Small Batch No. 00014: Amber Ale

Thanks to Jeff for providing us with this beer during our last visit to the Chicago area. Tasted during a relaxing Sunday evening following a day of organizing my new room and cooking with Tim. Man it feels good to be back in the QC.


Appearance: Poured an off-white frothy head about a half of an inch thick that quickly dissipated. This ale poured shockingly clear; a nice light brown amber hue. Can see visible carbonation rising in delicate streams. Leaves a bit of wet lacing on the sides of the glass.
Aroma: A nice upfront malt backbone, comprised of mostly biscuit malts with a hint of caramel sugars. Underlying tones of honey to complement the malt backbone. No presence of hops added into the mix. Overall, the aroma is relatively clean and simple.
Taste: Like the aroma, the malt backbone is the focus in the taste. Mainly flavors of sweet caramel and biscuit malt envelop the taste buds. More pronounced in the taste is a bready component that hits mid-taste and stays into the finish. Slight flavor of honey is apparent, but it is not overpowering and more complementary. An addition of slight bitterness from hops adds a kick to the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light body thanks to pretty active and biting carbonation. Goes down relatively smooth and leaves no aftertaste.
Overall Impression: Relatively easy drinker, with a low 4.5% ABV, it is possible to have a few in one sitting. A little lighter than an amber ale should be, but it is clean and simple, relying on basic flavors to make an impression with its drinkers.


80/100