Amber Ale

Pros: Good hop- accented flavor
Cons: High price

Kalamazoo Brewing Company is one of my favorite craft- brewers in the United States. I have already sampled most of Larry Bell’s (the founder) brews, but there are still a few that I have not yet tasted. When I get the opportunity to try a new Bell’s...

Pros: Good balanced taste; Acceptable to all
Cons: Nothing to get excited over

Looking for a good, all- purpose ale that most people will find drinkable and non- offensive? There are a few that will fit the bill, satisfying both the beer geeks and the Budwesier crowd at the same time. One example is St. Arnold Amber, a ...

Pros: really nice cask conditioned
Cons: limited distribution

The quest for beer is a lifelong pursuit. My goal whenever I travel is to try as many local brews as possible. I like to seek out beers that are not readily available in my hometown. Recently, I had the pleasure of going to Austin for the ...

Pros: Like most of Bell's beers, a well-crafted, tasty brew
Cons: No longer available in Illinois.

This is the final Bell’s brew I have to review, having bought some when it was still on the shelf. Bell’s is no longer available in Illinois, because of a distributor dispute that is not likely to be soon resolved. I’ll be able to get a six pack from ...

Pros: Good hop character, careful choice of malt
Cons: Not the best for any occasion

After downing a six-pack of Anchor Brewing Co.’s Liberty Ale (about which I wrote not too long ago), you could reasonably expect me to view any brew favorably that had a strong hop character along with a reasonable malt foundation. And you would be...

Pros: Nicely balanced pale ale with an aggressive hop signature
Cons: Now how did that pint glass get empty so fast?

It's funny how some beers just seem to cry out to be served in a particular type of glass -- or even one specific glass. If you're like me and collect beer glasses from different breweries and beer festivals, you probably enjoy trying to figure out which...

Pros: an outstanding version of an amber beer
Cons: hard for me to get

There are certain beers that have been traditionally hard to come by in my area. I will occasionally stumble upon these beers at festivals or when I am traveling. They are not beers that I can stock for home consumption. That leads to limited...

Pros: Rich, sweet flavor that's not overwhelming
Cons: none

As far as amber ales go, this is easily one of the best I've had. It has a strong fruity hops fragrance that engulfs your nostrils with every sip. The aroma also has hints of spicy malt. It has a striking bright copper color with a short-lived light...

Pros: A wonderful all season ale
Cons: Can't get it everywhere

I first met the brewer Brock in 1993 at a small wine shop in Houston, where he held a small tasting to promote his upstart brewing business. This was my introduction to the St Arnolds Beers, my favorite label. There are about 80+ beers on tap at my...

Pros: Drinks real easy for a hophead
Cons: Everyone else would probably like more guts.

After hosing St. Arnold's kristall, I thought the least I could do was to give their Amber a fair shot. I've had this beer before and liked it, and I've heard that it is superlative on cask. Let's pour it out and take a look at it.

I'm not...

Pros: fresh, clean taste for an amber
Cons: too sweet and fruity

"Fresh" is the first word that comes to mind for Catamount Amber. This ale has a fresh, slightly fruity bouquet and a light red amber color. It pours up a sweet, frothy cappuccino head with some staying power. It has a medium body that almost...

Pros: Available year round
Cons: A little pricey to drink all night

Bell's Amber is one of the best beers from the best brewery in the nation. This beer comes on sweet, but not too sweet with an almost fruity tinge at the end. I love this beer because it is the most accessible Bell's brew that is available year-round....

Pros: The perfect balance of creaminess and sweetness never dulls.
Cons: Only available in major Texas cities

This is flagship of the St. Arnold Brewery, and it has rightly earned one of the more loyal followings of any microbrew. You can go to the brewery's web page to get a description of the specific malt and hops, the unique yeast strains, etc. that go into...

Pros: It's great beer
Cons: It is not availiable out west.

Hands down Bells puts out some of the best beers on the planet. I'd have to consider myself an expert on drinking Bells beer (should I be proud of this?) Anyways, Bells Amber is no exception. First off this beer smells great, it has that floraly/fruity...

Pros: fresh, tasty, smooth,
Cons: the fresher the better...older kegs\bottles can be a bit funky

I first had Bells Amber during the summer of 1995. We had just moved to Chicago and were out looking for an apartment. (At the time Chicago was experiencing one of the biggest heat waves in its history). After a few hours of trudging around we stumbled...