Amber Ale
Standing Stone Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

Growler picked up from the brewery, drunk a few hours later. Tasted 6 July 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours a slightly hazy medium amber color. About a finger of off-white head. Decent retention, but not much lacing.

Smell and taste are both pretty bland. Smell is dominated by a light dose of caramel malts and a bit of grassy hops.

Taste is really kinda dull, with the downside of a grainy malt bill and mildly bitter herbal hops that just don't add a whole lot. There's nothing about it that I really dislike, but nothing about it that I like.

Medium-bodied, carbonation is on the low end.

A bland, dull amber ale, without much to recommend it.

 

 

Poured from tap at brewery.

These guys get a big E for effort, but with the amber from a very notable brewery nearby fresh on my mind, this fell short in every way.

Pours a solid amber hue with minimal head and average lace. Good carbonation. Very clear.

Smells of amber (caramel) malts and faint hops. Almost more of the English hop style, though I can't be certain. Really dumbed down on the nose. Muted.

The flavors are solid amber ale style: red fruit, some faint funk, some hop notes... but nothing really stood out. Plus it lacks that rich, slightly-sweet, candied apple note that I find in really nice amber and red ales. The malts are present but don't really shine.

Texture is light, almost too light. The finish is very short.

Overall I get what they were trying to accomplish, but Amber ales are tough (as many people will tell you), and it's just not fair that one of the best American Ambers is poured at a brewery within walking distance... (anyone?) =) I'll give you a hint... it has Ashland in the name of the Amber. =)

On draft at brewery. Pale amber color with not much head. Not much nose, so the bitterness and bite comes as a surprise. Flavor was mostly hops with a hit of fruits. I don't know how they did it, but this brew was watery and dry at the same time. Finish was a little bitter. I have had far better Ambers, though this is a tough style to do well.

Amber hue with a decent head. Not much lacing however.

Smell is malty with little hop essence and a kick of yeast.

Taste is mainly malt with barely any bitterness and an astringent aftertaste. Biscuity finish yet still drinkable.

Not my first choice of amber ale and rather average except for the yeast flavor.

Standing Stone’s Amber is visually appealing in the bright pin spot lighting of the bar. It is deep bourbon in color with near-clarity. Its low CO2 content produces a light smattering of head with a modest outcropping of lace.

Unlike most ambers, Standing Stone’s flavor is dominated by yeasts which effectively conceal the malts. This is especially apparent in the nose. Given such an unexpected inversion, I’ve rated a notch low. However, this beer finds salvation in its sharp bitter finish.

Clear, dark golden to copper in color forming a good sized white head with good retention and lacing. A little light in color for what one would expect in an amber. Aroma is nice...toasted, grainy, with hints of wood, bananas and lemony hops. Taste is interesting with brown bananas, woods, grains, moderately sweet malts, and ending in a moderately intense bitterness. Mouthfeel is smooth, and although the banana character imparted by the yeast is inappropriate for an amber, it makes for an interesting beer.