Abita Brewing Company Amber

“Effervescent with a frothy white head that refuses to quit. Spicy hops and a sweet, honey malt character in the nose. Sticky sweet honey tangerine flavor, a light malt backbone that helps balance, but drinks fairly light all around. Refreshing and well executed, restrained but interesting.”

Aroma: “Like sticking my head into a hops bag—candied orange, lots of citrus, and a touch of spice. Bready malt, maybe like orange marmalade on toast. Fruity esters (cherry, pear) with some floral perfume notes.” Flavor: “Huge hops flavor (grassy, citrus), moderate bitterness. Yes, there’s a fair amount of bready/crackery malt in the mix, but this is a hops party. Slightly sweet start with nice citrus flavors. Medium body with the hops bitterness helps to create a dry finish. Lively carbonation combined with fresh hops flavors is refreshingly zippy.” Overall: “Orange marmalade on fresh toasted bread. Great hops aroma and flavor—an amber ale for West Coast hopheads. Nicely balanced and very drinkable. For an amber, it’s a pretty good pale ale.”

**Aroma:** “Hops aroma is assertive for the style—earthy, woody and spicy. Big malt aroma is bready with crackers, some toast, and light caramel. Slight sulfur notes and a little ethanol keep it interesting.” **Flavor:** “Soft sweet malt is quickly lightened by a crisp, balanced hops bitterness. Aftertaste of malt and lingering hops. Crisp lager finish leaves just a touch of bitterness.” **Overall:** “Clean and refreshing without cloying malt sweetness. Hops in the middle of the palate are somewhat resinous, which should keep craft-beer drinkers happy. There’s a flash of excitement at the first swallow; then you’re left to figure out what happened. Clean and subtle. Flavors are spot on. I love this beer!”