Stick Amber Ale
North High Brewing Company

 

At the Hyde Park taproom in a flight.

Pours as I would expect from a 6% American amber ale: coppery-brown hue with smallish head of white foam. Smells of toffee, brown bread, and candied orange. Get some bubblegum on the mid palate,which seems to enhance the sweeter notes on the attack. I like that there is a modicum of bittering hops at the back end of this beer to provide the new world take on what is often an innocuous style. Expected body for the proof and malt-driven characteristic. There would have been a time in my Fat Tire/Shiner Bock days where I would have loved this beer, but it was decades away from creation. I'd take another in 2022, especially in cooler months like February.

 

 

 

 

Can with smeared date.DFH tulip.

A: deep garnet, almost reddish brown. 1 finger off white head that fades. Not much in the way of lacing; retains an island floating in the middle.

S: a little toasted malt sweetness on the nose.

T: arrives fairly sweet, rich and malty, more toasted malt character than the last Amber I had; borders on an Irish Red, actually. Has an almost coffee-like character. Hops linger mildly on the finish.

M: hefty texture. Rich, mouth-filling, soft but present carbonation. Not too slick and actually fairly clean finishing.

O: a well-executed Amber ale! Not too sweet, not too sticky (ha!). Good texture, but true to style, albeit on the darker end of the spectrum. I like it but wouldn’t seek it out over Bell’s Amber or Eliot Ness, or even Club Tril, which I just tried and loved.

 

 

 

 

I got a six pack of this from my local beer store just around the corner. It poured a clear amber with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had a nice caramel malt aroma. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with caramel malt presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a solid beer.