As in all things, I tend to see beer in the most mundane of things. So having the opportunity to find a few things not normally available in GA, I present the following review.
The Alaskan Amber Ale is actually an alt, which from the German means "old". Categorically an ale, the alt is a distant cousin the the English Brown ale, though cleaner in character (being fermented at slightly cooler than cellar temps) and usually has a more discernable hop character. American Brown ales, in contrast to both, tend to be maltier and hoppier.
But needless to say, the alt is not uncommon beer, yet neither is it overly common in the US, craft-drinkers tending to prefer a bigger flavor profile. This should not be so, since the "plain" should be as enjoyable as the "extreme".
The Alaskan Amber pours a very light brown color, crystal clear, with a soapy-looking 2 finger white head. The head did not stick around for long, but left an adequate lacing on the empty glass.
The nose is almost non-existent, revealing a very mild toasty malt aroma after warming up a bit.
A thin, but effervescent, mouthfeel seems appropriate.
Mild malt, toasty and somewhat biscuity, is the predominate flavor with very little hop character. The hops do come out later, as the beer warms, but nothing profound. It is somewhat sweet, and reminded me a little bit of tea. I actually kept looking for more, attempting to pull out what I thought was a plain and somewhat unadorned beer. But the next thing I knew, the glass was empty. All that time trying to geek out over flavors, and the glass was drained. Refreshed and now disappointed that the glass was empty. In fact, the 5.3% ABV makes it even more "regular".
And frankly...this is the Alaskan's unique charm. Unassuming, this is an excellent session beer, one that does not require great thought or concentration to enjoy. If you have access, buy a six-pack or two and share with a friend.
Labels: beer reviews