Mac and Jacks African Amber Ale

Brewed by Mac and Jacks Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Redmond, Washington USA

Had on draught at Frasiers bar in Everett. This pours an amberish red, slightly cloudy with a medium sized pearlish head and slight bit of lacing. Overall aroma is tame...malt, caramel and maybe a hint of citrus or roast, but not too much there. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and light on the carbonation. Roasted malts, caramel, sweet cloying malts upfront, slight bittering citrus finish, but nothing all-too interesting. I was actually astounded to see this beer rated as highly as it is. It’s nothing all too impressive. Dry finish, too sweet at times.

I drank about 8 pints of this stuff last night and have come to the very difficult decision that I have definitely overrated this beer. It’s a great amber: nice head, lace, a really pretty orange hue, and full of flavor...but it’s not outstanding. I think the beer is delicious, but doesn’t have the body and ’wahoo’ that I look for in a beer. Hops are a bit weak and the carbonation is all in the head. Tastes great, but don’t let yourself get carried away.

Nice, tasty, goes well with late night drunken conversations, platitudes, and mischieveousness. Good round ring to the flavor.

Nice yeasty, full bodied, amber that fills the tummy and has plenty of hop and malt flavor-superb balance. Drink many of these if you can, but they are quite filling. Nice brew.

Full bodied, deep smooth flavor - Perfect blend of everything you expect from a great ale. Recently revisited - spicier than what I remember, added an edge that detracted from the sweet malt backbone. Resampled again 6/9/2007 - Had it fresh out of a growler from the brewery. It was a very fresh batch and one that really embodied every great thing about this drink. Heavy, rich, roasted barley dominated well with some sweet molasses notes. Very creamy and smooth. 8/4/2007 - The more I drink this the more I realize how inconsistent it can be from batch to batch. Get the right one and its among the best, get the wrong and youll find it too thin or overhopped or overspiced. Ill keep my rating where it is for the finest example ive tried. 8/19/2007 - Another growler downed, this time a little thinner with a stronger caramel cereal malt base. a less impressive variant of a great drink. I estimate by this rating that I have drank over five gallons of this the past 12 months. 01/17/2008 - Another gallon down, another coming up this weekend.... Like the new Retail shop section of the brewery - where can I get one of those signs? 1/21/2009 - Melon components seem more pronounced than ever; you really need to get this stuff fresh to enjoy.

Tap @ McCormick & Schmick’s Seattle: Appearance of brown/yellow muddy, light-colored at the edges, brown in the middle. No head except little @ the edges, white. Lightly malty aroma, sweet, some hops. Very fizzy, slightly malty, crisp, clean aftertaste, slightly fizzy, nutty. Light taste.

9/15/07 on draught at the Garage, Seattle. Aroma is sweet malt, caramel, and light hop fruit. Appearance is a very hazy light brown with a moderate off white head. Mouthfeel is lightly grainy with a medium carb feel and a slightly textured finish. Overall, a great amber with a nice grainy and sweet complexity.

golden/brown body, big rocky tan head, brown sugar and sweet malt nose, flavor is a mess of vanilla, brown sugar, butterscotch, sweet malts and assorted spices, great complex amber with character