Entries tagged with “Amber” from Malt & Barley Chronicles

A few weeks back, I was doing a little people-watching at the Oyster Bar on a Friday early evening.  I can't think of many places in NYC that got a bigger boost from the series "Mad Men." And along with a gorgeous plate of fried oysters, I had the chance to sample a couple pints of this lovely brew that adds some rye to the barley malt.

Characteristics: Cloudy amber color; medium body; low carbonation; starts with a sharp hoppy note, mellows into a biscuity, yeasty middle and finishes slightly sweet.

Minor Gripes: Balance is a problem. The hops keeps the sweetness in check only sometimes, but the biscuity elements can be overpowered by either of the two.

Bottom Line: With bivalves, Righteous Rye is magical. The hoppy opening cuts through the brine, while the malty rye draws out the depth of the bellies. In a stand-alone setting, the lack of balance and consistency is a bit of a liability. A complex beer worth checking out for amber ale fans.

Rating: 5.5 / 10

Second of the Green's family of gluten-free Belgian ales, as I review from light to dark. The Discovery Amber Ale successfully evokes Irish and English ambers and pale ales through its mix of unconventional grains.

Characteristics: Reddish brown and cloudy color (from secondary fermentation in bottle); high carbonation; medium body; tangy and tart flavors (almost granny smith apple) throughout dominate over some classic amber malt notes, leading to a hoppy finish.

Minor Gripes: The tangy nature of the sorghum and millet can be distracting at times, particularly for those who don't routinely drink GF beer. The 6% ABV does show up in the tartness and is not always welcome.

Bottom Line: Discovery Amber is at the strong end of the amber family in all respects. The flavors run fairly close to its stablemate, the Dubbel Dark Endeavor. But for those who can no longer enjoy ambers, lighter browns, or Belgian-style ales, this member of the Green's family is a welcome find.

Rating: 5.25 / 10

I thought I'd reviewed this one ages ago, but the site doesn't show any entry. Pennant Ale '55 is a tribute to the old Brooklyn Dodgers and their first (and only) World Series triumph, and a perfectly reasonable entry in the Brooklyn Brewery stable.

Characteristics: Translucent copper-amber color, thin body, mild-to-average carbonation, some hoppiness in the opening (along with the carbonation) that gives way to a yeasty, biscuity malt middle and slightly sweet finish, especially when allowed to warm slightly from standard refrigerated storage.

Minor Gripes: Pennant Ale '55 has a tendency to get a little bitter in the middle and finish, as if it's pretending to be an American Pale Ale instead of a more rounded amber.

Bottom Line: Like a reliable fourth starter in a pitching rotation, it doesn't have a knockout quality but it keeps the team in the game. Nothing special, nothing terrible -- just a nice middle-of-the-road amber.

Rating: 5.25 / 10

Cain's is an old time local brewery resurrected in more recent times by the Dusanj family. And while I am sure the original style was not made with California raisins, this beer is still a tasty diversion.

Characteristics: Yellow-amber color, minimal head and low carbonation, medium body, starts a little flat and builds into a restrained fruit middle with that english Fuggles hop finish and aftertaste.

Minor Gripes: I was expecting a fruit cake spiciness that never showed up.  A hint or coriander or nutmeg would add depth in the middle and finish, though I wouldn't want this to reach winter ale status.

Bottom Line: Treat this like a proper English bitter and let it warm a little, and it becomes more enjoyable. Just don't expect a real strong raisin element (based on the one I sampled).

Rating: 5.5 / 10

McSorley's Ale House is one of the contenders for the oldest bar in New York City, and a place of some repute for many reasons. One of the more positive reasons is that they serve exactly two beers -- "light ale" and "dark ale." And I'm guessing that this bottled version is the dark ale. As a side note, the actual brewing of McSorley's started as a neighborhood affair but has passed hands through various, increasingly larger shops until falling into the hands of Pabst Brewing (whose broad ownership of regional brands is a story for another time).

Characteristics: Warm copper color, medium carbonation and minimal head, light body, with smooth malty flavors throughout that end a little on the sugary side.

Minor Gripes: There's not really much of a "there" there. Seriously, McSorley's is fine going down but not entirely memorable after the fact.

Bottom Line: McSorley's Ale is a fine choice for those on the Killian's side of the Irish red/amber spectrum (as opposed to the Smithwick's, more heavily hopped, end). I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but I won't run from it, either

Rating: 5.5 / 10

So much for being done with Trader Joe's (as I had recently promised) ... but I find it easiest to buy my beer as part of my weekly groceries.  I think I really am done, at least with any further reviews, after yet another middle-of-the-road amber.

Characteristics: Pale copper color, medium carbonation and head, thin body, sharp bubbly start with a burnt toast middle and sugary finish.

Minor Gripes: Honestly, there's nothing that really stands out about this beer.  It's not too bland, not too sharp, just present and somewhat accounted for.

Bottom Line: Jumping Cow is one of those beers that's fine to have in the fridge from time to time.  It won't offend anyone, but it won't surprise them either.

Rating: 5 / 10

I should dock some points for the "Established 1703, Re-established 1995" game -- making a complete and utter mockery of institutions that have legitimate histories.  Bootstrapping from a colonial Annapolis brewery to a contemporary outfit in Dover, Delaware is a cheap shot of sorts, unless there's a family connection that would be outlined on the company's web site (instead under construction as of this writing). But the beer itself mostly overcomes this negative start to establish itself as a pretty reasonable choice when a lighter beer is called for.

Characteristics: Translucent copper-red color, light carbonation and head, thin body, slightly hoppy opening that quickly resolves to a mild roasted malt middle and a clean finish.

Minor Gripes: Copperhead Ale is like an English bitter in how it goes down a little too quickly. Unfortunately, it lacks enough body and flavor to hold up well over a full 12-ounce serving.

Bottom Line: A slightly above-average amber that might see its recipe evolve into something more memorable.

Rating: 5.75 / 10

Everything that was disappointing about the Trinity Red is corrected here in the Gila Monster Amber. Another of my recent Trader Joe's finds, this beer brings a creative edge to the classic red/amber style.

Characteristics: Warm reddish gold color, thin body, medium carbonation, malty start and middle with spicy cinnamon notes and a slightly hoppy finish.

Minor Gripes: A cloying, sugary finish (like Belgian ales) starts to emerge as the beer warms to the upper limits of its range.

Bottom Line: The spicy cinnamon notes and sharp carbonated feel help this beer stand up to foods that would crush a lesser beer, but it's thin enough that you can drink more than one in a sitting. For a bargain "micro," that's high praise.

Rating: 6.25 / 10

When I first tried to review this beer, I was sampling the Otter Creek Amber as well ... and I couldn't really keep the two straight.  That's not a bad sign -- just an observation.

Characteristics:  Orangey-amber color, low carbonation, light-to-medium body, toast and caramel malty flavors with a slightly dry start.

Minor Gripes:  Some hoppiness starts to come out as it warms, as does a slightly curdled milk note.  (No, I don't put milk in my pint glasses, so there's no risk of cross-contamination.)

Bottom Line: A decent, middle-of-the-road beer.  I prefer the Otter Creek, but there's also a freshness factor lurking in the back of my mind.

Rating: 5.5 / 10