Stite Amber Red Reserve
Cold Spring Brewing Co.

Lightly hazy reddish orange topped by two fingers of pale caramel colored foam. The cap is firm, which promotes persistence, and has a nicely rumpled-bubbly upper surface. I've had enough Gluek beer to know that it's probably going to be all downhill from here.

The nose is faintly caramel malty, but it's also dusty and musty and low on power. That last one prevents it from being offensive. Maybe 'Reserve' means that this stuff will actually be close to average rather than way below average like Stite Black & Tan and Stite Golden Pilsner.

Amber Red Reserve is far from good, but it's a damn sight better than anything else from what I like to think of as America's worst microbrewery. I find it interesting that they boast about 'six row barley' on the label. As I understand it, 6-row contains more husk than the more popular (and more expensive) 2-row, giving beer a coarser and more grainy flavor.

The flavor spotlight is occupied by a semi-sweet, semi-dry caramel maltiness. A countering bitterness (without much good hop flavor) keeps things somewhat interesting by providing contrast. If you want multi-faceted complexity, you've come to the wrong beer... and the wrong brewery.

In terms of quality, the mouthfeel is no better and no worse than the rest of the attributes (appearance excepted). It's slightly more full than light and could probably use a few more bubbles.

Amber Red Reserve is a pleasant surprise. That doesn't mean that it's good beer or that I'll ever buy it again, just that it's much better than anticipated. If forced at gunpoint to drink Gluek beer (which is probably what it would take), this would be my choice, hands down.

Yet another of there beers that have so far been at best...possible to swallow.

This is a clear red colored ale with a good tan colored head.

The smell is a little sweet and more herbal and metallic with a caramel aroma.

The flavor begins sweet and fairly big on the caramel and vegetable taste. Tastes a lot like bad teriyaki vegetables.

The mouthfeel is nothing much.

Not really drinkable, this is a drain pour for me. Be WARNED STITE is real close to another word for a reason!

12oz aluminum bottle

Stite Amber Red Reserve was a red amber color with an off-white head. The head quickly disappeared with no lacing. The aroma was toasted malt and a little sweet. The taste was odd and somewhat metellic with a dry finish. It was light bodied and watery with medium carbonation. Drinkability was below average. This is a below average red ale. Not recommended.

Aluminum in a bottle shaped container. Poured into a pils glass with some aggression it forms a solid one finger head. Amber colored body.

Very astringent and metallic from first drink to the last. It literally smells of chemicals. Caramel malts leave an aspirin like powdered cover on the palate. Medicinal, smoked pork fat, Vinagrette dressing and a healthy dose of who gives a shit. I thought the light lager and the pilsner from this brewer were the worst beers I've ever had but this has to take the cake. And to give it some fancy moniker like "Reserve". The only thing you should reserve is any temptation to pick this up.

Notes: A truly disguisting brew. Even an absolute novice rookie would take a dump on this offering.

Clear copper color, not much head, creamy and small. Smell is overly sweet and sour, a cider vinegar whiff is perceptable. Taste is bad. I see what they were trying to do, but just not good, metallic and carmely sweet and more of that sour apple taste. Pretty bad, I will never get this again, I recommend the same to you.

Looks like a macro in a red anadised aluminum bottle, never heard of this stuff. Uncap and pour a dark amber with reddish hues, liquid with a minute white head and sporratic carbonation. Lacing is light and watery.

Smell is of toasted, almost burn't barley, kind of blunt and chalky. A very different smell for a amber/red anything I've ever tasted.

Taste is pretty much the same as the smell, un-eventfull. It doesn't taste bad, it just tastes different from any thing I've ever tasted as a beer. It should be called "Strange Brew" but that's just my opinion.

Definitely not refreshing, can't recommend.