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Atlantic Amber
New England Brewing Co.
- From:
- New England Brewing Co.
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.71 | pDev: 11.05%
- Reviews:
- 121
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 23, 2021
- Added:
- Jun 19, 2003
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 3
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by Puttenham from Massachusetts
3/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Found a forgotten dusty six-pack of these Red and Black cans at my "liquor supermarket" in the forgotten dusty heart of Plymouth County, Mass. I've read about this beer I thought. Sure enough my 1997 copy of "The Great American Microbrewery Beer Book" by Jennifer Trainer Thompson proves I've read about it as this brew has been around (or was around) for some time. This "Amber Beer" (remember when that was considered an entire beer category?) was presented in a brown bottle with a tan label back in Bill Clinton's second term. Very Elegant looking back in those Halcyon Days (better than Red and Black cans anyway).
Appearance: These cans practically exploded when I opened them. Fizz everywhere! Huge head at first but it eventually settled down to a thin but steady canopy of froth. A dark reddish...errrr...Amber hue and cloudy as well. Inviting appearance.
Smell: Faint but steady aroma of caramel. "Something" in the background though. What is it?
Taste: The caramel quality is more pronounced in the flavor. Definitely on the malty side of the equation but not too sweet. I didn't notice the hops in the flavor but they're in there somewhere (they have to be, right?). That certain "something" is there in the aftertaste too. Just a subtle hint of butter? or butterscotch?
Mouthfeel: smooth and easily drinkable
Overall: Not a great beer but not bad either. I think this beer may be a little off as these cans are at least a year to year and a half old.
This beer won the Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 1993 in the Altbier Category (Long Trail and Otter Creek would have been in the running I'm sure). Am I drinking the same beer that won the Gold Medal? Hard to say as New England Brewery has been through so many changes in the last 10+ years.
Oddly enough, both the New England Brewing website and the 1997 book describe this beer as a Steam Beer. So, was it an Altbier or a Steam Beer? Does it matter? It was definitely unique in any case, and it is sad to see a piece of early New England microbrew...errr...craft brewing history pass on. Glad I was able to try out this piece of microbrewing history even if it wasn't in the best of shape when I sampled it.
Jan 13, 2012Appearance: These cans practically exploded when I opened them. Fizz everywhere! Huge head at first but it eventually settled down to a thin but steady canopy of froth. A dark reddish...errrr...Amber hue and cloudy as well. Inviting appearance.
Smell: Faint but steady aroma of caramel. "Something" in the background though. What is it?
Taste: The caramel quality is more pronounced in the flavor. Definitely on the malty side of the equation but not too sweet. I didn't notice the hops in the flavor but they're in there somewhere (they have to be, right?). That certain "something" is there in the aftertaste too. Just a subtle hint of butter? or butterscotch?
Mouthfeel: smooth and easily drinkable
Overall: Not a great beer but not bad either. I think this beer may be a little off as these cans are at least a year to year and a half old.
This beer won the Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 1993 in the Altbier Category (Long Trail and Otter Creek would have been in the running I'm sure). Am I drinking the same beer that won the Gold Medal? Hard to say as New England Brewery has been through so many changes in the last 10+ years.
Oddly enough, both the New England Brewing website and the 1997 book describe this beer as a Steam Beer. So, was it an Altbier or a Steam Beer? Does it matter? It was definitely unique in any case, and it is sad to see a piece of early New England microbrew...errr...craft brewing history pass on. Glad I was able to try out this piece of microbrewing history even if it wasn't in the best of shape when I sampled it.
Atlantic Amber from New England Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
142 ratings
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