Amber Ale
Round Barn Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picked up a growler while at the Baroda tasting room

Poured an auburn copper from a growler with about a finger tan head

Fresh bread an caramel nose but I don't pick up anything too potent here

Carmel malts with some slight hop bitterness, but this ale did leave me wanting more. Still a decent flavor though

Smooth mouthfeel with some carbonation

 

 

Here's an example of how a change in location can make a difference. Tried the draft sample of this beer and liked it a lot, including a clean and clear hop presence in the nose. In the bottle, the dark red and brownish highlighted beer is a bit flat off the nose--a bit of malt and a light spice, and a wet cardboard??? Sour taste with malt and some of the hop--but not very fresh. Got this from the tasting room, so hard to believe that it wouldn't be up to date. Maybe a bad bottle, and since I've got two more--I'll revise the review if it changes.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint.

A: Pours a clear copper color with one finger of off-white head. Good retention and lace; pretty carbonation.

S: Nice sweet malt aromas.

T: Caramel malt, a little bitterness on the finish. Nothing bad, but too tame.

M: Right on track, good carbonated feel.

O: Everything is good about this beer except the flavor, which never quite shows up. Possible that it's past its prime but no way to verify without a date on the bottle. Might try it again if I were at the brewery or had some other way to check the date.

I enjoyed this beer from the comfort of my own living room. From the bottle to a standard pint glass. (From my notes on 05-21-10.)

Appearance: Pours copper in color with a small off-white head that did not last.

Smell: Caramel, malt and fruit.

Taste: Similar to the aroma but now the spicy yeast now comes through.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, smooth and with not much carbonation.

Drinkability: Good, would definitely recommend and drink again.

Picked up a growler today on my way home. Poured into a New Holland pint glass.

Pours a rich deep amber hue, with reddish highlights. Sitting on top is a very light tan, creamy head. Head stands up well. Nice lacing.

Aromas of biscuity malt, grainy, with a sweet caramel finish. No real hop aroma.

First sip is of sweet caramel, a very light balancing bitterness, but the beer definitely leans toward malt. Smooth, easy drinking finish that does not linger very long, inviting another sip.

Mouthfeel is light and creamy.

Very drinkable beer. This makes a nice session beer when the conversation is more important than the beer.

Sadly, the last vestige of my fantastic trip to the Southwest portion of the state.

The appearance is a cloudy amber body, a tannish head rises triumphantly and dissipates with slight lacing.

The aroma is a subtle caramel malt, mostly grains. Pleasant but not very deep.

Flavor is, again, subtle and grainy, the malt manifests itself as a lightly toasted and lightly portioned caramel malt, a little oat maybe? Finished a little bitter but really does not become anything more than timid in the flavor.

A little loose on the mouthfeel, slightly watery but creamy enough.

Not my favorite by them but still reasonably drinkable. Have it with some pulled pork or something. And think about the good times.

Poured to a one inch head. Head was slightly orange in color. Head didnt hang around very long, but left some lacing. Ale itself was more brownish in color. But also had some red notes when held to the light. Smelled light. Just a hint of alcohol and caramel and malt. Tasted light also. Caramel and malt. Almost reminded me of a brown ale. Had a dry aftertaste. Felt good in the mouth. Carbonation was about right. I think the Amber Ale would make a good session beer. Ill buy again.

Amber Ale is actually burnt orange, though the accents are amber. Numerous tiny flecks of yeast remain in suspension, while several larger flakes slowly sink to the bottom. A creamy crown of ecru colored foam does a pretty good job leaving some of itself on the glass.

The aroma is somewhat toasted bready and has a modest amount of fruit peel muskiness. In other words, it's balanced and is par for the style course. Still nothing too impressive, however.

This Round Barn brew is... just okay. That puts it in the same general ballpark as most of what these guys release. Those offerings that I've had anyway. More malt would have helped. And more hops wouldn't have been a bad idea either.

The malt is toasted and earthy, with no real caramel-like notes (despite the label's claims). I'm reminded of an Oktoberfest, which isn't that far removed from an amber ale when you come right down to it. A fruity tanginess must be due to hops. Now that I've reached the bottom half of the bottle, the final flavor score is closer to being rounded down than up. And I've decided to do just that.

More malt would have benefitted the mouthfeel as well. The beer is slightly too light and the bubbles are slightly too stinging on the tongue. Too bad it isn't as creamy as the cap.

Round Barn Amber Ale is average on its best day. Bell's Amber Ale (which deserves a re-review) is the better beer by far and is the one that I would recommend in the category of 'Michigan-brewed amber ales'. Bottom line: not a (Round) Barnburner.

A clear amber color body with a soapy offwhite head, lots of jagged lacing left behind ,light carbonation . Aroma is of earthy dry malt , biscut and spicy hops . Flavor of caramel malt , dark fruit and spicy hops, no apparent sweetness , pretty strait forward , medium bitterness for a amber, light body , slick mouthfeel with a slightly dry hoppy finish . Quite sessionable and a very good amber .

A: Not much head but pretty solid retention; amber style color.

S: Smell is pretty good, faint caramel smell not very strong.

T: Good taste, slightly hoppy with solid caramel flavoring on the palate; hops mainly on the finish.

M/D: Very drinkable with a pleasant mouthfeel, one of the better amber ales I've had.

Poured bottle into pint glass.

Appearance: Nice amber color (obviously) that is semi-transparent and had a very small head.

Smell: The hop aroma is quite noticeable and somewhat overpowering. While it's not a bad smell, it's not the most inviting aroma.

Taste: This has a bitter taste all the way through, but as such, it is surprisingly smooth. It would benefit from a little more balance, or maybe some fruit flavors hidden in there to bring back the bitterness, but it's pretty good.

Mouthfeel: Has a little body. It has more than a Pale Lager or Adjunct Lager, but still somewhat thin.

Drinkability: It's not bad. I could drink this again, but I would prefer a little more balance.

Deep amber color, bordering on dark red. Very clear with no sediment. Tight beige head sits and stays at 1/4" and leaves substantial lacing.

Nose is caramel malt and fresh bread supported by spicy earthy hop notes, which make it somewhat distinctive. Relatively restrained but well-composed.

Medium in the mouth, with the crystal well checked. Good balance between the malt and the hop, but the latter is a bit rough on the finish.

Enough interest and complexity to make me reach for a second.

12 oz. bottle