Driftboat Amber
Great Northern Brewing Co.

brewed for the mackenzie river pizza chain, a simple and drinkable amber that should have really wide appeal. its mellow and true to style, but its not as one dimensional and boring as i thought it might be, its got a little hops on the back end, some body to it, and more than just a thin sweetness from the grain, its also toasted and hearty there, with some earthy character and even hints of dried fruit in the mix. i thought this was nice on a hangover, earlier in the day, a pint to get me going again, but i could also see it in a session context and with heavier food, the pizza in here is indeed rather filling. brick red color to this, average size off white head with a bit of retention and lace as i drink it. aroma of kilned malts, sweet baked breads, a hint of toffee and even maple, and then the leafy green hops as well, nothing from the yeast at all. the flavor is about the same, drier than a lot of these by the end but with good character from the grain throughout, crackery too, and with hints of raisin and dried apple. the hops have faint pine and bitter orange notes, but are well restrained, just help the finish crisp up a bit. kind of a wintery vibe to this every though the beer isnt heavy. a solid craft amber overall and probably a good fit for this restaurant group...

Great Northern Driftboat Amber Ale, 5.5% ABV. Pours reddish brown, or brownish red, with no head. Nose is toast. Taste is toast, a bit sweet, with moderate bitterness. OK mouthfeel, overall OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On-tap at Mackenzie River Brewing Co. in Hayden ID .nice pitcher with 3 fingers of, off-white head, and a slightly un- clear, dark-amber body although hard to see with such low lighting. Aroma lightly malt. drinkable carbonation nice for a restaurant , with a medium-bodied heft,mouth is creamy.

Flavor is evenly malty,very clever balance ,finished slightly bitter sweet and floral. Wow intriguing interesting, really left me wanting to share another pitcher.

On-tap at Mackenzie River Brewing Co. in Whitefish, MT. Poured with a very small, off-white head, and a clear, dark-amber body. Aroma of light malt. Not too much carbonation, with a medium-bodied, slightly creamy mouthfeel. Flavor is initially malty, but finished slightly bitter. An interesting, if not fantastic amber.

On tap at Mackenzie River Pizza in Bozeman, this beer is suprisingly good! Quite cloudy for an ale, so appearance gets low points, but the flavor is wonderful. A good balance of hop flavors and malt, with a nice head that stayed and left lace on the glass. I look forward to trying more.