Red Snapper Roasted Pale Ale
Arbor Brewing Company - Plymouth Taproom

 

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours slightly hazy deep orange/amber, light reddish/copper with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Nice thick soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper/pine, caramel, toasted bread, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/earthy hops and dark/bready/light roasted malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pine, caramel, toasted bread, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine/herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper/pine, caramel, toasted bread, light nuttiness/roast, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops and dark/bready/light roasted malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from carbonation and lingering bitterness, lightly increasing through the glass. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and slightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.2%. Overall this is a very nice amber ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops and dark/bready/light roasted malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and pretty crisp/refreshing to drink. A little over carbed, but didn’t dry out the beer that much. Still had a nice mouthfeel; balanced hop and malt flavors; with mellow balancing bitterness. A very enjoyable offering.

Roasted malt well matched to hop bitterness. Excellent head retention. Well made beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance - 4/5
Pours a muddy orange-red-brown color. Hazy. Can see a small amount of carbonation bubbles rising up at a slower than typical rate. Minimal head. I really like the color of the beer, it's very complex and multifaceted.

Smell - 4.25/5
Smells of the sweet maltiness of an amber ale, a bit a pale-ale hoppiness. Chocolate/roastiness, like you would get in a porter or stout. Like the color, the smell is complex and multifacted as well. I approve.

Taste - 4.5/5
Chocolate and roasty/smoky flavors, combined with a nicely balanced level of hoppiness. Sweet citrusy maltiness as well. Essentially tastes like the smell, but with more pronounced roasty/smokiness. I really like the complexity of the flavors. The roasty/smokiness makes it seem like I'm drinking a porter or a stout, but then the hoppiness comes along and reminds me I'm drinking a PA.

Mouthfeel - 4/5
Medium in body. Very crisp, light to medium carbonation, which is nicely balanced with the brew. I love the combination of the crispiness and the light to medium body, combined with the smokiness.

Overall - 4.25/5
This is a good roasty/smoky beer which is not super heavy like a lot of porters or stouts. If I want a smokier tasting brew, but want to drink something lighter in body, this would be an excellent choice. I like the roasty/smoky taste in combination with the light to medium level of hoppiness. This is a very well done beer, with several different flavors and styles working together to make a complex and delicious brew.

Nose: starts with unmalted grain nose, some roast.
brilliant chestnut, 2”off-white with a slight tan tint, finely bubbled foam cap. Lacy
Palate: some roasted malt, almost like germinated barley just as it is starting to kiln, starts very creamy, and then there are a host of roast flavors with a touch of green or very lightly roasted grains. Moderate hop accent on the finish.
Medium body and carbonation.

 

Great Pale Ale with hints of a Red or Amber Ale. The smell is of pale malts with some light fruity esters. The taste is more complex, it starts out like a pale then turns to a more bitter bite with a roasted malt backbone. There is a definite bitterness to this beer, but also a malty and fruity/spiciness to it. It has a really nicely balanced combination of flavors. I like it more every year.

 

 

 

Amber colored beer with a big bubbled ivory colored head. Roasted grain nose with some faint smoke. Full flavored beer with strong citrus/grapefruit hops over a light toasted bread/caramel maltiness. There is an almost smoky sense to it. Some fruit, acidity, and a long bitter grapefruit rind finish. this is a solid, creative beer.