Why is Amber Ale so BORING?

[paliessmann]

Yeah, but the article makes it sound like there's nothing BUT hoppy beers out there. One thing is misses completely, as an example, is the stunning rise of sour beers. It's easy to find something to ***** about if you limit your view to one thing.

That Is a good point.

 

[Trail]

Keep in mind that's just an opinion. I find a lot of BS in that article.

Yeah, it's sensationalism. I don't like the technique of screaming "THIS IS A HORRIBLE PROBLEM!", even if it's immediately followed with the author saying "Not really, but..."

It's linkbait, even if some of the stuff in it is probably true.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Most of the issues are simply straight off-flavors, either derived from poor fermentation techniques or sanitation issues. I recall that the one amber that I scored above a 30 was overly hopped for the style and a bit harsh on the finish but didn't actually have the major flaws that I saw with the other ambers.

Sounds like a recipe problem?

 

[cyberbackpacker]

I didn't see it mentioned here, so to the OP (and others), try and get your hand on a bottle of one of the progenitors of the style... Full Sail Amber Ale. This beer is one of the first "American Ambers" to be brewed/distributed commercially, and helped define the style. Try one, I think you'll like it. If not, then you probably just don't like the style

 

[Trail]

I didn't see it mentioned here, so to the OP (and others), try and get your hand on a bottle of one of the progenitors of the style... Full Sail Amber Ale. This beer is one of the first "American Ambers" to be brewed/distributed commercially, and helped define the style. Try one, I think you'll like it. If not, then you probably just don't like the style

Challenge accepted. I like the sound of it.

 

[austinb]

I didn't see it mentioned here, so to the OP (and others), try and get your hand on a bottle of one of the progenitors of the style... Full Sail Amber Ale. This beer is one of the first "American Ambers" to be brewed/distributed commercially, and helped define the style. Try one, I think you'll like it. If not, then you probably just don't like the style

I live in the Northwest so full sail is readily available here and honestly I'm not that impressed with it. I'm not a huge fan of most full sail beers as they all seem to have a slightly sweet flavor to them, even their IPA. Their beer isn't bad but I wouldn't say it is great either. I've had many amber ales which I enjoyed much more than theirs. Also, they may have been one of the first commercial amber ales in Oregon but I wouldn't say they defined the style either. They first brewed it in 1988, there were micro breweries brewing American Ambers before that such as the Mendocino Brewing Company in California which first brewed Red Tail Ale in 1983.

 

[Calichusetts]

I live in the Northwest so full sail is readily available here and honestly I'm not that impressed with it. I'm not a huge fan of most full sail beers as they all seem to have a slightly sweet flavor to them, even their IPA. Their beer isn't bad but I wouldn't say it is great either. I've had many amber ales which I enjoyed much more than theirs. Also, they may have been one of the first commercial amber ales in Oregon but I wouldn't say they defined the style either. They first brewed it in 1988, there were micro breweries brewing American Ambers before that such as the Mendocino Brewing Company in California which first brewed Red Tail Ale in 1983.

Agreed, many of Full Sail beers are average and I wouldn't want to deter people. Red Tail is a great option, Boont Amber by Anderson Valley would be another, or maybe Bell's Amber. That is of course avoiding the hoppier ones like Troegs Hopback or Maine's Zoe, which are amazing IMO

 

[Homercidal]

I don't normally buy Ambers because I really like the hops or the roast, or whatever "extra" flavor goes into the beer I normally buy. But I love a good amber now and again. They are easy drinking, malty-sweet, caramelly (usually) and balanced with the hops. Yes, they can seem underwhelming when you are used to drinking just hops and hops all the time. If you don't like them, just don't drink them. I don't think I've seen a ton of love for amber beers, either. They seem to be a smalle section of the craft beer scene.

I prefer mine with lower hop bitterness, some sweetness and some caramel flavor and more late hop flavor/aroma. It's just a good change of pace.

 

[Agentx07]

Try Troegs Nugget Nectar. Imperial Amber with good malt and hoppy. It's a seasonal in February.

 

[Babybatch]

Looking at some of these recipes that are posted, I'm thinking that the "boring" Ambers are primarily US pale malt and crystal, while the less boring include a decent quantity of Munich in there to rev up the malt.

Might be a takeaway lesson for some folks looking to brew a good amber...

Sounds like and insider tip to me... :cross:

I'll stash that little note in my mental vault for the day I brew my first Amber.

Amber....

Always reminds me of that girl in High school that was a bit cheap and everyone seemed to like but once you got to know her she was not very interesting even though she had a lot of appeal.

 

[austinb]

Agreed, many of Full Sail beers are average and I wouldn't want to deter people. Red Tail is a great option, Boont Amber by Anderson Valley would be another, or maybe Bell's Amber. That is of course avoiding the hoppier ones like Troegs Hopback or Maine's Zoe, which are amazing IMO

Yes Boont Amber is a great choice...one of my favorite ambers for sure, much more complexity of flavor than your average amber. It may have a slight hint of sweetness but it is more of a vanilla like sweet which works well with the malt profile of the beer. I know you can get it up here in Oregon but it is still hard even here. They are still a relatively small brewery so I'm not sure if they distribute very far outside their Northern California locale.

I wish I could get my hands on anything bells makes because I've heard great things about their beers but sadly even the store here that has about 500 different varieties of beer doesn't carry any of their stuff because they don't distribute in Oregon.

 

[Denny]

I live in the Northwest so full sail is readily available here and honestly I'm not that impressed with it. I'm not a huge fan of most full sail beers as they all seem to have a slightly sweet flavor to them, even their IPA. Their beer isn't bad but I wouldn't say it is great either. I've had many amber ales which I enjoyed much more than theirs. Also, they may have been one of the first commercial amber ales in Oregon but I wouldn't say they defined the style either. They first brewed it in 1988, there were micro breweries brewing American Ambers before that such as the Mendocino Brewing Company in California which first brewed Red Tail Ale in 1983.

Agreed. When I think of a "boring" amber, it's Full Sail.

 

[Inkguy]

Is it wrong to just say I like my stuff best?
By that, I mean drinking most commercial beer makes me say, 'eh'. Fat Tire is one, as with other ambers, that makes me think - "8 bucks a sixer for THIS?" Then I can go out and make something more interesting and to my liking, using several crystal malts, maybe coffee or chocolate wheat, just for variety.
That said, I like sweet beers sometimes - caramel sweet, not the nauseating maltiness of doppelbock or Wee Heavy - though usuall dry and hoppy fits the bill. THAT being said, most commercial IPAs aren't that interesting either, though preferable to most lager.
It's yet another reason to like homebrewing. Think you can do better? Do it!
Of course Anchor Steam is one of my favorites.
For a different amber, try a good alt - malty sweetness, perfectly balanced by a lot of bitterness, but no hop flavor or aroma.
Just my $0.02

 

[stpug]

Not at all wrong to like your stuff best.... as it SHOULD be

I'm increasingly less impressed with commercial beers I buy in a bottle/can, however sometimes I think I'm just biased, short-sighted, or just being unfair. What I find myself doing more and more (and better and better) is actually tasting the beer and deciding how I could make it better (I know, the narcissist in me ). What needs to happen is a local brewery needs to hire me as their head master brewer because my sh*t is THE BEST and they'd make a million bucks on my brews. Better yet, I need to open my own brewery with pub on the front so all locals can enjoy truly great beers .......

.....back to real life (and off of my high horse). I do really like the beers I produce and think they are getting better as my understanding of process (and implementation thereof) increases. Commercial beer DOES cost too much. I remember the $6 a 6-pack days (not THAT long ago) and I was OKAY paying the extra cost, but $9-11 a 6-pack IS too much especially for the occasional (and more frequent) mediocre sh*t. Even when I say that "I'm learning how NOT to make an amber/red ale", I still find I enjoy it better than the majority of what I can buy locally.

....and I don't have a good ending so....... thank you, drive through

Edit: BTW, a bastardized version of Denny's Waldo Lake is in my horizons

 

[Trail]

I'm alright with paying out the nose for beer, which is good because in Vermont a lot of stuff is $11+ a sixpack. I drink probably 12 beers a week, and while the cost isn't insignificant I really enjoy getting something I haven't tried before at least twice a month.

I'm not well off and I should probably be more frugal, but I also don't have any expensive hobbies besides beer. This is not of great comfort to my wife, who gave me a look I'm sure most of you are familiar with today when I came home with a second propane burner.

I haven't been back to the bevvy (local beverage store with 900+ beers... seriously) since before the first post, but that should change soon. When it does, I'm bringing home six different ambers. If they all fail to impress, I'll brew the most highly-recommended recipe I can find.

If that doesn't do anything for me, I'm going to shrug and lose interest. But I'll have an ironclad defense if anyone says I didn't give it a fair shake!

 

[Darwin18]

I ended up judging Ambers again this past weekend....All I've got to say is that I've finally had a flight of good quality ambers. When done right, the layering of the caramel malts is delicious and NOT cloyingly sweet and balances well with the hops. My faith in this style is being slowly being renewed.

 

[msa8967]

Seriously. I've tried ten or fifteen of these unremarkable beers, and except for the ones at the beginning where I'd bought sixers and had to finish them, I haven't ever bought more than one of a given Amber.

No interesting malt profile. Middle of the road hops. Do interesting Ambers exist? I'm willing to brew it myself if I have to, but I need to know one way or another!

If you decide to try brewing one on your own consider the variations of the recipe in this thread. This has been a very popular beer at my house with people that enjoy craft style beers.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/much-better-amber-ale-342322/

 

[reeberom]

Have you tried Alaskan Amber? It's actually one of my top 10 favorite beers. They don't sell it in Illinois though. Probably because of the mobsters running the unions. They do have it right across the border in Janesville WI.

 

[Kealia]

I realize this is an older thread that got bumped recently but I'll some options for anybody else wondering if there are any good ambers out there:

Stone Levitation
Lagunitas Censored
Speakeasy Prohibition

Those are three locals that quickly come to mind.

 

[reeberom]

Had the stone and lagunitas. Both exceptional.


Primary: House stout
Secondary: zombie dust clone
Bottled: moose drool clone

 

[Denny]

Have you tried Alaskan Amber? It's actually one of my top 10 favorite beers. They don't sell it in Illinois though. Probably because of the mobsters running the unions. They do have it right across the border in Janesville WI.

Funny how tastes vary...to me, that beer is the definition of "boring amber". Fortunately, there's something for everyone.

 

[reeberom]

Haha. True statement.


Primary: House stout
Secondary: zombie dust clone
Bottled: moose drool clone

 

[reeberom]

Funny how tastes vary...to me, that beer is the definition of "boring amber". Fortunately, there's something for everyone.

Try Alaskan IPA. It's quite good.


Primary: House stout
Secondary: zombie dust clone
Bottled: moose drool clone

 

[Denny]

Try Alaskan IPA. It's quite good.

I'll keep that in mind, but we have So many new IPAs around here that it might take a while.

 

[reeberom]

I hear ya. If u ever can get your hands on some zombie dust, do it.


Primary: House stout
Secondary: zombie dust clone
Bottled: moose drool clone

 

[sumbrewindude]

Try Alaskan IPA. It's quite good.

I actually preferred their Frontier Ale (now called the ESB) over the IPA. The IPA's good, just blends into a sea of all the other IPA's out there.

The old Pale was fantastic too - I haven't had a chance to try the new version though (Freeride).

The Amber, though correct to style and is a good example of an amber, is too sweet and dull for me. I know a lot of folks out there that like the Amber, I'm not one of them.

 

[gwapogorilla]

To me....it's wheat beers.......BORING!!! No body or character to them at all. Or, at least everyone of them I have tried is far from impressive. Even the hefeweizen I brewed does not impress.
After today, I am taking a small break from brewing, as were are working on the house. I'll pick back up in late June.
I'm working on a wheat recipe. Possibly mixing in some Vienna malt to try to give some body. Maybe some Nelson Sauvin hops....something of a "wheat wine". I dunno...work in progress.

 

[Weezy]

Ambers are still a good introductory craft beer for the bmc crowd. You're not asking too much of their palate.

 

[rmyurick]

Stone Levitation is great! Bought a six of the Lag. Censored last year & it was awful-oxidized, no hop character, cardboardy. Then I deciphered the date code & saw that it was 9 months old.

 

[Malty_Dog]

While not really "true to style", I snuck an early taste of Yooper's amber (its a mere 3 weeks old), and wow what a treat. A bit green and edgy from a hops perspective, it still had that malty amber quality that I enjoy. Look forward to that one in the coming weeks. As Weezy said, it's a great style for BMC crossover.

 

[hunter_le five]

I love amber ales. Are they my favorite? No, but when I want "just beer", it sure hits the spot. It fills the niche for me that BMC once did.

 

[Tutsbrew]

Caution: The following is merely an opinion. No more, no less!

I started my beer "awakening" on the high-hop bandwagon. You know, more hops. Gotta do more hops. IPA's are great! ...So I tried to convince myself. Hop bombs. Hop monsters. Then something happened that happens to many after their beer awakening, I jumped off the bandwagon I was on realizing that to me bitter beer tastes, well, bitter.

Porters and stouts. I'll save the typing thus having you read less mid-paragraph dribble and will just say that (to me) burnt grains taste... burnt.

Ambers. Lovely, well balanced ambers. Just enough hop influence to balance any sweetness and just enough darker malt(s) to give a malty layering, a depth to the elixer that pale ale's and IPA's can only dream of having, and without being overpowered by (IMHO) burnt grains.

Ambers, as far as I'm concerned, rule. Boring? Well, we all have differing opinions on any style and the fact that we all are different is why we have so many great styles of beer, whether or not I, the OP, you or the guy in the next town appreciate any particular style or aspect of that style! The guy posting next may love darker, burnt grains or maybe he'll truly like the taste of bitter. Maybe he'll agree Ambers are wonderful, or he'll think they are boring. He may think sour beers taste like bacterial waste. To each of us: Cheers!

 

[BreezyBrew]

Had a Killian Red recently. Not as boring as I remember. I think people perceive flavor differently. Lots of people ding me for liking beer with a less aggressive flavor profile. Fine by me, I enjoy a beer with subtle character as much as big over the top IPA.

 

[dzlater]

I agree with you. I'd given up on ambers until I came up with this recipe...

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/WaldoLakeAmberAle

It's popular enough that Northern Brewer made a kit out of it.

This is a great recipe.

 

[signpost]

lots of people ding me for liking beer with a less aggressive flavor profile. Fine by me, i enjoy a beer with subtle character as much as big over the top ipa.

+1

 

[Tutsbrew]

Had a Killian Red recently. Not as boring as I remember. I think people perceive flavor differently. Lots of people ding me for liking beer with a less aggressive flavor profile. Fine by me, I enjoy a beer with subtle character as much as big over the top IPA.

I agree people vary with their likes and dislikes.

Flavor, IMHO, in beer comes from yeast, malts, water used and yes, hops. Ambers rule for me in that yeast and malt profiles shine. Maybe ambers/reds have "aggressive flavor profiles" from malts, even if they aren't as pucker-bitter as "over the top" IPA's!

Anyone can over-load a batch of beer with hops. To me, it takes a bit more finesse to balance a beer in a way that lets layered yeast and malt charactoristics shine! One day I hope to get THAT good in my brewing even if it's a long time and many batches away yet. Many, many more probly...

 

[hunter_le five]

Flavor, IMHO, in beer comes from yeast, malts, water used and yes, hops.

Pretty sure that fact is well-established. That's not an opinion, you just listed the ingredients in beer. I agree with your general sentiment though, about well balanced beers showing off flavors from all ingredients, not just hops.

Alcohol, in my humble opinion, in beer comes from yeast consuming sugar.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Tutsbrew]

Awakening this older thread to ask the OP if he learned anything at all yet...

 

[sky4meplease]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1419052248.248168.jpg
I'm sitting on this waiting for New Years Eve to enjoy.
Apparently Arthur Guinness was renowned for his Amber Ales before mastering the Stout and Porter for which his St. James Gate brewery became famous for.