Manitou Amber Ale
Brewery Terra Firma

Manitou Amber AleManitou Amber Ale
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From:
Brewery Terra Firma
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #171
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,356
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 14.86%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
46
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 08, 2023
Added:
Oct 22, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cotton_27:
Photo of Cotton_27
Rated by Cotton_27 from Michigan

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aug 19, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of Chisox58
Reviewed by Chisox58 from Illinois

1.9/5  rDev -48.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
I have no idea what happened to this really good (great) amber! As some others have noted, there is absolutely no comparison to the bottled version of Traverse Brewing Manitou Amber Ale that was available in the past. The canned version pours an unassuming light orange, with a taste that tries to convey notes of caramel and malt but fails miserably. The initial nose is nowhere near what I expect of an amber ale, a dead giveaway that this will not be a fun experience. No stop in TC was complete without a couple of six packs of the old blue Amber Ale. I miss it; please get back to what worked exceptionally well!
Oct 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Aug 01, 2023
 
Rated: 2.21 by MacStinson from Michigan

Dec 26, 2019
Photo of Tripel_Threat
Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from pint can to tulip. Amber colored liquid with a finger of thick, off white foam. The aroma is quite different from any amber I've had. Caramel malt, brown bread, and this earthy and herbal note that demands attention. The flavor, too, is unlike other ambers. Malty sweet with an herbal tea like quality and an earthy finish. Nice, full body. Excellent amber.
Aug 12, 2018
Photo of MittenBreezeMD
Reviewed by MittenBreezeMD from Tennessee

4.19/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Beautifuly dark pour with a rich dark amber color. The aroma gives a strong malty body with some faint stone fruit and piney hops. Taste is perfect (In my opinion). Great body with a delicate hop profile gives this a flawlessly executed style. Maybe not the typical amber, but this is exactly what I want from an amber. Unbelievable drinkable and very well crafted. This is definitly a beer to buy when you find it.
Apr 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3.76 by Gravewalker from Washington

Apr 08, 2017
Photo of jimbofish
Reviewed by jimbofish from Michigan

4.46/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Amber isn't one of my go to beers, but this one is really good. Same beer John used to make at the defunct Traverse Brewing Co. He has so many other great beers on tap it usually gets passed over at the brewery . Available on tap at local taphouses now too. Now that it's available in pint cans I can have it anywhere.
Mar 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.65 by szmnnl99 from Michigan

Feb 02, 2017
Photo of bwood06
Reviewed by bwood06 from Wisconsin

3.87/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
My father-in-law and my mother-in-law took a trip recently to the Traverse City area and went to several of the breweries while they were there. My FiL and I are both craft beer lovers so he brought me a couple different beers to try and this was one of them.

This beer features a thick, creamy head that is off-white in color and dissipates slowly to a rocky cream layer. The beer itself is a dark amber that is clear with light carbonation visible. 4.25/5 The aroma is typical of the style with sweet caramel, malty/grainy sweetness, and toasted wheat bread coming through. Somewhat different for the style are the notes of peat moss, lemon, and an earthy funk that come through. Very interesting aroma with a bit of herbal hops to top it off. 4/5 Caramel and sweet malted grains come out straight away on the tongue before light notes of dates and raisins come through. A bit of wheat bread makes an appearance before herbal, bitter hops shine through in the final third of the taste. Bitterness is light but lingering on the palate. 3.75/5 This beer is medium bodied with a light carbonation burn on the front end that leads into a slightly drying mouthfeel that lingers lightly on the palate after swallowing. 4/5 Very good, drinkable amber ale that has a very straightforward flavor despite the complex aroma. Less bitter and more sweet than many ambers that I have had. 3.75/5
Oct 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.52 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

May 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by red94tt from Michigan

Apr 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by Tracker83 from Michigan

Jan 02, 2016
Photo of TreyIsWilson
Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan

3.61/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A - Pours a dark amber with a two-finger off-white head.

S - Aroma is burnt sugar, caramel malts, and some faint earthy hop.

T - The taste is caramel malts,brown sugar, and yeastiness upfront. There are some earthy hops in the finish.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Soft mouthfeel with a smooth finish.

O - A decent Amber Ale. Very smooth and easy drinking.
Dec 11, 2015
Photo of StoutHunter
Reviewed by StoutHunter from Michigan

2.81/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
I picked up a can of Brewery Terra Firma's Manitou Amber Ale a couple weeks ago for $2.59 at The Lager Mill. I've had this beer a couple times, but now that it's in can it's time to give it a proper review, so lets see how it goes. 2015 Vintage. Poured from a tall 16oz can into a imperial pint glass.

A- The can looks nice, it's got a nice design to it and it's a little eye catching. It poured a slightly muddy dark amber color that took on more of an amber red and ruby hue when held to the light with almost two fingers worth of creamy light tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and it ledt some nice patchy rings of lacing behind. This is a pretty nice looking beer, but the slightly muddy color holds it back just a little.

S- The aroma starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness with a cardboard off aroma being the first to show up and it followed by the malts which impart a grainy, caramel and cereal like aroma with pretty much no hop aromas. towards the end comes some fruity yeast which imparts a fruity and apple juice aroma. The aroma wasn't that great and it would be have been completely average if it wasn't for the off cardboard aroma.

T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma, but it's even lighter and it starts off with a medium amount of sweetness with the cardboard off aspects not really showing up this time, but it's the malts that show up first and they impart the same aspects that they did in the aroma, but it's a good amount lighter this time and it's followed by a very watery flavor. Towards the end comes the fruit yeast which shows up almost as much as it did in the aroma and it lingers into the aftertaste along with hardly any bitterness and a little bit of an off flavors on the aftertaste. This isn't a good tasting beer, it was watery and a little off tasting.

M- Not the smoothest, pretty crisp, slightly prickly, watery, on the light side of being medium bodied with a lower amount of high carbonation. The mouthfeel isn't that great, I wish it was smooth with less carbonation.

Overall I thought this beer wasn't that good and I thought it was a below average example of the style, I've had this beer a couple times and I remember it being a solid Amber, but this canned version didn't turn out so great and it was very rough around the edges with just how about every aspects having some off with it. This beer didn't have good drinkability, one glass is more than enough for me, no way I would want another one. What I like the most about this beer is the appearance, it was the highlight of this beer. What I like the least about this beer was the taste and aroma, they weren't good and they each had more than a few things that just didn't fit in with this beer and it feel a little off. I might try a can again to see if I got a random off one, but more thank likely I'll just try it again on draft to figure out what the deal is. I wouldn't recommend this beer, it's just not good. All in all I was let down with this beer, I remember it being solid, but what I ended up getting didn't turn out so well and it made it very rough around the edges. It's my least favorite beer from this brewery and it's below average for the style. Better luck next time guys, this one needs some major work.
Nov 10, 2015
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 7/27/2015. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep reddish copper color with a 2 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, floral, grass, light citrus, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready/roast malts and earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, floral, grass, light citrus, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Moderate amount of herbal/grassy and lightly roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, floral, grass, light citrus, and herbal/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/roast malts and earthy hop flavors; with a good malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and moderately creamy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming lingering after the finish. Overall this is a very nice standard amber ale style. All around good robustness, complexity, and balance of dark/bready/roast malts and earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
Oct 10, 2015
Photo of DrainBamage
Reviewed by DrainBamage from Michigan

3.32/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours a reddish brown color with nice thick head. Smells has toasted malts and fruity aromas. Has a weird taste I just can't pin. Goes down quite dry. Overall not a very satisfying Amber Ale.
Oct 08, 2015
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16oz can picked up in Traverse City a couple weeks ago. Date of 08/25/15 ink stamped on the bottom of the can. Hope that is the canning date. Dark amber color with a small head that held on for a good while until it settles to a thin cap. Heavy lacing is left down the glass. Malty aroma with notes of toast and caramel. Hops add some faint floral notes. Pleasant flavor that has good toasted and caramel malt flavors. Hops add a bit of balance and a bit of floral notes. Not sweet which is nice. Light body and nicely carbonated that gives plenty of life without being harsh. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and would drink again if I make it back to that part of Michigan.
Oct 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.04 by Kerrie from Michigan

Sep 05, 2015
 
Rated: 2 by coz from Illinois

Aug 12, 2015
Manitou Amber Ale from Brewery Terra Firma
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 46 ratings