Beer - #52 - Apache American Amber Ale

Apache American Amber Ale -  Brewed by Golden Eagle Brewery, in the style of an Amber Ale, and is brewed in Rolleston,  Just outside Christchurch, New Zealand.  It delivered in a convenient (pint) 500ml 5.6%ABV bottle.

Pure Canterbury water, barley & American hops are brought together with passion to create an amber ale with Zest!

Been around since 2002 or thereabouts. It's very hoppy and dark for an "amber ale"  which lead me to this discovery since I was really expecting 'amber' and not "dark'....

American Amber / Red Ale - Primarily a catch all for any beer less than a Dark Ale in color, ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues. This style of beer tends to focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, with toasted malt characters and a light fruitiness in most examples. The range can run from a basic ale, to American brewers who brew faux-Oktoberfest style beers that are actually ales instead of lagers.

An then I went "ahhh" I get it now. So turning the frown upside down your starter for 10 is "can I pour a beer with a head?" and you'd be right. Not this time.

Crikey that's hoppy. Very hoppy, a loud surprise hoppy- again crickey. That's somewhat pleasant. Wow, I'm totally at peace with the fact that mu ignorance leads to me a red ale, rather than something else. And having just had a "Leprechauns Belle" at the "Deep Creek Brewery" that won a bronze I can tell you the bar must be pretty low for that award. This is hands down a better beer by heaps.

Ok so else I get Hops, of course, and a pleasant malt that adds enough sweet to make this really somewhat a game of two halves. The hops makes you think of a bitterer mouthfeel the underlying malt taste balances that very well.

Lest I talk more nonsense I'll award some arbitrary points on the pdubyah-o-meter, and I can't lie this is 9 from 10. and it's a high 9 not a down-marked 9. If I could pour one with a head, and it had better lacing it's be 9.5 :). This is something of a pleasant and rewarding beer, and I'm really impressed, and for the jaded me that's something I look for.

In the adventure that is craft beer there are never many surprises, often you get too much carbonation, or mis-balance of hops, or malt, a thinness. Today I'm really quite impressed that I had to sit up and pay real attention to a fine beer. Seriously, try this, you'll be impressed.

The lovely people at Liquorland in Forest Hill for their selection deserve a mention.

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