Special Amber - Sprecher Brewing Company

tugdriver7

Maryland

4.24/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Sprecher is only now distributing frequently to our area and I have had this one on my "want" list for some time. And now it's in cans (so it tastes like it was just made). Picked-it up last night (cold) and took it home. Poured deep golden/amber with nice 1/2 inch cream-color foam on top. Ample carbonation brought out a subtle malt smell and hint of bitterness in the nose. Initial taste was biscuity malt with a hint (just enough) of sweetness, followed by a refreshing hops bitterness that immediately tickles the taste buds and makes your mouth water. As it warmed, it just got better, lacing the glass all the way down. Very well balanced, very drinkable (maybe too drinkable) and yet with a craft-brew mouthfeel and only 5% ABV, it was hard to put down. Excellent!

Serving type: can

03-13-2013 18:01:53 | More by tugdriver7

MrGraybeard

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured chilled into a 14-ounce tumbler. White head settles into a raft about an eighth of an inch thick. Beer looks rich. Bittering hops are evident in the aroma to balance the malt.

Taste -- wonderful. Lots of malt flavor, true to a Vienna lager, with a welcome bitter hops backdrop that's offers a little variation on the form. Great balance. Restrained carbonation and generous malt create a smooth, substantial mouthfeel.

I've been drinking this beer for 25 years. It's one of my two or three standbys, offering smoothness in a sessionable brew.

Serving type: can

11-13-2012 07:34:06 | More by MrGraybeard

GPHarris

Alabama

3.5/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a - poured a two-fingers thick bubbly, light tan head into a tulip glass that left a thin ring of lace. this had some floaties in it, not sure if the can was old or what. the body was a bright amber color.
s - sweet caramel with some floral hops. hint of lemon.
t - caramel, apples, bready.
m - slick and thin with some crispness.
o - pretty good session lager. i'd drink this again especially if it was fresher.

Serving type: can

08-07-2012 14:46:57 | More by GPHarris

socon67

New York

2.6/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A - Slight amber color with some carbonation.

S - Scent of malt, vanilla, and a bit of a flowery smell.

T - Just didn't like this. Had a bit of a yeasty feel in the finish that totally put me off.

M - I couldn't fiish this, and passing it off to a buddy didn't help either. A waste of money. Had a grainy, soapy mouthfeel.

O - Maybe having Eliot Ness earlier on this trip set the bar high for a Vienna lager, but this was essentially a drainpour. I'll pass; Wisonsin has many other good choices.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2012 17:04:22 | More by socon67

dhannes

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Memorial Union in Madison in a plastic cup (also saw for $19.99/case at Costco earlier today).

A=Rich amber color with off-white foamy head.

S=No noticeable aroma.

T=Richness; hint of cinnamon and vanilla? Malts evident, while hops were present in the background.

M=Very nice...maybe a bit too heavy for the style.

O=A very nice beer...more like a lighter amber. Not quite as robust as Sam Adams' Boston Lager, but a more drinkable version...if you like Boston Lager but are looking for something that is a bit more drinkable in larger quantities, e.g. more of a session beer, and want to save a few pennies, this is a worthy choice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2012 20:50:28 | More by dhannes

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy amber color. The head was quite tall and dense. Good carbonation. But the problem was a good amount of flakey floaters of some unknown origin.
Aroma was weak and mostly malts in the Vienna style. The beer was pretty smooth and even refreshing. It was quite malty and hop bitterness gave a good balance.
Perhaps I got a bad batch. The beer was desent at best.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 12:51:34 | More by micromaniac129

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - A hazy amber brown with a light pour only got a 1/4 of sticky sweet head in a lace.

S - Very faint if anything I get faint caramel and toffee (very faint) and some biscuit malts.

T - Yuengling lager only slightly sweeter with more biscuit malts. It's not terrible it's just not that great.

M - Light to medium like Yuengling it's easy to finish.

Overall it's been hit or miss with this brewery but I just don't see any reason to revisit this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:45:43 | More by DrDemento456

mactrail

California

2.23/5  rDev -38.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Nice foam-up in the Stella glass, and decently carbonated. However, the perfumey flavor is just plain peculiar. A musty flavor with a sweet base. Candy and Karo syrup flavors. Slight bitterness but no hint of hop flavor. Vanilla ice cream with browned pie crust? Cardboard scent with a whiff of the clothes dryer. Flat and dishwatery aftertaste.

I had been impressed by several Sprecher's beers a few years ago on trips to the Midwest, but I have not had any good ones recently. Maybe the distributor strew some of their beers around the country a couple years ago and left them for the unwary beer adventurer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 05:13:48 | More by mactrail

Jason

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Slightly hazed amber, awesome head

SMELL: Freshly toasted bread, hint of caramel, spicy hop, herbal, yeast, clean, lemony

TASTE: Sweet, very bready, balanced, somewhat clean, herbal, peppery hop, Portuguese sweet bread, hop oil, semi-dry finish.

Not as refined as I anticipated but that did not throw me back at all, fresh flavors and a bit of rawness really worked here for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 04:04:10 | More by Jason

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured out of a 16 oz bottle into a tulip style pint glass

A) Amber as the name implies. A foamy finger of head dissipates to a nice dusting. Good retention, not much lacing. Decent amount of carbonation noted.

S) Malty sweetness and a little bit of floral and citrus from the hops.

T) Nicely balanced brew. Sweet roasted malt, caramel flavor followed by light pine, grass and a bitter finish.

M) Lighter than I remember, and not lacking carbonation. It's pretty crisp. I wouldn't call it smooth, but it is easy drinking. Lingering aftertaste, that is just okay.

O) Very solid lager here, and definitely one of my favorites from Sprecher. Takes me back to the first Brewer game played at Miller Park. I was guzzling these in the Sprecher tent while tailgating. The next morning, my Dad asked me about when they opened up the retractable roof. I was like, the what now??? Who won? Thanks Sprecher...

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 02:52:41 | More by RoamingGnome

rsdaugherty

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into pint glass
A – A clear honey amber brew with an off-white 1 finger head which reduced to a thin layer with no lacing 3.5
S – Sweet caramel malts with subtle florals and a slight citrus hoppiness 3.5
T – Reminds me of the sweet Hawaiian bread. Malts are caramel with a nutty characteristic with just enough hop presence that you will not miss it nice balance 4
M – Light body and very good drinkability with enough substance to keep it from feeling thin 4
O – As I grow older I find the good experiences in my life are growing in number enough that I will only remember the extraordinary experiences. A nice beer I will not remember or visit again. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 05:09:44 | More by rsdaugherty

Jammies

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- pours a golden orange with minimal foam. no retention as the foam immediately dissipates.

S- sweet and piney. Pretty balanced smell.

T- deep malty and piney taste. Doesn't "wow" me

M- light body slides across the palate. Maltiness remains

O- Drinkable, but I wouldn't buy this beer. If I had anymore I would probably give them away to make room for some other stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 15:35:11 | More by Jammies

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.85/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Fresh bottle from the brewery. A little cheesy aroma. Much head that resulted in a small retained head, on light yellow body. Not very drinkable,grassy, herbal, light caramel, medium body. A Vienna, just not so tasty.A little sweet, no significant bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 01:53:22 | More by northyorksammy

KMcG

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The namesake is amber so I’m going to go with amber in color. The head begins big and then fades to include some slight traces of head on the edges of the glass.

S-The aroma is mostly malty with some hints of dried dark fruit.

T-Sweet malts and very slight hops are the predominant taste. The aftertaste is mostly crisp with hint of sweetness (caramel).

M-The carbonation is balanced with the flavor for this light to medium brew.

This beer is very easy to drink and is how a lager should be.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 13:52:42 | More by KMcG

fatmcb1

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear, amber pour with less than one finger of head. Quickly dissipates to a ring

Sweet, malty aroma with a decent amount of hop background.

Plenty of roasted malts and caramel flavor are up front. There is a slight hop balance, but definitely more malt forward.

Good carbonation provides a rich mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 02:52:58 | More by fatmcb1

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 16oz bottle into pint glass

A-Amber is in the name so it appropriate that it pours a nice amber color with about a finger of head that fades away quickly leaving not much for lacing

S-Slightly grainy carmel

T-sweet malts and carmel with a little hint of hops

M-good carbonation finishes on the sweet side

O-good easy drinking not to complex

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 21:44:27 | More by tvv375ia

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours out translucent golden brown with a short lived two finger fluffy head, mild lacing. Smells mostly of heavy caramel malt, bready yeasty notes, and some very mild earthy and spice hop aspects. Taste is like graham crackers and nut-tinged malts stampeding all over your tongue. The mild hop presence doesn't even appear until the finish, and even than it is an understated kiss goodnight of noble hops on your lips. It could use a small boost to those noble hops. However, the body is the main issue with this brew. To my mouth, this beer comes across as thin and watery, if only it had a slightly chewier texture, or just a bit heavier body, than I would have to search really damn hard to find something else to nitpick.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 18:50:44 | More by WastingFreetime

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought a single bottle of this from Woodman's in Janesville, WI for $1.79 in early 2011.

Pours a golden amber color with a very bubbly head of foam. Scent is strong with grassy wheats, malts, and a slight touch of citrus. Taste is bold and refined. It is a smooth well blended mixture of wheats, hops, and malts. Is rather refreshing with a not too light/not to strong taste that drinks perfectly. Probably one of the best Vienna Lagers I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 03:35:41 | More by Lemke10

cooch69

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer came in a can and poured into a pilsner glass a bright copper amber color with a two finger soapy white head. Visual presentation on this one was a beauty. Tons of carbonation rise to the top to maintain a fair bit of lacing all the way to the last drop.

Nose on this one is a bit muted. It includes pale grains, some caramel bready notes and a slight spicy hop kick. Smooth, brisk and light on the nose.

This beer does'nt provide much of a chore to drink it fast. Super light and easy to put down. Good on a hot summer day. Some musty notes in here as well as the hops and grains. Very well balanced.

A good German Lager at a really affordable price.

Serving type: can

07-23-2011 14:34:09 | More by cooch69

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Uh oh, I am the first to review this under "Serving Type - [CAN]" so I want to get in front of this before my detractors weigh in. It exists in a CAN, jagovs! A basic tenet of The CANQuest (TM) is NO lying. If it is not CANned or if I simply CANnot get one, I am not going to post a fictitious review for the sake of a Glug (because CANs don't tick, only Glug). Plus, I am VERY relieved to have another CAN. My first one was from the For Trade basket at Bella Vista and it was in a bag with four Sixpoint CANs purchased at Hawthorne's and while at a third (unnamed) establishment during PHL Beer Week, the bag disappeared. It was my fault for putting it down while grabbing a beer, but it did not make me happy, either.

From the CAN: "Milwaukee's Original Microbrewery"; "Established in [MKE] - 1985"; "Fire-Brewed".

The Crack introduced me to a VERY active beer that jumped right out at me like a little kid on the arrival of a favorite relative. I let it settle down, as I always do with little kids, taking a W. C. Fields stance towards them. The Glug resulted in a dense rocky finger of tawny head with modest retention. As to color, this was truth in advertising at its finest - a beautiful, deep amber bordering on copper with NE-quality clarity. When I see women with a natural head of hair this color, I fall instantly in lust. I turn into Lennie from "Of Mice and Men", wanting to touch their hair and jabbering on about freckles and pale skin. Sometimes, it actually works! This beer was equally beautiful. The nose had a caramel malt sweetness to it and while that may not be enticing to me, it was not off-putting, either. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full with a grassy light astringency on the tongue. Finish had a mild grassy bitterness overlaying the light sweetness underneath. I am definitely getting some of this for the cooler!

Serving type: can

07-11-2011 15:03:57 | More by woodychandler

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.15/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottled April 21, 2011

A: Dark amber, white head.

S: Caramel. Very mild spicy hops as it warms.

T: Caramel and mealy (somehow the texture seems relevant), overripe apple with just the slightest hint of bitterness. I would much prefer if the hops were there to balance the sweet malt, but as it is, it's sweeter than I like.

M: Medium with good carbonation.

O: A bit like a Brooklyn Lager without hops. I suspect this beer would accompany many dishes well. Without food, I can drink a few, but there are many others I would rather drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 02:42:30 | More by greybeardloon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Funny how "special" has a few meanings, each with its own level of prestige, so to speak. Let's see where this beer lands within that spectrum: It pours a clear amber (how thoroughly apropos) topped by a half-finger of slightly off-white foam. The nose comprises biscuits, graham crackers, and a touch of caramel. It's like a dry, slightly woody (dammit, I forgot to mention the hint of balsa, didn't I?) malt-bomb of the highest order. The taste brings in some mandarin orange and decidedly mild flowers, but these are in turn enveloped by the caramel and graham-influencing honey. It's a lot more nuanced than the smell, and the balance, though off, isn't altogether lost. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a feel that leans toward watery without ever actually making it all the way there. Overall, an okay Vienna, but way too one-sided and too thin to really produce a wow factor.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 00:19:36 | More by TMoney2591

Thads324

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a clear and vibrantly bubbly amber color. on the lighter side of amber/copper. good sticky white head that loiters a while. smells musty and sweet, like lager yeast and a hint of corn syrup. Begins with a crisp bread-like flavor, with a sharp but not bitter hop flavor mid profile, before finishing smooth and again crisp. There is a very sweet linger after the finish that I notice halfway through my glass. Very neat package of flavor with no holes, tannins etc. mouthfeel is very crisp and slightly dry, with a good sharp finish that is quite clean.
A well done lager. I could drink this bad boy all day and night. Reminds me somewhat of a lighter colored yuengling, but better flavor. A nice sessionable brew

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 20:09:39 | More by Thads324

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Solidly orange, with some copper notes to it. Very clear. White head is one and a half fingers thick and long lasting.
S- Smell is caramel, some grainyness, and a bit of earthyness/nutty notes.
T- The flavor can simply be said to be excellent until the finish. Caramel and bready notes at the beginning, a bit of fruityness and earthyness near the finish, but then there is this quite off slightly sour note in the finish that probably dropped the taste score a full point for me.
M- Light-medium body, smooth finish in the carbonation.
O- Other than the flavors in the finish, it was an allaround solid beer. Paired very well with my German food (pork chop and red cabbage).

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 21:29:06 | More by jsprain1

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz. single from Abe's.

Golden amber body, good clarity, topped by three-plus fingers of snow white micro-micro-bubbles. Very creamy looking.

Strong clean aroma mixes bits of bakery and hay. Inviting though not overly assertive.

Light semi-sweet beginning in the midde of the tongue. Noble hops bite at the swallow and tingle through a long lingering and enjoyable aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is a bit chewier than expected, giving a bit more heft to the beer.

A good solid German inspired lager that you can have a couple of during an evening.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 22:20:20 | More by RonfromJersey