Belgian Amber Ale
Life Brewpub

Draft looks like a sweet tea. Nose has a bit of a bready caramel smell. Taste is a bit of hops and a bit of malt. Bready and caramel jump out to me. Good local beer

Splitting the difference between a Belgian dubbel and a Belgian pale ale, the somewhat obscure Belgian amber ale carries a memory of dubbel but with less heft while carrying the sensibility of pale ale but with more character and charm. Life Brewpub hits these chords straight on and with a mild mannered temperament.

Pale rust in color, the hazy ale passes the nose with lightly toasted grain, floral hops, apple, peppercorn and a tingle of vinous rose wine. Its taste is moderately sweet with a hint of hard candy, bread crust and a light pecan character to start.

A drying middle palate thwarts much of the sweetness as the fruit and spice compete for balance on the middle palate. Apple, red grape, light orange, pear and cherry first contend for attention while a follow of fresh peppercorn, cumin, white pepper and clove offset most of the fruit and its lingering sweetness. A mild winey tone pulls from the pepper and offers its own tangy spice to assist in dryness in finish.

Medium bodied throughout, the beer's moderate carbonation allows the steely caramel sweetness to rest firmly on the tongue and is tepid in enlivening the spice and dryness that more classic Belgian beer possess. A medium length afterglow of cherry, apple and pepper keep those wine-like tendencies glowing.