Abita Amber Lager

Brewed by Abita Brewing Company
Style: Vienna
Covington, Louisiana USA

I have partaken of a few of Abita’s other offerings, specifically the Purple Haze and Turbo Dog. So far, their Purple Haze is still my favorite; the bottles are good and draft is great. When presented with an Abita Amber Lager while relaxing at one of my semi-local beer haunts, I just had to give it a try. Looking back now, I wish I hadn’t, but then, that is also the lot of being a beer geek. If it is there, I will try it, for better and for worse.
She poured crystal clear amber with a shadow of a head which wastes no time whisking away into tiny scattered patches on top. Her nose is overly sweet with toasted caramelized nuts and sweet breads. Pecans, almonds, pretzels, and spice are just some of the features of her nose. Faint lace can be traced along the sides of my glass as I dive into her amber depths. Sweet up front with an immediate bitter lemon and roasted pecan assault. The bitterness lingers long after, tart and waxy dry like the skin of a lemon. The pecans step aside to reveal a dry mouthfeel, reminiscent of chewing on a piece of hay as it sucks all the moisture out of my mouth. As I delve further into my glass, I keep looking for more of the typical profiles of an amber lager but I only come up empty. Instead, I find little variation or complexity in her palate, just an overwhelming bitterness resulting from lemon skin and nuts. The pecans could be sweet and creamy, but they fail to shine as they could. In the end, I am left quite confused as I look at the empty bottle and my empty glass, wondering what it was I had just quaffed.
I’m rather disappointed in the Abita Amber Lager, especially in comparison to my enjoyable experience with her other two beers. I’m not sure what Abita was trying to accomplish, but they definitely accomplished a whole lot of nothing. If you are brave enough, you can give this Abita try, but I recommend steering clear of it at all cost.

Pours amber with large foamy head. Goes down smooth with a touch of sweet malt but not much else. Not the worst thing you could drink.

Draft. Pours amber with an off-white head. Carbonated with a yeasty nose. A tad on the sweet side with a light body. Average beer across the board.

(bottle): Pours an amber brown color body, clear. Big foamy nearly white head, good lacing, but quickly diminishing. Strong malty sweet aroma, some birch or something. A little licorice on the back. Roasty malty flavor, sweet middle taste. Clean somewhat dry hoppy aftertaste. A hint of some licorice sweetness. Medium body, fizzy. A little bit on the malty side for me.

(12oz bottle on October 26, 2008) Nice, billowy white head. Clear light-amber color and well carbonated. Light bodied, grainy, and clean. Way easy to drink, and no metallic, yeasty, soapy, or astringent flavors.

Not horrible, not great either. Good session lager after the first three or four. Slightly sweet, but has a nice bitter element that reminds you that ’this is a beer.’

My first Abita rating! There will be many more to come. Caramel aroma with a bit of pine. Poors a clear golden amber, duh. Not much taste, a bit hoppy. Definitely not my favorite of the Abita Brews.

draft, pour is golden orange with no head, nose is malty yeast, flavor is sweet sugar and caramel, light medium finish