Thomas Creek Appalachian Amber Ale

Brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery
Style: Amber Ale
Greenville, South Carolina USA

A mild beer, malts and hops well balanced for a very drinkable beer.

12 ounce bottle - $1.69 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia. Appearance: Pours a clear, dark amber body with a large, frothy, off-white head. Fair amount of lacing on the way down. Smell: Malty, lightly sweet-smelling blend of caramel and pale malts with, as the taste, some toasty hints. Light fruit notes. Spicy, earthy, maybe even a tad herbal hop scent. Taste: Pale and caramel malts, a tad toasty, and with a medium amount of slight candyish sweetness. Touch of fruitiness. Spicy, lightly earthy hop character, seemingly English, and with only a medium-low amount of bitterness. Finishes dry, malty, and with merest bit of lingering bitterness. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: A pleasant, reasonably well-balanced amber ale. I liked it well enough. Though, if you’re interests reside with the bitter, tongue-pinching West Coast ambers, you might want to look elsewhere.

On-tap at Stone Soup, Landrum SC. I tend to favor local beers whenever I get the chance; TC definitely qualifies as a local brewery for me. Of the three I sampled (Amber, Doppelbock, and Pilsner) at dinner, the amber was my least favorite; HOWEVER, it was stellar with my dinner entree: she-crab soup and Vietnamese duck spring rolls! The very quality that drove the beer down in my book -- too sweet on the tongue -- married it perfectly to the food.

Clear Amber head with a white head. Interesting fruity nose with a smooth finish. Not my favorite but I was happy to have it offered on the menu.

Looks like a typical clear amber, but a little more appetizing than most. Aroma is strong and smoothly hoppy, not outstanding but still inviting. Flavor is rich and overwhelmingly malty - hardly any hop bitterness and exceptionally smooth. This is one beer worth savoring.

Date: 04/02/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Athens

hazy amber, whispy white head, carmel malt aroma with a nice dose of dms, light sweet carmel malt flavor, only a touch of dms, light bitter finish,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

12 ounce bottle. Pours a clear reddish copper color with a thin frothy head. Good head retention. Aroma is caramel, toasted malts and light toffee. Taste is caramel, leafy hops, light solvent alcohol and light tea. Thin-medium bodied. Good beer.

A murky orangish brown color with little head. The aroma is quite nice with a heavy dose of caramel along with some toffee and pine. The flavor is somewhat sweet with caramel standing out. I also taste some toffee and peaches. The finish is slightly bitter with a rather watery palate. Overall this is not bad.