Amber Ale
Banks (Barbados) Breweries Limited

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Banks (Barbados) Breweries Limited
 
Barbados
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.48 | pDev: 10.34%
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
8
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 24, 2014
Added:
Jan 28, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by afksports:
Photo of afksports
Reviewed by afksports from New York

3.41/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Get it out of your head. You are in Barbados. You will not be drinking a pale ale. You will not be drinking an IPA. They are not on this island. If you want that, go somewhere else. Or just enjoy what they do have. This - Banks Amber Ale - this is what you will drink if you want an ale that isn't a stout.

That is literally your choice.

Banks also runs distribution, so in essence, they don't have to offer this beer. But in 2009 or so, they started making it, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

It's a copper hued and pasteurized brew with solid head that sustains throughout the pour, even in my plastic cup. It actually has a hop character when you smell it. Mostly grapefruit, citrus, maybe a touch of grass, and that tiny aroma is definitely subtle - yet still detectable! After days on the island drinking scotch because the lager was so bad, I was ecstatic to smell the hops. On the brewery tour they say they source hops from Australia and the Yakima valley, so they're actually using good sources too. Exciting!

The taste has no hint of it's 5% alcohol, and is mostly sweetly malted, with a tiny hop character beginning the taste and offering a final finishing bitter note. The malt makes the beer smell as sweet as the taste. In fact, it was described as a "sweet beer" by our tour guide. I can't disagree, although I might use a different term: tame.

Start to finish, it's easy-drinking, light and bready, and it tastes like craft. Light bodied, but still feels good going down.

Overall, it's your one single ale option on the island, and it's not available in most places, so any ale-lover will be pleased to sip on this one, even if it's not elite.
May 29, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of TEQUILA-MONSTER
Rated by TEQUILA-MONSTER from Washington

4/5  rDev +14.9%
I found this to be delicious and refreshing and I look for it every time I go to the Caribbean.
Nov 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Latarnik from New Jersey

May 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bigeyedfish89 from Maryland

Jun 21, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by modidia from New York

Jan 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Cardmarauder from Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by HopsintheSack from California

Sep 18, 2012
Photo of BeerResearcher
Reviewed by BeerResearcher from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
11.2oz brown "plastic" bottle. Freshness date on cap.
It pours, as it should, a pure golden amber color with a nice off-white head along with some patchy and stringy lacing.

The aroma is mostly of biscuity malt and damp hay. A light citrusy smell and a faint whiff of pears emerge.

A light, but well-rounded malt body holds a unique flavor of candy apples and slight biscuity taste.

The hops provide and clean citrusy taste along with a mild metallic tang.
This is a pleasant tasting, light Amber. Nice to enjoy a few on a hot day without feeling any serious alcoholic effects.
Jan 28, 2007
Amber Ale from Banks (Barbados) Breweries Limited
Beer rating: 3.48 out of 5 with 8 ratings