Ambre
Une Année

Look: It pours copper with an off white head. Head retention is medium.

Smell: It has a sugary aroma up front with a bit of caramel and orange. There is a bit of a light flower element with subtle earthly elements.

Taste: It has some caramel notes in the flavor with a bit of floral and orange. The earthly elements are a bit stronger in the flavor.

Feel: It has a medium light body with a sweetish finish.

Overall, the earthly flavors through the flavor off just a bit, but overall a nice flavor combination.

 

 

Bought at Une Annee's gastro-pub and should have bought more because I want to drink this side-by-side with some of my favorite BPAs such as Kwak, Orval and Doree'... just to help Une Annee' elevate into the more traditional (less Wild) game.

For starters, Ambre should think about how herbs, like Orval, can make the brew's truly secret sauce... over time, of course.
Herbs should impart a semi-dry finish (Ambre finishes semi-sweet.) Also, the foam thing needs better regulation. One other BA review said their draft was flat and my first can produced too much foam and the second too little. Tastes will improve with secret herbs. Though... In my mouth, Ambre is nicely soft. I'm going to make dinner now, but this is very table friendly... almost like a bier de garde in its rustic, farmhouse quality. In truth, Annee' might take more notes on revising the classic, Domaine Dupage.... maybe even having Ambre re-released as Cuisine Cook. (The joke to those not living in Chicagoland is that Niles is in Cook County, like Chicago and Two Brothers' Domaine is in Dupage County.)

While I've now had 16 uniques from Une Annee, I just read about them on their website and am suspecting that I've somehow skipped doing a micro-review. Now about to be a decade old, Une Annee's Belgian-inspired strategy is difficult for most crafters and few do successfully. While considerable success in the Belgian tradition, Une Annee' correctly decided to diversify their portfolio with Hubbards Cave... which has more for the American craft palate. That is the history in brief. But for me, Annee' brings Belgians and sophisticated taproom food to an inner Northwest suburb settled in mid-Century and in need of the emerging urban culture. For this and its ales, Une Annee' is in my Top 5 Chicagoland Belgian-inspired brewers. Big Overall Hugs !

6/9/22. Drank the second can, but not beside Orval. During the course of editing the above, I decided Domaine DuPage would be a more instructive comparison. And it was. The differences Look obvious (DuPage has more amber, is clearer and more inviting.) But Ambre is more rustic, also probably narrowing the range of foods it can be paired with. (DuPage is one of the Top 5 food-friendly Belgian ales brewed in Chicagoland, at least IMHO and by my count.) This matter will not be settled in the next 12 ounces. So I hope to find Ambre again and am counting over @ UnTappd.

Pours a semi cloudy amber color. A modest white head quickly fizzles out.
The nose opens with sweet notes of dark bready malts, honey, biscuit and graham cracker. Then, lightly tart aromas of lemon, sourdough, fruity notes of grape, and a touch of floral spices and tea leaves.
The taste balances the sweetness of the malts with some fruity tartness. Notes of brown bread crust, lemon, grape, honey, tea, mint, and cracker. Bitterness is mild and woodsy but effective.
Light to medium bodied. The palate is malty yet tart and rustic with a dry lemony finish. Carbonation is relatively gentle.
Interesting Belgian Pale Ale. I liked the tart and rustic flavors. Easy to drink.

 

On draft at My Parents Basement, Avondale Estates GA, Dec. 2021. Zero head or lacing. Virtually no carbonation, certainly less than you'll get from any cask drawn beer. But still quite wonderful and definitely worth seeking out. I definitely wouldn't call it a pale ale.