Aspen Alley Amber
Snowy Mountain Brewery

 

a sturdy and tasty amber ale here, these guys are highly capable it seems from my limited experience. perhaps not real ambitious, but i think this does stand out in subtle ways. brick red in color, clearer, soapy off white headed from the tap, a fine looking pour. smells more kilned than caramelized, drier for being red and malt forward, not so concentrated, almost an altbier type vibe here, nutty like almond and hazelnut, a flash of honey and maple in the center, autumnal and even woody vibes, just a light bittering hop. the flavor agrees, less sweetness than most of these have but just as much flavor, and that without much of a yeast element. i get some english hops here, lightly floral and just bitter enough to keep the grain in check, dry cereal character underneath the richness, and not all that much body for all this flavor, which is a nice touch. more autumn than summer, but the quality is there on this one. not a style i spend a lot of time with, but this is better than many, nice and fresh in my experience with it, and a nice session red overall.