The beer is, what else, amber in color. The aroma is of malty toffee, with earthy something, maybe hops or yeast. I just wish it wasn’t as faint. The taste is malty. The hops are there somewhere. Now I am pretty sure the hops are providing this recurring theme of earthiness. The mouthfeel is definitely thicker than the average amber ale. Since I like this beer, it is not too thick. If this were always available, I would always have it in my fridge. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 09-24-2005 07:27:50

Got this one from artusory. Batch 7040. Very cloudy, burnt orange-amber color. Small off-white head that quickly settles to a thin rim. Aroma shows rich caramel, nougat, faint golden raisons, and a subtle floral and citrus hop character. A solitary drop of honey adds some sweetness to the nose. The flavor is quite chewy and malty, with fresh toasted caramel malts comprising the bulk of the taste. Maple and oak make an appearance, as do mild spices and floral components. Medium-full body with a smooth consistency. Pleasing nougat finish. To have tasted this fresh must have been a glorious experience. I’m still very glad to have tried it. The high score I gave it, even though its past its prime, is another testament to the genius that is Bells. What an absolutely fantastic brewery!

<i>From a 12oz Bottle, Batch 7040.</i> Received in a trade from artusory, 9/14/2007. Thanks, Ryan! Pours a somewhat hazy, amber color with ripened peach skin hues and a finger of quickly dissipating off-white foam. Soft caramels, thick toffee, and mild raisin fruits create a pleasantly aged bouquet, edged with honey. There’s almost an underlying licorice spice, but it’s very faint. Medium light bodied, softly carbonated mouthfeel. The flavors start out with a bit of thin, biscuity malt, but it then morphs into a fruity caramel malt profile that brings out subtle oxidation fruits without any papery or cardboard-like unpleasant characters. Notes of light fig and raisin, spiced with a smidgen of left over earthy hops. A fleeting glimpse of late autumn apples dusted with cinnimon. The finish has a woodsy, maple syrup like flavor, but is adequately dry. A left over memory of sprucey hops balances out the finish lastly. This was surprisingly good. This beer had been on my want list for quite some time, but I never really got around to trying it until now, when I expected it was too late. For an amber ale, this has held up remarkably well, which may either be a testament to the beer, or to Ryan’s storage environment. The malt flavor has kept up, or even added complexity &#40;speculation&#41;, while the hop character has faded quietly without leaving behind any unwanted mess. I wish I could taste this side-by-side with a fresh example, because in this state, it’s one of the more complex and enjoyable amber ales I’ve tried.

<b>Date:</b> 04/07/2007<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Bottle<br /> <b>Source:</b> Tasting, 50 Beers on the Wall<br /> <br /> light burnt orange with a slight haze, scant beige head, lightly sweet malt aroma, oxidized caramel malt flavor, rich caramel character starts to develop a bit of sweetness, balancing bitterness leads to a long bitter finish, not much character overall<br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 5/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 6/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 6/10; <b>Palate:</b> 6/10; <b>Overall:</b> 11/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 2.8/5.0<br /><b>Drinkability:</b> 7/10<br /> <b>Score:</b> *4<br />

Bottle. Amber color with a bready light caramel aroma and taste with a few hops thrown in there. Easy drinkin’.