Favorite Amber Ale?

Lagunitas Lucky 13, Cigar City Tocobaga, and Three Floyds Brian Boru are a few of my favorite red/amber ale options.

 

Nugget Nectar followed by Lagunitas Imperial Red.

 

Laguintas Lucky 13 is in my snifter right now, but there RED is such an awesome beer. So complex and balanced. I think Imperial Red and Imperial Amber are the same thing in most brewers eyes

 

killians

 

Boont
Nugget Nectar

 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16105/67109

Lagunitas IR is very good and Bear Republic Red Rocket Is Very good as well.

 

Nugget Nectar and Zoe are my two favorites. I also enjoyed Grand Teton's Pursuit of Hoppiness.

I have not tried the Lagunitas Imperial Red yet, but based on what everyone is saying, I guess I'll have to seek that out.

 

No such thing unless they hop the shit out of them.

 

Lotta nice choices here but without a doubt in its heyday Caledonian Double Amber had no rivals.

 

Breckenridge Avalanche

 

Why?

 

Not a fan of the style, if NN doesn't float my boat nothing will from what I've read. NN is ok, but I wouldn't seek it out or make a special trip.

 

I'm going echo a few others and say Lagunitas Imperial Red.

 

I'm with you. Nugget Nectar, while obviously well-crafted, just did not do it for me. There was a flavor in there that was too dominant and off-putting for me. I don't know if it was a specific type of hops or a malt, but I found the same thing in Stoudts Double IPA and Mikkeller Chinook Single Hop IPA. I wish I knew if it was the use of a ton of Chinook hops for sure because that flavor completely ruined the entire beer for me.

However, I would like to try a fresh bottle to see if that flavor is still there. Also, any help with the source of the flavor I am failing miserably at describing would be greatly appreciated.

 

Green Flash Hop Head Red
Lagunitas Imperial Red
Odell Red Ale

 

Ambers tend focus on caramel malts, grains, etc. Alot of red ales these days focus on malts and HOPS. I personally think they should each have their separate category. I personally don't consider Nugget Nectar an amber, reguardless of what they call it.. to me it's closer to an IPA/DIPA more than anything.

Amber examples:
North Coast Red Seal
Mt. Carmel Amber
Troegs Hopback Amber
Bell's Amber
Lagunitas Cencored
Rogue Amber

Red Ale examples:
Great Lakes Nosferatu
Lagunitas Imperial Red
Ithaca Cascazilla
Bear Republic Red Rocket
Green Flash Hop Head Red

If you do some of these side by side, it might help notice some differences between the two, cheers!

 

When i read the title, I was about to say "it begins and ends with Bells Amber," but I see we are of the same mind.

 

Full Sail makes a great classic (not hopped like an IPA) Amber.

 

Hinterland Amber Ale by Green Bay brewery is good example of the style

 

Drake's Expedition Ale is the latest Amber/ Reddish Ale to add to the list. I had this recently and was really impressed. It is my second favorite Drake's after their IPA. Try it, you'll like it.