Full Sail Nugget Special Red Ale

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Hood River, Oregon USA

Nugget pours out with a nice head crowning the amber body. Malts and hops balance well and simply here. Citrus and some bitterness keeps this a fresh and drinkable beer.

22 oz. bomber courtesy of Nate. Pours amber red with touch of brown. Small, rimming beige head. Nose is huge caramel with chocolate and toffee, slight butter nose. Tast is caramel and butterscotch candies, bleeding into a hop-centric bitter middle and end. Good earthy hop flavor that lingers well into the after. Nice full mouthfee and tasty. Good red.

Nice little hoppy red siding more with being a session beer then the red IPAs that have shown up all over the place. Sweet citrus hop nose. Caramel and slightly fruity body with a very crisp hop finish. Not overly bitter or overpowered with hops, more balanced and drinkable. I really enjoyed this beer, would be great as a new bottled release.

14-Oct-07 (22 oz bottle: Purchased 07-Jun-07 for $3.83 at Liquid Solutions in Tigard, OR) When I first sampled this new Brewmaster Reserve several months ago on a tasting at BevMo, it was not all that impressive -- it came across as just a hoppy red ale with some rough edges. But here I am with a six-month-old bottle, in better tasting conditions, and I think it’s really at its peak. Once the bottle is opened and the beer tasted, it’s apparent how beautifully crafted Nugget really is. Upon pouring the deep-copper colored, perfectly clear beer into the glass, the tall, light-tan head builds to a good inch in height, then slowly recedes, maintaining a full quarter-inch layer of creamy foam on top of the beer. Malty, moderately caramely nose is enticing, and the modest, dusty hop aroma off to the side adds intrigue and complexity. On the palate, lightly sweet caramely malts present a smooth, welcoming entry point for the beer. Citrusy, gently bitter hops balance the beer with perfection in the evolution, hanging on for more prominence in the finish and adding a bit of dustiness and gentle dryness to the mouthfeel. The beer has wonderful body for an amber/red ale, medium in weight, and shows no thinning whatsoever in the finish. Carbonation is soft and nurturing. The hop bite keeps the mouth refreshed without any lingering roughness. Lacing is patchy, but that head retention is going strong, even now at the end of this session. Nugget may not be flashy, but it’s a pleasure to drink and a worthy entry to the Brewmaster Reserve series. It’s deliciously malty without being heavy or cloying, the hops are in perfect balance, and any rough edges have smoothed out beautifully. All in all, a very impressive effort from the folks in Hood River.

deep crimson red with a little white head.i got some lacing around the glass from the head.i picked up toffee,malts,and a bit of pine hops in the aroma.flavor is ginger bread,cinnamon,caramel,biskets,and pine hops.kinda reminds me of anchors o.s.a.

22 oz. bottle from Plaza Liquor - Pours a clear deep amber color with a one and a half finger thick light tan head. Light lacing. Aroma is light caramel malt and citrus hops. Flavor is mostly citrus hops. The beer is fairly bitter. Could use a little more malt character. Light to medium body. Decent beer.

22oz bottle via trade with cbkschubert - Thanks Craig - Pours copper with ruby highlights and a fair offwhite head that leaves a good amount of lace. Aroma is big of caramel, and some candi sugar. Toasted malts and toffee there as well and some pine. Flavor is interestingly sweet with a good amount of toffee, caramel, candi sugar, and some citrus and pine at the finish. Medium body with light carbonation. Easy to drink.

June 2007 - Deep amber color with smallish head, little to no lace. Odd sweet malty flavor. Same oddness in the flavor, don’t know what it is. Sweet and bitter, pretty good, actually. Very unique brew...worth having. Nice mouthfeel.