Aidan Michael's Amber Lager
Skytop Steakhouse

 

Was in the Kingston area and stopped by the Skytop for a steak and to try their beers.

Of the beers the one that stood out for us was the Amber Lager. Nice complex taste, and had more going on than your average Amber Lager.

Appearance: Nice amber (Golden Orange) with a moderate head that held up really well throughout the beer.

Smell: Had the typical Lager aroma but with fruity notes. Grape or raisin, and apple but very subtle. Very inviting

Taste: Follow the aroma. The initial flavor was very complex or some biting lager quality and the fruitiness of ale in balance. The beer had a nice clean lager finish, with just enough bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Slightly heavy for an amber lager. I liked it.

Drinkability: Way too drinkable. They went down very easily.

Any beer both the wife and I think is great, is a rare brew.

Appearance: clear amber in color with a one finger head that breaks apart quickly.

Smell: light caramel is mildly enjoyable but hard to detect.

Taste: caramel, some mild breadiness, and some ripe fruit sweetness is balanced with some decent bitterness.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Aftertaste is short leaving a bit of breadiness on the tongue.

Drinkability: easy drinking amber lager that is not going to overly excite you but it hits the spot. Simple but straightforward beer.

Poured a dark amber with a nice full cream colored head that lasted very well. Aromas were complex and very pleasing. Toasted and chocolate malty smells along with some spicy hops. I had to let this beer warm up for a bit as it was served in a very cold, almost frosted mug, but when it warmed up, some amazingly complex marraiges of flavor were discovered. Very solid malt profile with some medium toasty flavors, along with some caramels and a hint of roast. Hopping was also an aggressive aspect of this beer. It had some assertive bitterness that held up to the malt, and also a spicy flavor with some peppery hints. Mouthfeel on this was great - medium to medium-full, and the carbonation was at a good level. A very nice drinking beer, but the alc% may creep up after a long session. I haven't had too much experience with Alts, but this was a very pleasing taste of the style. It seemed to have the best of both worlds. The malt and hop presence were both great, and they were blended together very nicely.

Creamy beige head thrones over the clear light copper robe. Highly malty, highly hoppy nose of astonishing complexity. The dominance initially strikes into the toasted grainy/bready malts, but warming up, slightly burnt, caramelic, cerealic and even brown sugar reminiscent malt complexities wake up. At the same time, vast highly leafy (spalt?) yet intensely grassy, floral and grapefruity hops bring a vast range of aromas. Fruity (apricot, tropical fruits) in mouth, the ber evolves a lot warming up, being at first more doughy, peppery, but becoming far bolder and complex, almost woody as it warms. Mineral texture, medium bodied, engaging palate. Mostly sweet, the hops seem to be there mostly for aromatic purposes while the malt shifts from one stance to the other. Crisp and simply spectacular. Ye who reads this, yeh ne'ed tuh goh to' Skytop!