Invictus Blaine It On The Rain Amber

Invictus Blaine It On The Rain Amber. "Caramel. Toffee. Bready."
6 % ABV. 24 IBU.
"Beer for the Unconquerable Soul."
Invictus Brewing Co., Blaine, MN.

Clear, dark amber/bronze color, slim off-white, cola-tinged head.

In the nose: Clean, malty, semi-sweet.

In the mouth: Brief bitterness up front, swiftly supplanted by slightly sweet malt, with touches of caramel & toffee. Medium bodied, well-balanced, and utterly easily drinkable. Tasty stuff, classic rendition of a neglected, but popular style.

Malty Sweetness along with notes of caramel, toffee and slightly bready notes start off this classic Amber. Brewed with 2-Row, Crystal, Munich and a touch of Black Malt for color with just enough hops for balance.

Eastlake the Raccoon and the Bear

Eastlake the Raccoon and the Bear. 5.9 % ABV. 41 IBU.
Eastlake Craft Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

I've checked into this beer on Untappd twice: this one here, and four years ago, when it was first released. Why has it taken me so long to review it? Well, back then I didn't review their beers because I worked there, and chose not to offer my opinions on them. Since then, we've had a history, but now I assess their offerings with a free mind.

Now, on to this beer named for a couple of the forest characters they've been randomly using in on their coasters and glassware since the start.

Clear, deep crimson, large, lush, creamy-toned head.

In the nose: floral, sweet, fresh, delightful.

In the mouth: Tasty, from the start.
Pine needles, birch sap, bark, spruce, wood, hops, and all the trimmings of the forest floor.
Rich and malty.
Tasty. Bright and highly likable. Conspicuously bitter, well-balanced, terrifically delicious.

Feeling adventurous? We’re in the forest now, baby. Fir tips and red cedar shavings were added to this flame-red hoppy American Amber Ale for a bright upfront woodsy whack and a clean citrus afterglow. Belgian red malt brings a unique malty layer, and Simcoe & Chinook hops double down on the coniferous character. Just one sip and you'll be pining for more.

Finnegans Irish Amber

Finnegans Irish Amber. 4.7 % ABV, 20 IBU. Finnegans Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Maybe this is your first time reading The Bitter Nib. Maybe you've been in it for the long haul. In either case, it's a well known fact that I drink all the beers. Also, I like to keep on top of the locals. So, why did it take so long for me to take notes on this beer, that's been around for so many years? One never knows, does one? Maybe because amber ales just aren't my style. And why is that? Good question....

Enough palaver, time to check this one off the old list. Here we go...

Clear, amber-toned. Respectable ivory head.

In the nose: Malty sweet. Slightly grainy.

In the mouth: Malty, tasty, smooth. Medium body. Definitely down able. Light on the hops. Good Irish Amber and you can drink it. Quite tasty.

I don't drink a lot of amber ales. I'll try them, but I won't choose them. Why? Just don't give me the hops I demand. But, I see their appeal, and doggone it, this is a good one.




The flagship brew that kicked off our whole beer-as-a-charity movement, FINNEGANS Irish Ale is a full-flavored, medium-bodied ale with a caramelly, malty finish. While most beers provide temporary bliss, FINNEGANS Irish Ale fills your soul with deep-rooted goodness. It’s charitably delicious, making it good in every sense of the word.
4.75 % ALC/VOL • 20 IBU
4 HEAVENLY INGREDIENTS:
WATER, YEAST, HOPS, MALTED BARLEY
PAIRS WELL WITH:
CORNED BEEF
POTATOES IN ALL FORMS
TACOS
CORNED BEEF
IRISH GUILT

Ale Asylum Goddambergeddon

Ale Asylum Goddambergeddon. Imperial version of Ambergeddon. 8.2% Alc./Vol. Ale Asylum Brewing, Madison, WI.

ALE ASYLUM is unfiltered and all natural. We use no additives, preservatives, fruit, horse hooves, fish guts, or extracts. Our ingredient list: water, malt, hops, and yeast. This is what we mean when we say our beer is FERMENTED IN SANITY. You know who makes it, you know what it’s made with.

Largely clear, deep burgundy hue, solid head of creamy/white foam on top. Looking nice.

In the nose: Much malt, much hops, big in every way. Tons of citrus meets a load of caramel & toffee, with a pinch of bread crust, too. Much richness, as well. Bold, son.

In the mouth: Boom, bam. Chocolate, caramel, toffee, underneath a big blast of citrus-y hops. Big buzz of booze to meet the extra hoppy/malty kick. It's a burly one, a brawler, a big-boned bastard. Brash, unabashed and fuzzy. And I can dig it.

A bigger, angrier version of the big and bold Ambergeddon Amber ale that is both complex and supremely drinkable. Goddambergeddon will be available February through April 2018, both packaged and on tap throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.

Town Hall Amber Falcon

So, I'm at the pub, and looking at what I can take home in a growler. And there's Amber Falcon. Have I done that one? It's been around for about five years, off and on. How could I have skipped it for all this time? Just because it's an amber and, like lagers, I tend to pass on them because they're not my favorite style? But, they are good beers and you can drink them. Also, there ain't nothing wrong with them. And so....

Town Hall Amber Falcon. 5.3% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bronze/copper-toned look, sizable head of creamy froth atop.

In the nose: Malt forward, bright malty flavors, lean hops. Most enticing. Hop bitterness increases on the palate, keeping time with the malty mouthfeel. Caramel malt sweetness, hitting up against hops.

Toasty and tasty. I can dig it. My kind of amber ale.


American Amber Ale single-hopped with Falconer's Flight.

Bent Brewstillery Nordic Blonde Amber Blonde Ale

Bent Brewstillery Nordic Blonde Amber Blonde Ale.  5.7% ABV. 27 IBU. Bent Brewstillery, Roseville, MN.

Before we begin: I was going to drink a different Bent Brewstillery beer, but as I went seeking out information on it, I kept seeing various opinions on this one. These were expressed on the internet in the form of photographs of the beer being poured down the drain. I never "drain pour". I drink every beer I pour, straight down my throat. Mostly. If it's very awful, I may mix it with something. Will that happen this time? Let's find out...

Clear, amber hue, slimmish ivory head.

In the nose: light malt, minimal hops, some cereal, some...I don't know what. Eh. Not sure what's up.

In the mouth: huh. um. yeah. Nothing exciting or even pleasing is happening here. It's light-bodied and mostly...amiable? Non-threatening? Not altogether repulsive? Dry, clean, malty, but has no charm or personality. Drinkable, but not especially enjoyable. I don't drink Blonde Ales, but I do appreciate their appeal and this has none of them. What's an "amber blonde"? Has anyone asked for that? Does anyone want it? It's a hybrid without a home.

Okay. Alright. Not bad, but not really very good. It brought little pleasure, and yet, I persisted. Drank it all down, but didn't enjoy it much.

This is a clean, crisp, delicately balanced beer with subdued sweetness and a pleasantly refreshing tang in the finish. Because of the low hop bitterness and dry, light body, this beer is easily mistaken for a lager or light beer. These qualities make it a great summertime beverage. This beer is brewed using our local pure water without any additives.

This beer was our very first recipe. It was our introduction into craft beer. We brewed what we wanted to drink, and this quickly became a favorite among our friends and family who weren’t ready for the more brutal styles on the Bent Brewstillery beer menu. We make this beer our own by using richer Munich malts to give it a more complex and deeper flavor. This beer is best when fresh.

Town Hall City Glow Amber Ale

Town Hall just wrapped up their annual Barrel Week yesterday. I made it there three times, and brought home some growlers, which I'll be reviewing shortly. But, first let's have an amber ale. Why that, when so many of you may be anxious to hear how the barrel aged beers were? Because, it's early in the day, and I would rather drink an amber ale than a big ol' barrel aged boozer. That's why. And so:

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery City Glow Amber Ale. 5.9% ABV.

Crystal clear, amber-hued, slim white head above.

In the nose: clean, malt-forward, some sweetness, herbal, moderate to very light hopping.

In the mouth: Little bit of hops up front. After that, crisp, clean, smooth and easy drinking. It's a malty one, but maybe a little too easy. Could use a bit more flavor for me, though I can see what they're going for with this one. And they're ain't nothing wrong with it.


English Amber Ale brewed with English Pale malt, English crystal malts, and American wheat malts. Hopped with Centennial.

Cosmos Martian Rambler Amber

Cosmos Brewing Martian Rambler Amber Ale. "Save Space For Beer!" 5.8% all. by vol. 25 IBU. Cosmos Brewing, Hugo, MN.

Clear, dark amber color, ivory head that starts big and settles quickly.

In the nose: Clean and malty, lightly sweet.

In the mouth: Smooth and malty, medium bodied, fairly faint finish. Slightly on the sweet side, this. There are hops here, too, just enough to keep it all in balance.

One flaw I find is that leans a little too far into the sweet side. Spicy rye malt keeps in interesting.

"Are we alone in the universe?" A true American amber, Martian rambler is crafted using only ingredients produced in the USA. Malt forward with a touch of hops, rye provides a hint of spice on the back end." 

Disgruntled Guvnor English Amber Ale

Disgruntled Brewing Guvnor, A malt forward English Amber Ale. 5.6% ABV. Canned on 7/17.

My first crowler from Disgruntled, purchased at South Lyndale Liquors last Thursday. I was alerted to their presence there earlier last week, and told that there were only a few left. The hot ones, the IPAs and such were, in fact, sold out, and only the "boring ones", the browns, the pales, the amber, were left. But, you know, even boring beer can be good beer, when it's good.

In the eye: Clear, rich copper-y/amber hue, off-white head. Looking nice.

In the nose: Clean, malty, nutty, earthy. Just enough hops, just enough sweet.

In the mouth: Easy going as they get. Clean and malty, excellent balance and utterly smooth. This is the beer that I was told was their top seller when I first visited the brewery back last year, which caused some consternation to the brewer. He hated making it, he said. Well, if your clientele is tossing this back, and not complaining because isn't Miller Lite, you're doing something right. That was last year, this year they've successfully conquered the beer geek crowd. I haven't been able to return and am sufficiently jealous of those who make it up there for the big beer releases. I can't imagine when I'll be in Perham next, so I'll have to keep hitting the store and hope luck is with me.

I'm still drinking this big ol' crowler and more flavors are developing in the mouth, hops are getting bolder, citrus is shining. Remains on the sweet side, but hops are keeping it from going overboard. This is an overall excellent amber ale, and I recommend it highly.

Sisyphus Argyle Penguin Amber Ale

Sisyphus Argyle Penguin Amber Ale, based on a recipe Sam used back in the home-brew days. 6.2% ABV.

Clear, dark amber color, slim, white head.

Soft, sweet and malty aromatics. Little bit of fruity esters, some caramel notes.

In the mouth: Malt sweetness hits first, with moderate hops just coming in to keep it balanced. Caramel notes appear on the palate, sweetness spreads, spicy/citric hop presence is felt a little better, keeping it all together. Bitterness rises just a bit in the mouth, almost taking over malt, but not quite.

You want an amber ale? Here's a good 'un. Go drink it.

Lucid Ora Smoked Amber Ale

Lucid Ora smoked amber ale. Brewed and bottled by Lucid Brewing, Minnetonka, MN. 6.5% ABV.

Clear, crimson coloring, slim, off-white head.

In the nose: malt first, then comes the smoke. Lightly sweet, increasingly smoke. Some fruit notes.

In the mouth: smooth stuff, easy-going, with light fruity notes, rich maltiness, and the subtle smoke factor rising up. Not too hoppy, not too malty, just right, and not too smoky, either. This one works, if you want something different.

This is my first bottle. Don't know what took me so long. It's good beer, and you can drink it.

American Sky Amber Salute Beer

American Sky Amber Salute Beer. Brewed and bottled by American Sky Brewing, Minnetonka, MN. 5.5% ABV.

It's a formerly Hudson, Wisconsin-based brewery that has been purchased by Lucid Brewing earlier this summer, with the original brewer still making the original recipes in the Minnetonka Lucid Brewery, using some of the equipment from their Hudson facility. The bottle is a sample given to me by Jon Messier, one of the owners of Lucid, last week. He's been back to find out my opinion, and I had to admit I hadn't opened the bottles he'd given me yet. Time to rectify this situation.

Lightly hazed, amber coloring, slim whitish head, soon down to a tight ring.

Toasty, malt-forward nose. Grainy. Smells of fresh wort. If you've ever been in a brewery when they're brewing, this is what I'm getting.

In the mouth, it's a warm and malty thing. I'm guessing we have an unfiltered amber ale here. Low on the hops, full mouthfeel, malty finish, softly fading. A little nutty. Tasty. Thirst-quenching, excellent drinkability.

You know what, I like this. Go ahead and give it a try. Won't hurt you.

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

Got some more samples, including this guy that I first tried from a 22 ounce bomber received in a trade from a Californian. Let's take a lot at those notes from December, 2003:


Clear and perfectly amber appearance, with a nice 1/4" head of creamy foam above.

Aroma: sweet, rich, & malty, copper-toned, with minor hops.

Taste: warm, rich in flavor, yet smooth, with high drinkability.

Very mellow, but, again, never quits on the fine taste. An excellent session ale, this 22 oz. bomber went down very happily indeed.

Guess what? I still like it.

Town Hall Pursuit of Happiness Blueberry Amber Ale

See, what they did there? Red, white, and ...blueberry? Get it?

Now, on to #3. What's what it looked like when I had it last night:

And here's what I originally wrote about it in July of 2005:An American amber ale, with blueberry essence added, filling in for hops, they say... 

Clear, coppery amber color, good, thick, creamy-toned head, disappears nearly instantly. 

Big aroma, projecting the fruit far and wide, from the moment the cap is removed. Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries, yum, yum, yum...nothin' but. 

TAste: smooth, and sweet, malt-dominated, with the fruit mingled in every swallow. Medium-bodied, with a light, dry finish. Very easy to drink, and a friend to all who favor fruit beers. 

Finishes the revolutionary troika of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, "Red", "White" and "Blue" beers, celebrating American Beer Month in July. An interesting idea, well executed. 

...although, as I finished my second pint, I eyed my neighbor's Masala Mama with envy...

Milwaukee Brewing Louie's Resurrection Bourbon Barrel Aged Amber Ale

Milwaukee Brewing Bourbon Barrel Aged Amber, Louie's Resurrection, ale aged in bourbon barrels. 10.2% ABV. Brewed and bottled by Milwaukee Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Appearance: mostly clear, crimson/amber hue, slim, soon-gone white head.

Aroma: cherry, vanilla, oak, there's whiskey here, there's echoes and whispers of bourbon. Sweet, liquor-y, malty, but not much else.

Taste: Bourbon-y sweetness starts it off, slick and delicious. The whiskey is all, though, there's nothing beneath it. The amber ale that lurks below is completely subsumed by the action of the barrels. There's no interplay at all, no enhancement.
If you want to taste the bourbon, that's happening. Do want complexity, depth? Not going on.

Medium-bodied, long, slick, bourbon-y finish. Again, if all you want is bourbon flavor, maybe you'll like this.

Bell's Amber Ale

Before I share with you some notes from April, 2003, there's something I need to explain. At that time, the purple-hued labels of the Amber Ale from Bell's featured a drawing of a heron. Now, they use a watercolor of trees, clouds, a lake. Also, I can no longer see myself tossing back a million of them, although it's a fine amber ale, I've lost the appetite for more than a few. Must. Have. Hops!

So, here are those dusty, but trusty, nearly 12 year old notes on what was once considered the flagship beer from Bell's, with some hyperbole tones down a bit…


I always seem to have unresolved questions for the Kalamazoo Brewing Company, and right now it's: what's the significance of the heron? Maybe it's the Michigan state bird, and I'm just an idiot...This was introduced to me as not only the "flagship" brew of Kalamazoo, but "the beer Larry drinks." Then I found out that when the K'zoo crew really get to partying, it's hard liquor...

Color is hazy orange, bordering on brown, and the head is a good inch thick, properly white.

Aroma is sprucey, piney, full of hops, fruity, but mainly pineapple and citrus. There's a touch of tart, but it's mostly sweet.

On the palate, nothing but smooth, smooth, smooth. Malt looms large in this ale, but it's perfectly matched. Hops are tingly, tasty, and not quickly forgotten. I can see tossing back a million of these.

4/13/03

Here's the tale the gobbledygook tells: "First brewed in 1985, Bell's Amber Ale embodies the heritage of our brewery and celebrates the nature of the Great Lakes region." Alc. 5.8% by Vol.

Mankato Organ Grinder Amber Ale

Mankato Organ Grinder Amber Ale, Brewed and bottled by Mankato Brewing company, North Mankato, MN.

Clear and coppery-colored. Nice 1/4" off-white head.

Aroma: minor, mild, inoffensive, given off no particular properties, however.

Taste: A malty affair, all the way. Just a touch of hop bitterness on the palate, to combat unwanted sweetness. Mild fruitiness, some herbal notes here and there, a bit of mineral-y-ness. It's a fine amber, and you can drink it. Adequate. Not bad. Okay, for the style.

Milwaukee Brewing Louie's Demise Amber Ale

Louie's Demise Amber Ale, Milwaukee Brewing Company. 5.5% ABV. And now we have the flagship of the MKE line. Maybe I'll like this one?

Deep amber/nearly red in color, very short head, slims down to nil.

Aroma: rich and malty sweet, tidy hop presence.

Taste: It's a mostly malty affair, hops are here for balance. Stays just short of sweet, with a flavor an equal dose of fruit and grain. Medium-bodied. Long, malty finish. On the whole, wholly unremarkable.

There are words on the can. Let us read them: "Our flagship brand, this medium bodied amber ale starts with a rich malt flourish that kept in perfect balance by a smooth hop finish. This MBC original is similar to a German style alt bier."

So there we have it. It does taste like an alt, at that. And it's beer, and you can drink it. Not bad, but I'm not thrilled. Go back to step one: acknowledge that it is beer, admit that you can drink it. Prepare to not be impressed, and carry on.

Note: early today, I sampled the Booyah Farmhouse Ale and noticed (but did not note in my notes) that it had a copyright date of 2011. This can has a copyright date of 2013. Did I get a 2+ year old sample bottle, or do they just take their time updating the labels?

Northbound Smokehouse Wild Rice Amber Ale

Like I said in the last post, I took a week (or 10 days) off of doing this stuff due to liquids getting into my laptop. There were a few ways I could have continued doing this without it, such as plugging in my old gigantic eMac, adding an external keyboard (which, come to think of it, is what I used with that anyway), save the notes and transfer them via flash drive (which I no longer have, those pesky things get lost so easily!), then upload them later. Too much hassle, I thought, and just took a week off of notes taking. Meanwhile, I started to run out of just regular drinking/non-reviewing beers. I had to get creative, or start drinking less. Chose the latter, which is good to do, once in a while.

So, we're looking back at notes from last week, a seasonal from Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub in South Minneapolis. I really do need to get there more often, it's so close to my home. Actually, I've got to make a routine, so I remember to get out and visit some of the ones I forget a bit more often. It's a hard life, this beer reviewin'.

Northbound Wild Rice Amber Ale. 6.6% ABV.



Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub Wild Rice Amber Ale. This one debuted right around when the brewery opened last year, and i passed on it that visit. Next time I stopped in it was gone, and I was disappointed, after hearing so many accolades from others. "Don't worry, we'll make it next year," I was assured. It's next year, now, and I took home a growler, ready to check it out.

Clear, dark amber, nearly copper coloring, with an off-white head that starts flush, then slims down to a tight ring.

Aroma: sweet, malty nose, earthy, grainy, herbal. Minimal hops.

Taste: Mild hop bitterness hits the palate first, swallowed up by a rich of malty sweetness. Between light and medium bodied, supremely consumable, and just tasty enough. Hop bitterness returns to the taste from time to time, keeping a very fine balance.

I'm afraid I'm at a loss to describe what the wild rice contributes to the flavor, but it certainly doesn't detract. Actually it's really quite delicious, well-made amber. Good show, Jamie.

Speaking of Jamie, here's how he describes it:

An American Amber Ale brewed with Minnesota grown wild rice.  5% of the grain is wild rice giving this beer a unique flavor of nuttiness, earthines and a hint of vanilla.

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

Long, long ago, the flagship brew of the New Belgium Brewing Company of Fort Collins, Colorado, the amber ale called Fat Tire, was a thing of mystery and wonderment. Those who'd tried it and loved it spoke of it in a manner almost magical, desperately demanding that local beer purveyors find this rarity  for them. I knew one man who worked in beer retail and was subject to so many calls for Fat Tire that he found his every attempt to provide these seekers with a replacement of any excellent amber that was just as good, and easily available, were to no avail. There was no replacement for their desires, they only wanted the elusive Fat Tire, and it didn't matter that there were no plans for it's legal dispersal. This retailer friend of mine got his mules to transport cases of it up from Colorado in order to satisfy the fanatic ones. A local bar did the same with a keg of the stuff, and illegally tapped it on the sly.

Why? What was the point of all this? Was it really all that great?

I finally got my hands on a bottle in February, 2003, and wrote these notes:

Fat Tire has a bit of a hype around it, especially in regions, like mine, that do not receive this Colorado amber. What could be the reason, I wonder, why do so many rhapsodize so dreamily about it? Is it the equal or better of world classics from Europe, or does it stand out against America's legendary micros? I was determined to find out...

Fine, bubbly, but brief, head, over a bright amber color.

Nice fruity touches in the aroma, and the more I "drink in" the nose, the more I seem to find...tropical fruits, mango, banana?, peach, apricot, a hint of gentle spices, and a whiff of flowers, even.

Nice grainy, gritty texture, but overall, very smooth palate. Hops seem to be lying low, and malt does it's part, without taking the spotlight. Slight sourness in the finish, later absorbed by tasty sweetness. Well-balanced, and enjoyable. I can imagine a pleasant session with these.

So why the cult status? I have a few theories. 1. Funny name. 2. There's a bike on the label. 3. It's an easily consumed, delicious ale that accompanies fond memories of seeing jam bands in Colorado, and the perfect thing to stock in the cooler at the post-show drum jam. Enjoy, all you hippies, enjoy!!!

That was then. New Belgium entered the Minnesota market only a few years after that, to much hoopla. There was even a TV news spot about the lines that went around the building of local liquor store Surdyk's, of all the cars waiting to buy cases of the stuff on the very first day it was available. Did they do this the first day that cans of Surly Furious hit the shelves? Not so.
So, now it's here, and everywhere, and no one cares, pretty much. Are all those Fat Tire maniacs still drinking it, and considering the best thing on Earth? It's hard to imagine that uproar anymore, with the way the local scene has turned to local beers, and taprooms, etcetera.

Well, now it's in cans, and I couldn't pass up a 12-pack case for only $11.99. I needed to "tick" this for the blog, and I need a good ol' drinking beer from time to time. But I didn't expect to be so disappointed in it. I found very little charm in this one from the can. Was there a reason I liked it better 10 years ago from a bottle, and am utterly blase' about this in it's new aluminum state?
More questions!
One answer is that after these cans have been emptied and crushed, you won't catch me taking it home again. Some day I'll drink it again on tap if I'm stuck somewhere with nothing better, but how often does that happen? And if there are people our there that still think this is the end-all/be-all, based on that time they got high in the woods with their smelly college pals, keep waving your freak flags high! Shine on, crazy diamond, shine on!