Alaskan Amber

Brewed by Alaskan Brewing Co
Style: Altbier
Juneau, Alaska USA

Why can’t all their beers be as tasty as the wonderful Smoked Porter?

Deep amber and decent lace. Aroma is malt and candy and hint of flowers. Medium mouthfeel with some very mild hop sizzle countering it’s basically oily texture. I wouldn’t drink more than one, but it would highlight the tap selection in most run-of-the-mill places. Toward the end of the bottle it got kinda watery tasting for me, maybe just my ’buds tonight. It only hints at that yeasty biscuit taste I despise in most Ambers, which to my thinking they’re only using to describe the color of this one. Not bad.

Draught. High creamy off-white and lasting head. Clear amber body. Sweet fruity alcohol aroma. Fruty bitter flavor without the alcohol indicated by the aroma. High carbonation. Long aftertaste.

Pours a clear amber with a very small head. High carbonation. Aroma is pretty much nothing, maybe the smell leftover in the kitchen after throwing a kegger. The taste overall is very sweet but unrefined. I was disappointed by this. More than anything it reminded me of a Coors Light but darker to the eye. After trying the Alaskan Winter Ale I was pretty sure anything else from this brewery would be a step up...I was wrong.

Tap. Clear amber color, short head. Bit malty aroma. Also malty taste, slight bitter. Ok, but not spectacular.

Pour is a dark brown with a big tan head that stays around for a while. Aroma is all things caramel malts. Not much else comes through. Flavor is again nice deep caramel malts and some light flowery hops follow up after the swallow. A good example of the style.

Draft at Library Alehouse in Santa Monica, CA. Pours a deep brown with ruby highlights and a light tan head. The aroma is toast, toffee, and fruit. The flavor follows the aroma: sweet, toasty, caramel toffee, subtle chocolate, unexpectedly ester-fruity. The finish is full, and the mouthfeel is medium-full in body with soft carbonation. Overall, a very interesting ale. I’ve never had an authentic altbier, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of this product, but I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Draft. Pours a red toned amber. Little head. Smells very malty. Flavors are a bit too sweet. No real direction sweetness a little muddled.. Sticky on the palate. OK, but nothing too special.