Amber ale beer is really a great option for beer drinkers that are looking for something that’s heavier than a light beer, but not so heavy that you can’t drive after 1 or 2. Amber ale beer is still underrated relative to the mighty IPA. For me and my tastes, I don’t know why that is, but it’s true.
What I’d like to do today is execute a beer tasting on 5 or 6 amber ale beers that I was able to pickup at my local grocery store so let’s get to it. I’ll write a little blurb about each tasting and then summarize the list from my favorite to my least favorite at the end.
Barrio Rojo Scottish Style Amber Ale
The first one in my beer tasting hails from Tucson, Arizona from a brewery called Barrio Brewing Company. The can design is unique and has a cowgirl silhouette front and center leaning against a light pole. This is definitely a small brewer and they’ve stated that they won a couple beer competitions for the Scottish Amber Ale category.
Starting with the aroma when I opened this beer I got a smooth smell of amber. I would describe the aroma as creamy if you could envision the smell of a beer that way. It definitely smelled really good and gave me some excitement leading up to the taste test.
Moving on to the taste. The first thing that overwhelm me was a rich and smooth flavor that was crisp and delicious. It was a drier taste, but not too dry. It was also rather creamy. I can’t say I’ve ever tasted an Amber Ale that was as creamy as this one was. The texture reminded me of a stout almost.
Fat Tire Amber Ale
The next beer in the tasting comes from Colorado and is brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company. The fat tire beer has a trendy design with a can that’s half blue and half orange with a bicycle logo in the middle. The alcohol content of this one is 5.2% by volume.
The aroma when I first cracked open the beer was crisp and refreshing. It smelled like a typical amber would and it excited my taste buds.
Now for the taste test. It had a rich deep feel to it and was quite refreshing. It wasn’t as dry as the Barrio Rojo so it went down smooth. This will likely be one of my favorites, but let’s see how the remainder play out.
Wolfhound Irish Red Ale
Uncle Bears Brewery in Phoenix, AZ crafted this one with care. It’s got an interesting label with a checkered clover front and center in the design of the can. The wolfhound dog is described as a loyal companion on the label and compared to this beer. The alcohol content in this one is 4.6% by volume.
The aroma was a little hoppy smelling and it didn’t really excite me for the taste test forthcoming. Maybe the smell won’t be a good judge of what the taste will be, we’ll see.
Moving onto the beer tasting. When I first sipped this one it came across as simple and dry. It isn’t my favorite of the beers I’ve tasted thus far, but it wasn’t bad.
Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Amber Ale
This is a classic in the Phoenix area brewed by Four Peaks Brewing Company. Born in Tempe, AZ this Scottish Ale packs a punch with 6.0% alcohol by volume. It’s been awhile since I’ve had Kilt Lifter, but I recall it being very good so I’m looking forward to this beer tasting. Let’s get to it.
When I cracked open the beer my first impression is that it’s aroma is a little sweeter than the others in the tasting. It was definitely an appealing aroma and it further excites the planned tasting.
Taking the first sip was exhilarating. It’s definitely a sweeter taste than the others and this is in a very good way. It was smooth and refreshing and this one will be a favorite for sure. Two more beers to try out!
Dos Equis Amber Especial
Dos Equis is an amber ale that’s born and raised in Mexico. It’s a Vienna style lager and claims a “surprisingly smooth taste” on the label. Unfortunately they do not disclose the alcohol content.
When I first opened this beer it gives off a clean and refreshing aroma. It’s a sweeter smell than most of the other beers in the category and seems like it’ll be a lighter smoother taste, but let’s check it out.
Upon first tasting, I was a little disappointed. I would describe it as watered down compared to the category and not necessarily lighter. It was definitely weaker tasting than most of the other amber ale beers.
Oregon’s Original Amber Ale FS
Full Sail Brewing Company makes Oregon’s Original Amber Ale and it comes with an intriguing blue and gold label. It’s a stronger beer with a 6.0% alcohol content so watch out for this one! Let’s give it a sniff and a taste.
The aroma came across strong. It has more of a hoppy smell to it than most of the others in the category, which doesn’t bode well for my liking typically. Let’s taste it though and find out.
The aroma hit the nail on the head. This one is not good in my opinion. It hits the back of your throat like it’s punching your glands to kill. It just doesn’t go down smooth.
Summary
In summary, we have some good amber ale beer and some bad amber ale beer and I hope this final list helps you pick the best amber ale beer for your home happy hour. Starting with the best beer down to the worst beer here’s the final standings:
- Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Amber Ale
- Fat Tire Amber Ale
- Barrio Rojo Scottish Style Amber Ale
- Wolfhound Irish Red Ale
- Dos Equis Amber Especial
- Oregon’s Original Amber Ale FS
Hope to see you on our next journey!!
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