Rock Bottom Fire Chief Ale

Brewed by Rock Bottom Corporate Office
Style: Amber Ale
Louisville, Colorado USA

South Denver location - brought home a growler. Comment on the beer itself first. I believe each Rock Bottom location has the liberty to brew whatever they want for the annual Fire Chief beer. The head brewmaster happened to be enjoying the fruits of his labors at the bar when I came in to get my growler filled. He explained that this year he chose to do an Alt because the Fire Chief beer should usually be red in color, he wanted to try something a little different, and he has a particular passion for German styles. I’m new to Alts, and I really like this one. After reading the style guidelines this one fits the style really well. The brewer also noted that this had been cold conditioning for 6 weeks. They had it labeled as Fire Chief #2. So, pours a really nice, really clear deep red amber with a smallish off-white head. Head dissipates kind of quickly to a layer of foam and leaves a little lacing. Aroma is nice - some spiciness, probably from the noble hops and a little bit of yeast character. Also a little bit of carmel malt sweetness. Flavor is really nicely balanced. A good healthy amount of bitterness, balanced by some sweet, carmelly malt with a slightly spicy finish. Mouthfeel is light to medium, but on the lighter side. Nice amt. of carbonation and a really nice smooth finish. An easy drinker. I really like this beer, and it has gotten me excited to explore the style.

On Tap in Long Beach. Pours a nice dark amber color with a good head. Smells of malt and hops. Has a good hoppy and a good bitter finish. Tastes similar, but not as good, as Bear Republic’s Red Rocket Ale.

Draft at the King of Prussia, Pa brewey. Nice crisp beer. Has a sit bitter smikley taste to it. I found that this had more APA character than and amber.

On tap at Rock Bottom in Bethesda, MD. The chalkboard said this was an ESB. Pours a slightly hazy cherry red with a thin, creamy French vanilla-colored head. A good bit of caramel and toasty malts in the aroma along with some indistinct, though bitter hops. Creamy, medium body. Predominantly toasty, caramelized malts in the taste. Finishes with some drying, bitter hops and just a bit of spiciness. The dryness lingers. This isn’t an ESB? Sure tastes like one. Solid stuff.

I’ve been told that this year’s Fire Chief is an Irish Ale, not Scotch, as it has been in previous years. I’ve cracked my growler and am ready to find out. clear, coppery crimson color, adequate 1/4" slab of creamy-tan foam. Herbal nose, a little spicy, pale fruit...nice... Taste: smooth, malty, herbal/vegetal, medium bodied, slick texture, nicely hopped...good integration, excellent balance. Truly fits the Irish Ale style. Hail to the Chief!

KoP near Philly: A decent amber that didn’t impress nor did it depress. On Nitro it was uncommonly smooth.

Poured into a pint glass from the tap. The color is red amber with a white head The smell is slightly muted with flavors of hops, caramel, and some mild malt. The taste was somewhat fruity with a bitter hop feel to it. Some spicy feel to the beer. Overall the beer was easy to drink and was a little crisp. Not too heavy.

22 oz bomber given to me by the head brewer at the downtown denver location-pours a copper red hue with a nice white head-foamy. bready. toasty slight diacytl aroma, but this is somewhat acceptible in this beer (its said to be an irish ale). sweet malts, caramely and toasty. flavors cold were somewhat unbalanced-caramel malts that didn’t fuse well with the earthy/sliglty piney hops. Some diacytl on the flavor, but never becomes a major problem. Some great lacing as the beer went down the glass. Not really a complex beer, but gets the job done and true to style. Slightly under-rated.