Capitol City Amber Waves Ale

Brewed by Capitol City Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Washington, Washington DC USA

Steam Beer is unique in the fact that, it is brewed with a lager yeast strain, but it is fermented at a temperature more suited for ales. This gives this style of beer characteristics that you would find in both ales and lagers. It is fruity, yet at the same time round, and clean. Most brewpubs or breweries who do this style, only do it as a seasonal, or a one off. I love the fact that Cap City has made this beer a flagship brew, and it is fitting I believe, since this is Washington, DC, our nation’s capitol. Amber Waves Ale pours to a beautiful, bright, deep amber color with a white head that fades, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is very fragrant with citric hop aromas, sweet malt, and aromas of ripe fruit. The palate is smooth and malty with good caramel malt flavor paired with very juicy fruit flavors. This beer finishes malty and clean up front, then dries with some nice citric hop bitterness that slightly lingers. This is a very well done Steam beer, very accurate stylistically, and more importantly very tasty. This beer went great with a lunch of a two full links of bratwurst smothered in saurkarut and melted Swiss cheese served of fresh baked rolls, with a heaping order of fries. Seek this beer out at any of Capitol City’s locations, and take pride in a beer style American’s can call their own.

A dry hopped version sampled at the Virginia Beer Festival, last one of the day, and a great way to finish things off. Hazy amber, nice head. Big hop aroma, lots of citrus and faintly floral. Big green chlorophyll hop flavor, but enjoyable, with light caramel malt and a big citric hop finish. Very nice. Definitely on the hoppy end of the amber scale, which is a very good thing. This style really can be good, it just rarely tries to meet what it can be.

this is good beer! quite fragrant of mainly pine hops and citrus. so well balanced with a low malt character and a nice full hop flavor that is substantial and not overpowering. i really liked the medium of this beer and it is not easy to describe. slick soapy and satisfying like half diluted nectar it held the slightly sweet and fruity caramel right there in line with everything else going on in this beer. nice lengthy finish and fine carbonation. what a treat! happy b’day Union Station D.C.

(02.03.06) On tap at Capitol City brewpub (Capitol Hill), Washington, D.C. Clear amber hued ale having a large long-lasting head with good lacing. Soft carbonation. Sweet malt/hoppy aroma. Medium bodied ale that starts with light malt sweetness and citrus (grapefruit)/pine resin flavors. Finishes dry with light hop bitterness. Tasty. Well-balanced with notable hop profile. A very good dry hoppy drinkable ale.

Capitol Hill location. Great beer. Loved the floral, hoppy aroma, and the great hop taste. And boy did it certainly have a strong hop taste. Thought it was the best of the sampler, so I got myself a whole pint later.

Draught at Capitol City, Downtown, DC. Clear amber colour with a slim white head. Good lacing. Hoppy and sweet aroma. Nice floral hops in the taste, medium bodied - drinkable stuff. The name is misleading, but it’s a good hoppy beer.

On tap. Half pint. Downtown District of Columbia location. I really wanted to drink and eat at Capitol City Brewing when we visited Washington DC this summer. Our friends indulged us, recommending the downtown location over the Shirlington location in Virginia. We took their advice and six of us enjoyed beer and pub food in a great setting with excellent service. Amber Waves arrived at the table with a nicely tanned body—somewhere between amber and copper-red. Her head was white. She was clear, had lively carbonation, and left behind excellent lacing. Her perfume was of caramel and canned peaches. It was perhaps slightly too sweet, but enticing nonetheless. She tasted wonderful. Caramel malts met apricot, pear, and grain. She started sweet, became slightly bitter, and sweetened again for a long finish. I think I’m in love. Just don’t tell the wife!

Reddish auburn. Nice nose, very malty, a bit nutty, plenty of caramel. Similar profile in flavor, lots of caramel malts, nice balance of hops at the end. Good palate as well, bit creamy and sticky.