Arcadia Amber Ale
Arcadia Brewing Company

Arcadia Amber AleArcadia Amber Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Arcadia Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
75
Avg:
3.18 | pDev: 16.98%
Reviews:
67
Ratings:
74
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 28, 2015
Added:
May 31, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
1059 OG; 34 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bort11:
Photo of bort11
Reviewed by bort11 from Missouri

3.95/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle, with a freshness code I can't figure out. I like the design of the label, but the label itself seems slapped on and crooked, and the neck label is peeling off. I know the packaging doesn't have anything to do with the beer inside, but I can't help but wonder if that may be a bit of a turn off for someone. Like if they don't put any effort into the packaging, how much effort is put into the beer. Just a thought, on to the beer.

Poured into an imperial pint glass. A tall foamy head at first that quickly recedes to a slight filmy lace. Hazy copper orange color, with a bit of black flecks of sediment floating around. Smell is malty with a bit of banana esters. Taste is malty with added spices. A bit of pepper and nutmeg. There is some smokiness that reminds me of Scotch. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, good amount of carbonation.

I would say this is a better amber than most. I find most ambers are fairly plain, but the taste with this one is pleasantly complex.
Oct 02, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of Winston3737
Rated by Winston3737 from Michigan

3.81/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I liked it. Enough said.
Feb 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by mchenry1313 from Michigan

Apr 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by GinsuDave from Michigan

May 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.16 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Dec 24, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by PhineasGage from Iowa

Jan 27, 2012
Photo of JizackFH
Reviewed by JizackFH from New York

1.98/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Found this review in one of my old beer notebooks from a while ago.

This beer was a gusher. It caught me off guard and exploded all over my shirt and my white carpet. So after scrubbing my carpet for a few I'm ready to start this review, but a little annoyed. This beer pours a dull orange copper color. It has 2-figners of light tan head on it. The head has okay retention, and leaves behind some scattered lace on the glass. Also, the head has some brown specs on it, and I can't quite tell what they are. The nose has some sweet bready toasted malt and a light hop aroma. There are some other scents of caramel, nuts, and a bit of citrus. The aromas all seem a little muted. The taste pretty much follows the nose. It starts off with some toasted malt sweetness. There is some fruitiness and a mild hop flavor. Also, I am getting a weird metallic flavor and what can only be described as wet cardboard. Some citrus is present as well. The finish leaves some lingering toasted malt and earthiness behind on the palate. This has a medium body and is way too over carbonated. The carbonation leaves a prickly feel in the mouth and there is some earthy bitterness. The drinkability is not so good here. The carbonation is too high and the flavor is just off. Between the wet cardboard and metallic flavor I just don't know what else to say about this one. Maybe this is just an off bottle, but if not I don't know what I'm gonna do with the rest of the 6-pack. I do not recommend buying this. It was a borderline drain pour for me, and I never drain pour.
Dec 05, 2011
 
Rated: 3.5 by deapokid from Pennsylvania

Nov 24, 2011
 
Rated: 2.75 by rab53 from Washington

Nov 22, 2011
Photo of BradDurbin89
Reviewed by BradDurbin89 from Michigan

3.37/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12oz bottle poured into standard pint.

Poured a dark orange and had a nice 1 finger white head. The head left some lice lacing on the pint.

Nice malty and slightly nutty and a bit sweet on the aroma. A touch dirty, and a small amount of hops.

There was more sweetness that I anticipated. Malty, and a little nutty. A touch of spice and hops. .

Medium body with a little bit high carbonation.

The beer was alright.
Mar 02, 2011
Photo of edchicma
Reviewed by edchicma from Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dull copper with an excellent head. Smell is slightly understated, mainly malt with a slight hop presence. Taste follows smell...nothing special..sweet malt with a balnce of hops..not overly complex. Mouthfeel is smooth with light hop notes expressing themselves. Drinkabilitry is fine...slight dry hop finish.
Dec 20, 2009
Photo of mmmbeer
Reviewed by mmmbeer from Massachusetts

2.62/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 oz. bottle with B5 notched (translation - 12/18/06). OG 1.059, 34 IBUs, brewed wtih Maris Otter malt; sampled 10/1/08. After decanting off of the judicious sediment, the brew settles to a copper hue, with medium carbonation, and two fingers of semi-tight tan head that retains a foamy cap and leaves a bit of lacing. Little sour, little sweet in the nose, with cherries and pits. Peppery flavor, with alcohol notes, some sourness, lactic acidity and mild hops. It has a medium to full body, with ample carbonation, a prickly middle and dry finish. Not too bad really, but definitely not what they were aiming for and I am judging based on the style on the label. Unfortunately, this is the second soured-bottle review in a row - ah well, gotta try to not let bottles hide in the back of the stash for so long.
Nov 30, 2009
Photo of adamette
Reviewed by adamette from Ohio

3.15/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Review from notes. Poured from tap at the brewery 10 15 09 into a clean, clear glass.

A Basic amber look of light brown, some red hues, translucent with lightly creamy head that sticks around for a minute. 3.0

S Not a strong smell of some medium malt. 3.0

T Basic amber taste of medium malt, barley. It might have a bit more taste (more taste of an amber) than the most basic amber. 3.5

M Thin feel with only some moderate amber like medium malt to beef it up. 2.5

D Just fine. 3.0
Oct 20, 2009
Photo of Reneejane
Reviewed by Reneejane from Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +35.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
While this is described by the brewery on their literature as an amber, the bartender tended to describe it more of an ESB. I think ESB fits the label here a little bit better. Beautiful red color with a white head. Also a very clear beer (it seems most of the Arcadia beers had a surprising amount of clarity). The aroma was very subtle with a suggestion of hops on the nose. The taste was of hops with a distinctive malt sweetness. Hint of alcohol with a taste of caramel and nuts at the end.

The hops are quite apple-like, making me think Goldings, however I learned that this was hopped with a local hop, so it's probable that it's a similar variety.

Really a great beer, although, IMO much more of an ESB in character with the light fruitiness and caramel sweetness. According to the bartender this beer is brewed with Marris Otter malt, one of the most expensive malts you can come by, but one that adds a ton of character. I really felt that this was craftsmanship at its finest!
Sep 22, 2009
Photo of spointon
Reviewed by spointon from Illinois

3.33/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this one on tap at the Arcadia brewpub last week. From my notes:

A= This ale poured a deep orange color with a dense 1" white head. The head dropped slowly to a 1/4" cap and left some nice lacing down my glass.

S= I found this beer to smell malty sweet and nutty. Faint hops in the background lent an earthiness to this one.

T= Lots of caramel malt sweetness played up against a nutty toasted grain note. The middle was fairly clean, with the hops being slightly spicy and showing some tea-like qualities. Finish was dry.

MF= Medium bodied with a lively carbonation level that added a lot of crispness.

D= This beer was ok, but it didn't really gel for me. Sort of a "meh" as there was something about the malt flavors that just didn't sit right. Still, it wouldn't be hard to session a few of these.
Sep 09, 2009
Photo of nota
Reviewed by nota from North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From tasting notes on my blog Pilgrims Pub. Pours a dark cloudy copper, with huge off white head. Fair amount of lacing. I can smell sweet caramel and biscuit malt with some light honey notes. The taste has some sourness to it but also can detect the toasted caramel malt. The hops add some fruity and citrus flavor to the mix. Medium bodied and above average carbonation. The strange somewhat sour taste hurts the drinkability.
Sep 07, 2009
Photo of Tomas77
Reviewed by Tomas77 from Massachusetts

2.93/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
From a mixed 12pk.

Appearance=Orange/copper in color. Cloudy/unfiltered. Huge, pillowy, thick, dense white head at first that leveled off to a nice cap of foam but lace was lagging. Pretty good looking beer.
Aroma-Smells a bit sour but still has a sweet malt and nutty aromas in the background.
Flavor-Rich carmel malt with a moderate spicy hop presense. Some bready notes as well. Sweet up front,spicy mid-palate, dry finish. A bit minerally. Malt flavors don't stick around for very long.
Mouthfeel-Very high carbonation that leaves the tongue tingling for a while. Maybe too carbonated. Drinkability is only so-so.
Aug 17, 2009
Photo of MICAMD
Reviewed by MICAMD from Maryland

3.59/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A- A clear amber color with some yellow hues around the edges. Only a couple streams of rising carbonation are visible. The white head is splotchy, but has alright retention.

S- Butter, caramel, almonds, a bit of floral notes, and a touch of citrus. A bit different, but pretty nice.

T- Same as the aroma, but the citrus comes through a bit more. At first the buttery aspect was a tad strange, but it grew on me.

M- A nice carbonation level and overall things are pretty smooth. Nice and dry aftertaste.

D- An okay beer, but there is not too much that is memorable about it. It is enjoyable while it lasts though.
Aug 05, 2009
Photo of sliverX
Reviewed by sliverX from S. Georgia & S. Sandwich Isls.

3.01/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
from notes
poured a deep cloudy amber with a film head that left slight but nice lacing
smell was kind of off putting and very cider like, also was weak to pick up
taste was malty with some wood hints finished with a weak hint of cider
mouthfeel was light to medium and tart which left the mouth watering (not in the drooling I want more sense)
drinkability well not something I'll look for again kind of a let down from the line up as everything else I've had has been pleasant to excellent
Mar 22, 2009
Photo of Payso10
Reviewed by Payso10 from Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
I would have to agree with wiseguy142 and that this beer has great malt qualities, is very clean, drinkable, and deserves more attention.

It pours with an inch head and smells of roasted malt. Bitter walnut and slight caramel flavors complement each other. It came out smooth for how heavy the flavor really is. Would like to try this one on tap!
Feb 24, 2009
Arcadia Amber Ale from Arcadia Brewing Company
Beer rating: 75 out of 100 with 74 ratings