Pours a cloudy, rusty orange with minimal head on my pint glass pour. Aroma consists of more malt than hops, and I pick up a toasted, bready note.
Before I go into the taste let me say that I appreciate the few Rogue beers I’ve had. I know my brother who resides on the West coast and also writes for the PHM thoroughly enjoys many Rogue offerings. If you are new to Rogue, you absolutely must have their Dead Guy Ale. It ranks up there among the more solid American craft beers, a consistent staple for many. See review HERE.
American Amber is clearly related in flavor to Dead Guy, likely due to Rogue’s Pacman yeast strain which they were kind enough to mass distribute to the public earlier in 2010 under a partnership with Wyeast, one of the major yeast suppliers in the market. Again, I have not had a wide range of Rogue beers but I can taste similarities between Amber and Dead Guy. In my opinion, Pacman imparts a very tasty flavor.
American Amber is well balanced between malty, toasty sweetness, medium mouthfeel and hop bitterness and flavor. A very well rounded beer- one I could drink anytime, anywhere. People new to craft beer should find this beer quite tolerable and approachable. Bear in mind, my judgment and taste buds may be so adjusted that the previous statement may not ring true for all people, but I’ll stand by it. The carbonation, mouthfeel and perfect balance make this beer quite drinkable. The ABV comes in at 5.3% making this a beer you can easily have more than one of, and enjoy every sip.
In my opinion, this is a great representation of the fairly wide range of style that is American Amber ale. If anything, it may lean slightly toward the hoppy side of the style, but not over the top by any means.
ABV: 5.3%
Grade: A-