. With a pronounced malt flavor and a firm bitter edge, the beer pairs well with savory winter favorites like smoked sausage, venison, cheese dips, and sauerkraut.

Find Straub’s Adventure Series #3 for a limited time at local distributors in Pennsylvania.