Hellroaring Amber Lager
Great Northern Brewing Co.

 

12oz bottle purchased at Gourmet Way in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, for $1.19. It's become my custom whenever I buy beer while in Idaho to seek out beers that don't make it across the WA-ID border. This is the kind of thinking that led me to buy this rather unimpressive amber ale. There was no freshness date.

This poured a dark amber (duh) color with a fairly good sized off-white head. Said head dropped in aboout two minutes, leaving no lace, though there was a slight foam rim to mark the beer's progress as it slipped down my glass. When held up to the light, there were little floaties to be seen darting about amongst the bubles arching skyward from the carbonation.

Initially, I thought this smelled pretty good, with a noticeable hop twang (I prefer my ambers to have a good hoppy bite) but then a weird thing happened: as the beer warmed up, the aroma promptly shrank, until there was only a vague whiff of hoppiness and an even weaker malty sweetness. What the Hell?

This is the most not there tasting beer I've had this side of a Tsingtao. There's a vague malty flavor, and a vague hoppy bitterness at the swallow, and that's pretty much it. It's as if somebody invented a sci-fi style cloaking device and applied it to this beer's flavor. While it doesn't taste bad, I'd rather not drink what appears to be the ghost of a hoppy amber.

The mouthfeel is typical of an amber: medium bodied, with an appropriate amount of carbonation, despite the fact that I think there's a good chance it's past it's prime.

Despite it's flaws, this is drinkable - just. While I'd be tempted to blame it's shortcomings on the possibility it's old, the evidence given by other reviewers seems to indicate that this is not a good beer. I doubt all of them were as old as this one. Therefore I won't be giving this a second chance.

Hazy deep bronze appearance. No CO2 is noted. Thin and lazy white head. Lacing in minimal. Big toasted malt and doughy sweetness on the nose. Almost like a sweet loaf of sugar coated rhubarb bread. Mouthfeel is very lacking. Almost no carbonation. Flat and lifeless. Taste is not much better. A vinegar like presence mixes with apple juice and sweet grains. This one is not very good.

I don't understand how the same brewery makes one Amber Lager (Big Fog) that is really quite nice and one Amber Lager (this one) that sucks.

Thanks for the effort budgood1.

Not one of the better amber lagers around which says it all....nose has a bit of sour spoiled eggs smell....body is slightly watery....some mild vanilla try's to strain through but overall the flavor is slightly sour...and that's about it...maybe a hint of caramel.

Reminds me of perhaps those fine Jermiah James beers Glueks once tried to pass off as a micro....the first beer I had from this brewery was good...not sure what happened with this one....avoid it...not the worst beer in the world but unless you can score a single bottle it's not worth buying a six-pack...thanks to Budgood1 for taking a bullet for the team and buying an overpriced sixer (I'm sure) of this and sharing..Glad I got the chance to rate it even though it is not up to our standards..

pours out the typical amber colour with a fine off-white head. sparse lace. a barely there nose...lightly malted and a bit sourish with ghost like hints of hops. the taste is barely there, too. bland, light malts and bits of bittering ride a wimpy body and light and slightly crisp mouthfeel to neverland. this is a forgettable experience in the often uninspired world of amber lagers. marginally drinkable. not really bad, but just not any good. definitely not worth the premium price i paid for a six pack.