Maritime Pacific Nightwatch Dark Amber Ale

Brewed by Maritime Pacific Brewing Co.
Style: Amber Ale
Seattle, Washington USA

On tap at the Jolly Roger taproom (brewery). Sweet malt forward in the nose, caramel notes, bready, yeasty, with low hop floral notes. Med-high, off-white head with good retention. Flavor is also malt forward with caramel, low bittering and low hop flavor. Medium bodied, medium carbonation with a light amount of warmth. Overall, very good, excellent maltiness, low roast and yet not porter-like, solid low bittering for style, but could still use a little more hop character for balance.

Poured a watery ruby amber chestnut hue. Small head with bubbly white texture. Nose of alfalfa and corn. Soapy, dusty taste. Possibly contaminated slightly. Ok. Not much in finish.

Bottle. Dark cola color with a frothy almond head. Aroma of dark malts, molasses even, with some cream soda vanilla and red apple peel. Flavor of sweet grain/granola, brown sugar and some straw/grass tempered by a nice hoppiness underneath. Medium to full bodied, smooth with light carbonation. Would have pegged it as an English Strong Ale or ESB rather than an amber. Put together fairly well.

Dark brown in color. Small head that fades quickly. Good laceing and aroma. Good flavor but just a little fade at the finish. It could use just a wee bit more raosted malt.

From 12 oz. bottle. Really reminds me of New Belgium’s 1554, which, unfortunately for Nightwatch, is a better beer. I picked up some metallic flavor on the first few sips, but that faded along the way. The lack of body really hurts this beer, although the flavor is pretty good. I just wanted it to stick on my tongue a little longer. It’s quite drinkable, but I’ll stick with 1554.

Deep brown, not amber. Minimal head. Aroma is dark roasted malts, almond paste and some light hops. Flavour is quite rich with lots of malt flavour and slightly bittering hops. Smooth on the palate.

Growler filled at Maritime. Not a bad tap handle to pull, and I’d definitely go for it over a plethora of mainstream beers, but this beer seems a bit rudderless. Probably goes great with food.

Draft at Gordito’s. Pours a deep murky, grainy-looking brown with scant tan head. Smells like caramel, malt sugar. Subdued attack: low-medium body, little carb, restrained flavors. More of the same malty sweetness on the palate: grain sugar and caramel. Years ago, this beer seemed much subtler and more complex; now it seems like a fairly sweet wort. Kind of bummed; hope it changes my mind on a future drinking...but, granted, my palate has changed a lot in the ten years since I first tried this.