Category Archives: Amber Ale

Mountain Goat ‘The Alphonse’ India Amber ale

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imageWe have a special affinity for the goat army since we first tasted the hightale ale back in 1999. This brew is the bigger, maltier, hoppier brother of the hightale. We like the informative label also, a feature of the In Breed series of beers of late.

Poured into a pint glass to extract the full goodness from this 740ml bottle, we see a lovely deep Amber body. There is a good 10mm off white head of compact little bubbles which retains beautifully. Nice amount of carbonation in the glass too. First whiff is Marmalade jam, citrus and sweet malt. Reminds us of a Ballast a Point grapefruit sculpin which is frickin impressive. First sip yields solid bitterness in the mouth but not overpowering. It lingers right the way past the back palate until you have the next sip. Almost sits on your tonsils with a tingle. We imagine the IBU is 65+. Bit of spice here like they have used rye malt. We not sure but we like it. Grapefruit bitterness, mixed with lemon rind, sweet caramel malts, and an almost roasted almond like flavour which again must be the malts. Good Alc vol here of 7%, you can’t even tell. As we imbibe there is a wall of lacing opposite from where we sip. Body is medium with good length. There is mild carbonation in the mouth. You almost get confused with the spice bubbling away. This is a really tasty beer. It’s smooth as on the back palate, no offending booze burn, beautiful marriage of citrus and spicy hops with roasted and sweet malts. This is a winner. Well done lads.

Nomad/Dogfish Head ‘Cross Pallet Nation’ Amber ale

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imageCreated from Nomad Brewing, Pallet Magazine and Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head. This bad boy is brewed in Sydney using Vic Secret and Melba, along with wattle seed and finger limes. Sam added American maple sugar and mesquite (smoked) malts, with Birra Del Borgo yeast from Italy.

Wow, what a collaboration. Dogfish Head for us is one of the premier craft breweries. We salivate with anticipation. Poured into a schooner, lovely mahogany greets us with no head. Very much an amber ale appearance. On the nose, we get subdued sweet malts, very mild pine, and mild booze. First sip is interesting. Definite sharpness or tartness which must be the finger limes. The IBU here is 20 by the way. This upfront tartness fades leaving a subsiding bitterness, with that smoky/ash flavour from the malt, and a mild sweetness that must be the maple sugar. We don’t get a lot of hops really other than mild pine. Definite nutty flavours here which are either the malts used other than mesquite or the wattleseed. It’s almost coffee-ish. Maybe some mild dough yeast. As we get through the glass the sweetness is now obvious on the lips, like a sticky film. The relatively medium body actually seems lighter and for 8% Alc vol, it doesn’t really come into things as the combinations of flavours drown it out which is a testament to the brewing process. The smokiness really combining with the finger limes, and the nutty, almost coffee flavour are really the standouts here. Everything this beer says it does, it does. It’s a damn fine effort and we expected nothing less when Dogfish Head are involved. Brilliant!

The Mash Collective ‘Dead East Ale’ Amber Ale

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12185211_448135068703977_7895989127442538984_o“This year we’ve pulled together three local lads who share a love for the sun, the salt and the sea… It’s no wonder that they’ve brewed a beer inspired by perfect endless days spent on the eastern most tip of Australia. Introducing Dead East Ale, an amber ale encompassing a mixture of hops Simcoe, Citra and the experimental Crosby #6 to give punchy aroma and flavour, that is then balanced by a selection of roasted malt varieties for a more satisfying finish.  A beer perfect to relax with by the ocean after a long day in the sun.”

Served in a shaker glass. The attractive crimson body is covered by a finger of beige foam that gradually reduced to a light film that settles on top. Lacing is scarce but streaky in random patches. The hop bill is made up of 2 of the USA’s best – Citra and Simcoe – that provides generous amounts of luscious tropical fruit and citrus while the experimental “Crosby #6” hop is providing this vinous, rotting leaves and resinous-like aroma. Quite a firm malt backing too, a delicately rich and caramelized toffee scent creeps in nicely. The aroma as a whole almost reminds us of a really good red IPA. Very encouraging start to this beer. In the mouth it’s super smooth with a mild developing dryness to the back end. Quite creamy in texture and moderate in both body and carbonation. Only 5% ABV so expectedly no alcohol warmth is detected. Excellent balance is procured from start to finish here. Upfront a healthy tussle between ripe tropical fruits and sweet caramelized malts plays out. As it progresses forward through the mid a delicate bitterness builds that in turn leads on to a slightly dry and malty finish. A succession of subtle yet delicious flavours all consolidate to produce this captivating number. A confident step forward from their ‘heart breaker’ red ale so this amber can bask in its own greatness. Solid offering.

Wineglass bay brewery ‘hazards ale’ Amber Ale

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image“Hazards beer is a premium boutique beer brewed in accordance to the very old German purity law which states that only Barley, Hops, Water and Yeast can be used for brewing. There are no additives and the beer is not filtered or pasteurised.”

From the stunningly beautiful freycinet peninsula in Tasmania, this is our first review of this small microbrewery. This ale is brewed according to German purity laws so we not expecting anything amazing, from a craft perspective. There is very minimal on the nose.. some malt. Pouring an orange/golden, there is plenty of bubble, leaving an almost milky head. First sip yields very mild hops..in this case hallertau are used. Mostly malty grain is tasted. Not much else to be honest. Being an ale, it’s smooth and sessionable, and sits at 5.2% alc vol. It’s a tad watery in the mouth though. We would love to try what else this brewery has to offer, as this ale is standard, average only brewing. It’s was a nice drop, but that’s it.

Lost Coast brewing co. ‘Alley Cat’ Amber ale

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image“A full-flavored amber ale made with roasted caremel malt. Richly colored and medium-bodied, Alleycat is an assertive blend of malts with a sprightly cascade of hops”.

Served in a shaker glass the amber pour boasts a gorgeous copper red hue. The foamy two finger head dissipates quite quickly to a rim of foam around the side of the glass. Laced poorly. A sweet bready malt-driven aroma is offering warming additions of toffee, almond, marmalade, maple syrup and fig. There is also a lovely spicy hop profile to balance it out. Respectable aroma. The mouth feel was smooth with mild-medium carbonation. Medium bodied. We found the flavour slightly subdued initially but once it warmed the flavours began to open up. Similar to the aroma, the palate was also mainly sweet/caramel malt driven. Toffee, honey and jam with a subtle hoppy background. Nice toasty finish. The 5.5% ABV is spot on. Essentially this isn’t a bad beer it’s just a little unconvincing. It’s slightly frustrating because it had had set the platform to be a really good brew but it seemed to lack that knock out punch. Good, but nothing great.

He’brew ‘Origin’ Pomegranate amber ale

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image“Brewed with the juice of over 10,000 luscious pomegranates, ORIGIN is a complex, rich and balanced Imperial Amber Ale with a truly unique character. The pomegranate juice is added during fermentation, leaving only the residual sugars, which serve to balance the hop bitterness.”

Poured into a shaker glass the appearance displayed a murky mahogany with some copper red highlights. The fizzy 1 inch head dissipated quickly to a rim of foam around the inner edges of the glass. Minimal lacing. As to be expected the sweet aroma from the pomegranate is gorgeous and is further complimented by hints of tart berries, caramel and candy cane. The mouth feel was smooth, almost velvety with a mild carbonation level. Flavour boasts a good balance of sweetness coming from the pomegranate and a good touch of tart berry sourness. We also picked up hints of caramel, malt and a really subtle spice. The only downfall is its slightly one dimensional. Nevertheless the flavours here do marry together really well. The 8% ABV is so well hidden and also deserves credit. All up, it’s not bad but nothing overly special.

Hawthorn brewing co. Amber ale

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image“Hawthorn Amber Ale is a rich malt flavoured ale, presenting itself as dark auburn coloured with hints of red. More British than the Queen’s corgi’s, our Amber Ale is meticulously brewed to the true Northern English style. The inclusion of the world famous base malt – Maris Otter, ensures a lovely rounded body, whilst a small addition of Chocolate Malt in the grain bill delivers a warm bittersweet roasted caramel flavour. Mild English hops balance the sweet malt nicely, and plenty of dry hopping after the fermentation infuses a floral and spice aroma. Hawthorn Amber Ale is an all malt beer with no added sugar, chemicals or preservatives. Smooth and well balanced, drink it a few degrees warmer than the fridge for the full flavoured experience. Best from a glass”.

Poured into a shaker glass the appearance offers a deep amber with a tight one and a half finger beige head. Good retention drawing some nice lace trails as the beer recedes. The aroma displays a gorgeous roasted character with hints of toffee, nuts and toast. An encompassing candy-like aroma adds depth and a sweet component to the nose that is really alluring. Medium carbonation with a frothy mouth feel. Medium body. Sweet malt, nuts and light, spicy hops initially make way for a subtle peppery mid-palate. Flashes of caramel malt move forward through to the nutty finish. Unfortunately the overall flavour becomes quite thin and one dimensional which is a real shame. The 4.7% ABV is quite modest, we feel the beer could have been lifted a bit if the percentage was higher. All in all, a good beer with the right foundations, just lacking the knock out blow for us.

Endeavour ‘2012 reserve’ amber ale

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imageOur 2nd installment for this brewery. Poured into a shaker glass, the pour is displaying an amber/brown appearance with a compacted white head that swells to about a finger in height before slowly collapsing away leaving no head at all. No lacing whatsoever. Aroma shows a mild crystal malt-driven character with hints of nuts, fig, toffee, spice and brown sugar. Mild-medium carbonation with low bitterness. Slightly silky mouth feel with average body. Bordering on being too thin. The taste mirrors the aroma with a malt driven palate. Slightly earthy hints of biscuit, nuts and caramel outdo what little hops come through. A touch of citrus comes in late but has no real effect. Pretty average length. At 5.2% ABV we were hoping for a bit more oomph but it simply wasn’t there. We can’t work out what this beer is missing but what we can be certain of is that we’ve had plenty of better amber ales.

Rogue brewery ‘santa’s private reserve’ Amber ale

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image“Rogue’s annual holiday offering, Santa’s Private Reserve, is a variation of the classic Saint Rogue Red, but with double the hops–including Hops and Barley grown and harvested at Rogue Farms”.

Another annual holiday ale from the man with the famous ‘Pacman’ yeast. For those who don’t know yet, the pacman strain this brewer uses derives from the beard of the head brewer himself. What a thought to process just before taking a swig huh? Wen served in to a beer tulip, the amber/copper pour whips up a creamy two and a half finger head that retains well drawing out some soapy lacing that clings to the walls of the glass. The aroma doesn’t possess much..it’s mainly driven by bready malts with hints of grain, nuts, berries, raisin and toffee/caramel undertones. In the mouth it’s quite light on with medium carbonation and body. Assertive hops upfront are well balanced by the presence of Munich malts, toast and caramel. The mid slightly drops off but it’s picked up by suggestions of pine and spruce that linger well on the back palate, displaying good length. 6% ABV. Not as spicey as most Christmas beers, although in it’s defence it is a well revved up amber ale. We thought spices such as clove and nutmeg would go down really well with this, but still, not a bad beer.

Dainton family brewery ‘red eye’ rye ale

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image“Fueled by rage, mysticism and pure evilness, the Red Eye Rye is a sessionable beer that continues to offer more depth every time you sip away. Sure you are selling your soul as you do so, but the fruity aromatics, spicy hint of rye and delicate caramel notes will ease you conscience as you slip into the darkness of pure sin. Best enjoyed in the company of your annoying family. No family members were harmed in the making of this beer”.

This is the first we’ve ever heard about this little family micro-brewery who are situated in North Melbourne, Victoria. Served in a shaker glass the deep amber pour presents appealing copper red hues. The 2 finger beige head struggles to maintain and eventually collapsed to a thin film over the top. Laced reasonably well. In addition to the gorgeous aroma of spicy rye, a scintillating combination of hops including Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy & Columbus give off wafts of resinous pine, grass, mango, grapefruit and passion fruit. Caramel malts and doughy undertones provide a good balance while a subtle honey-like sweetness fills it out nicely. In the mouth it feels smooth and silky with medium carbonation. Medium-full bodied. The fore-flavour presents sweet fruity notes, quickly followed by an assertive hop bitterness that develops late and carries through the mid-palate. Pine, rye malt and subtle caramel linger on the palate nicely, displaying great balance and duration. Only 4.8% ABV so the depth in aroma and flavour are all due to excellent brewing. An extremely tasty brew from this relatively new Aussie micro brewery. Really good offering here.

Yeastie boys ‘hud-a-wa’ strong Scottish ale

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image“From a lineage of cryptic beer names … Hud-a-wa’ is Scots for “hold the wall” and was the nickname of one of our great-great-grandfathers. he was a strong fella who once held up a wall while his workmates escaped fro a collapsing mine. He’d have approved of this strong amber ale: rich and restorative, yet with enough hop to keep you wanting more. As hud-a-wa’ would have said: “Here’s tae us, wha’s like us, damn few, and they’re a’ deid… mairs the pity!”

Picked up this beauty from the Tassie beer festival in Hobart. Deep amber almost copper pour with a decent sized lasting head. Laced pretty well. Slightly creamy aroma with hints of vanilla, nuts, grape and biscuit malt. Nice hoppy presence in here, plenty of quality strains in this brew (Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, NZ Golding & Cascade). Medium carbonation and good body. Upfront there is a rich, spicy character with some warming alcohol. Also a subtle presence of whiskey and biscuit malt move forward on to fruity flavours in the mid-palate. Maybe blood orange. That’s followed by a slightly roasted finish full of caramel and toasted malts. 7% ABV is there but doesn’t overpower. The flavours are gorgeous but the richness keeps this beer from being sessional. Definitely keen for another though.

Illawarra brewing co. ‘rust’ amber ale

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imageOn tap at the brewery in Wollongong. Dark amber pour with subtle red hues, not much lacing to speak of. Love the aroma, hop-driven but balanced by the caramel and malt. We also picked up wafts of citrus and toffee. Mild carbonation. Huge hop profile for an amber ale. Bitter upfront with hints of pine and grapefruit, but mellows off into a slightly roasted toffee palate. 5.4% ABV

Moon dog ‘Mummy have a bite’ toffee apple amber ale

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image“Touted as a Toffee Apple Amber Ale, barrel aged in calvados Moon Dog have set about recreating that tooth-rotting, appley-underneath treat of shows and childhood. The result; an imperial amber ale with lots of toffee and a surprisingly firm bitterness.”

Here we have another strange and quirky looking beer to add to Moon Dog’s already extremely edgy repertoire.

Served in a shaker glass the murky, dark amber pour produced a light filmy head that retains well. OK lacing. The aroma showcases the feature toffee apple really well with lovely sticky, sugary notes. Apart from the obvious tart apple it’s accompanied by wafts of caramel, spice, oak, booze, tropical fruits, syrup and toffee. Mild-medium carbonation with a slick, oily mouth feel. Again, very complex flavours. The alcohol (8.2% ABV) is quite well pronounced throughout with a fusion of mildly assertive hop dryness upon entry. A mixed bag of toffee apples and fruit esters through the mid-palate finishes grainy with hints of cognac and oak on the back end. Probably a lot more we missed, but damn! We love the creative brewing styles these guys produce. Risky, but they pull it off every time. Great stuff.

Brew dog ‘5am saint’ iconoclastic amber ale

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image“Start the car. The lights are about to turn amber. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Past the alley where thieves and pimps sell corporate brews and good men soak it up like vermin, blissful in their ignorance. Past the jackhammers who want their three and a half percent. Keep going. Towards that golden orb, the size of Zeus’s ass, that hovers over this crazy town. Sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink amber, and drive like a bastard towards that saintly light”.

Served in a shaker glass the gorgeous amber/mahogany pour whips up a tightly held finger and a half of off-white foam. Good head retention, shedding off some decent patchy lacing that trails the liquid all the way down. The aroma is largely dominated by a tropical fruity character. Big juicy overtones of lychee, peach and mango are all well balanced on a deep, yet subtle biscuity malt base. And with some lovely herbal undertones to boot we have here a delightful aroma. Moderate carbonation and good body accompanies a pleasantly dry mouth feel. The assertive hop bitterness upfront is compensated with a slightly rich caramel, honey and biscuit malt that develops through the mid. The finish leaves a tasty mix of herbs, pine resins and soft red fruits with a lingering hop dryness. At only 5% ABV there is a lot to like about this beer. Almost sessional but more importantly a very enjoyable autumnal beer. Big ups to the Scottish lads for this tasty brew.

Matilda bay ‘ruby Tuesday’ amber ale

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image“We love the darker tints of Autumn and Winter beers – the robust styles and deeper flavours are exactly what the seasons call for. Toffee apple and creamy malt flavours linger on the front palate. The relative sweetness is perfectly balanced by a traditional ale yeast and hop combination”.

We also tried this one on tap at Miranda hotel. Again, like the I.G.P, it was served in a standard pub schooner glass. Pours a gorgeous, translucent amber with a short beige head that lasted well. Lacing leaves a bit to be desired but it was passable. The aroma offers up a mix of Czech style Saaz hops (even though Hallertau hops were the ones used) malt, toast, toffee, oats and a subtle hint of raisins. Very silky smooth mouth feel. Mild-medium carbonation with medium body. There is plenty of sweet malts and toffee coming through to satisfy any sweet tooth upfront. The mid drops off slightly while a hint of dark fruits and subtle hops compliment this well bodied amber ale to finish. Weighing in at a standard 4.7% ABV we can personally tell you this went down well with a steak sandwich. And it proves to be a sessional beer as we’re keen for a couple more. Not bad.

Riverside brewing co.’44’ American amber ale

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Riverside 44 amber“A deep tawny colour, this big, bold American style amber is
packed with roast and crystal malts, balanced with a smack of American Cascade and Centennial hops. Forty Four American Amber is unfiltered and bottle conditioned for maximum taste and enjoyment.”

A diamond in the rough is the best way to describe this brewery. In western Sydney, where this brewery is situated, was for years the heartland of dreary pubs and main stream beer until Dave and his crew breathed a fresh breath of crafty air in. Still on our list of must-visit breweries.

We served this ale in a shaker glass. Our slightly aggressive pour offers up a luscious deep amber with copper highlights. Crowning it off is a tight 1 finger cappuccino head that maintains well, eventually settling to a reasonably thick layer on top. Laced nicely. What we love about all of Dave’s beers is his intent to have the hops in the front seat…no matter what style of beer it is. Here we have a beer that is normally malt-driven but we are basking in this firm American hop-forward scent of pine resin, passion fruit, mandarin and grapefruit. Underneath the dominant hops is a slight toffee sweetness with delicate undertones of nuts and honeysuckle. In the mouth it has an oily texture with moderate carbonation and body. The first few sips yield a mildly evident alcohol warming (6.5% ABV) with notes of tropical fruits. An assertive bitterness definitely cuts through. Similar to the aroma, a background of caramel malts and nuts are detected before the dry, citric finish once again promotes the hops. Well it’s obvious this is an American influenced amber ale with the big dominant ‘C’ hops (Cascade & Centennial) taking centre stage. We loved it, but if you’re seeking your more malt-driven ambers then this isn’t for you. Otherwise…imbibe!

Mountain goat ‘fancy pants’ amber ale

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Mountain goat fancy pants amber ale“Amber ale is our epiphany style, the style that changed our view of what beer could be: malty and hoppy at the same time, looks great in a glass and eminently sessionable. We first brewed Fancy Pants a few years back, while pondering how we would make an amber ale if we were starting all over again. It’s got all the malt of our Hightail Ale, higher abv (5.2%) and more hop character”.

It would have to be quietly said but this brewery is most probably our no.1 Aussie brewery. Consistently releasing high rating beers hand over fist. And they’ve been doing it for years! Much respect. Served in english pint glass. The appearance is offering a gorgeously clear deep amber hue with a modest one finger cap that reduces to a fine layer over the top. Mildly laced. There is a very delicate aroma here, none of the features really lift up with enthusiasm but we can certainly pick out malt-driven wafts of caramel, fig, maple syrup, earthy hops, mango and a subtle hint of orange. Very conservative but certainly there to be enjoyed. In the mouth it feels light on with an oily texture. The carbonation levels are low with moderate body. The flavour profile seems to follow on from the aroma with its propensity to to restrain. Upfront we get a nice, juicy fusion of caramel, orange and stone fruits. The mid provides the taste buds with a suggestion of piney, resiny hops as it carries forward and finishes light and slightly nutty. 5.2% ABV. This amber ale just didn’t seem to have much flare. Let’s be honest, it is still a tasty beer but it failed to bowl us over like most of their beers do. We’d put it down as highly drinkable but a middle of the pack beer. Not bad.

Coopers ‘Thomas Cooper’s selection’ celebration ale

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Coopers celebration ale“Thomas Cooper brewed his first batch of beer on the 13th of May, 1862. Subsequent generations of Coopers have applied themselves to the pursuit of brewing excellence or the endorsement of our great beers to an appreciative public. This ale has been crafted to celebrate this passion for beer and brewing”.

We mention in our mission statement that we normally don’t bother with commercial breweries such as this but we thought this one was an exception. We love to delve into the history of Belgian, and many other ancient European breweries, but we seldom have these types here in Australia. So when we have the chance to celebrate the rich history of an Australian brewery we jump at it. Served in a shaker glass. The slightly hazy amber appearance displays very fine suspended sediment that refuses to settle. Good carbonation, a few streams trickle upwards to form this modest one finger head which steadily reduced to a light film over the top. Laced poorly though. If you have ever had the Coopers pale ale, well there’s not much difference here on the nose unfortunately. Big emphasis on grainy malts and pot pourri while a muted citrusy hop character tries to push through. Soft fruit esters do appear, as the bottle states, albeit very mildly…a somewhat fleshy pear aroma can be uncovered. Average. Feels pretty good in the mouth, well weighted with a nice slick texture. It has smooth carbonation with a light tingle from the hops as well. The flavour profile does tend to follow on from the aroma with a firm malt presence on entry. Quite earthy as opposed to the grains and florals on the nose. A restrained bitterness pairs up with a very delicate fruity hop character through the mid, leading to the dry, crisp finish. Painfully standard. We’re trying to like it but it’s just too timid and lagery. We can respect that the brewers are trying to keep it traditional, and points for that, but it’s simply lacking excitement. No real flavour other than hops and malts. Great history, not so great beer.

Mata brewery ‘brown boy’ amber ale

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Mata brewery brown boy amber ale“We’ve blended 7 specialty malts to bring luscious caramel, toffee like malty characteristics balanced with a refreshing hop flavour and aroma, medium biterness and a dash of pepper from NZ’s indigenous horopito.”

First thing that struck me about this beer was a real reddish,dark colour to it. Almost a blend between an amber and a dark ale. We actually really enjoyed this beer, it was full bodied and along with the caramel, toasty malt and crisp hop flavors married together with toffee and hoppy aroma we definitely think its a must try. It sits at a standard 5% ABV so it’s almost sessional, but with the surprising amount of hops we think a 6 pack would be the better option. A quality amber brown ale by the kiwi lads at Mata. Choice brew.

Mountain Goat ‘hightail’ amber ale

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Mountain goat hightail ale
“The Hightail has collected a small bag of awards at the Australian International Beer Awards over the last 8 years including Trophy for Best Draught Ale (Small Brewery section) as well as numerous gold, silver and bronze medals.This amber ale is one of the base range beers that make this organic brewery one of the best in Australia.”

Served in a shaker glass the pewter/ mahogany brown pour produces a small off white head that struggles to retain, eventually collapsing away leaving very little lacing. Aroma is showing plenty of roasted and toasted characters with a subtle nutty element which is really well balanced by the floral hops. As a good amber ale should this little beauty is giving off sticky undertones of caramel and toffee but it’s the big malt-forward wafts that steal the show. Gorgeous aroma. It drinks very well, the soft and chewy mouth feel is mildly carbonated with a medium body. Crystal and caramel malts upfront offer roasted flavours with burnt caramel coming in late. A touch of fruity hops on the mid-palate delivers a caramelised finish with hints of toast and roasted malts with decent length. Only 4.5% ABV so for such a mildly alcoholic beer the flavours and depth hold up really well. We’d also be selling this short not to mention it’s session ability. Such classy Aussie brewers these guys, keep it coming.