Lighthouse Ale - Fire Island Beer Company

BigPlay1824

New York

3.03/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a hazy golden brownish color with a thin finger of fine grayish head that dissipates rapidly, leaves zero lacing
S: has a bit of a sweet scent like raspberries or some other kind of berry maybe, also has a slight scent note like some adjunct lagers ive seen out there
T: ok, its drinkable but thats about it, has a bit of sweetness that i guess i would associate with an amber ale but really isnt entirely appealing
M: thin, leaves the mouth clean, medium intense carbonation at the beginning
O: eh, pretty bland and doesnt stand out anywhere, the best part was the mouthfeel and thats never a good sign for a beer

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 23:41:00 | More by BigPlay1824

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Hazy orange amber in color with hardly any head and then fades to nothing. Carbonation is very light. Smells of malts husks and other stuff.
Taste is bland and sad some malt and yeast.
It is smooth though so thats a plus but thats about it. Tastes waterdown and weak.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 18:01:45 | More by micromaniac129

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -14%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

amber/reddish hue with a nice cream colored head. Smell was sweet caramel malts with a hint of a corn or grain in it. The taste was very much sugary malts with again a bit of a grain or earthy back to it. Very nice actually. This is very nicely carbonated and goes down smooth

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 03:24:15 | More by mikesgroove

scootny

New York

3.48/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A good solid amber brew that looks nice in the glass with a decent off white head and a touch of lace. cloudy honey amber with moderate carbonation. Nice amount of fruitiness in the nose overlays a solid malt core with sweet bready notes. Light floral hops. Taste is smooth and malty with just the right amount of hop balance. A bit of mild citrus in the clean finish leaves bit of bread a biscuit and a touch of graham lingering underneath. Feel is crisp and lightly effervescent. Highly drinkable and while not a standout not a beer to ever turn down.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 04:22:19 | More by scootny

CaptJackHarkness

New York

4.6/5  rDev +31.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Even as I write this , I have decided this is now my favorite American Red!

Although it says Fire Island Beer Co., it is actually brewed in Upstate N.Y. (Saratoga). I remeber trying this on tap years ago at "The Shack";arguably Fire Islands best bar.

This has a sweet malty aroma, pours a slightly hazy orange color with a nice thick frothy head that lasts a fair time. A thin lacing of the glass persists. The taste is a bit citrusy tart and smooth delighting the tounge and palate!

The label says " the kind of beer you want to have a beer with", and they are not wrong.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 23:01:05 | More by CaptJackHarkness

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at the Whole Foods at the Time Warner Center in New York recently since I can't obtain this beer in New Jersey. I had the Red Wagon IPA not too long ago so I figured that this would be as good. Unfortunately, this feel a bit short and it wasn't until I signed onto here that I found out what style this fell under. Needless to say, this was a bit weak and not as strong as other American Ambers/Red Ales that I've had recently.

This had a decent pour to it with a bright copper hue and a head that was present but not overpowering. There was hardly any lacing to be seen and the aroma was faint, to the point there it reminded me of a second-tier macro beer. As for the mouthfeel, it was somewhat full and toasty, but the taste wasn't anything special. Just a bit of the metallic copper repeated with some caramel notes. This went down easy and there wasn't a lot of carbonation to go along with the lightness of this beer.

It would be easy to have a few in a sitting since I could hardly taste the alcohol in this. While there are better and deeper American Ambers and Red Ales available, this would be fine for kicking back with after work. It's just not that memorable.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 07:33:58 | More by JerzDevl2000

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fire Island's Lighthouse Ale is a standard, fairly well-made American amber. It's a somewhat hazy orange-copper color beneath a short-lived head of creamy off-white foam; and the head retention and lacing are somewhat limited. The aroma delivers a gently sweet combination of malt and berry-like yeasty fruitiness. The flavor offers more graininess, a touch of breadiness, golden caramel, and some nuttiness as well as some mildly leafy, spicy, and floral hops. It's mildly bitter; and fairly smooth across the palate with a moderate carbonation that gently caresses the tongue. It finishes drying as the malt fades and the hops make themselves known. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 21:25:15 | More by NeroFiddled

jeranbrews

New York

3.4/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Orange red cedar mulch color, very low finely beaded bone white head. Plenty of champagne bubble continued carbonation.

S - Lots of creamy toffee caramel and leathery hops. Like a new leather belt in a wooden box dipped in frosting.

T - Initial hoppy flavors are a bit dull. Kind of like cherry pits or peach pits. The goodness has been drained out. Aftertaste is lightly malty and sour. Very much underwhelmed

M - A bit disappointing as predicted by the dismally small head. Watery and indistinct sadly.

D - A random find in a random restaurant on the tip of Long Island. I was initially hopeful based on the delightful smells but overall this beer can't quite deliver. Needs more flavor. good flavor bad flavor just needs something.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:19:26 | More by jeranbrews

aranheaney

New York

2.78/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-decent copper with a finger of head that lasts for a bit

S-some malt, but kind of a BMC tone

T-eh, not so great, a bit of an unpleasant (corn-like) aftertaste, especially after it warms

M-fair

O-fair, glad I tried it, but probably won't buy again

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 23:37:48 | More by aranheaney

socon67

New York

3.23/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Copper colored pour. Minimal foam, and no lcaing. Visible carbonation.

S - Not much actually. A bit of barley and malt.

T - A bit of caramel sweetness with a bitter finish. A hint of spice is present.

M - Pretty light bodied. There is some carbonation. A spicy feel on the tongue.

O - Not bad, but fairly nondescript.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 17:37:34 | More by socon67

TheDeuce

New York

2.48/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Fire Island Lighthouse Ale……….in a bottle

Appearance-pale copper color, middle of the road head with a little lacing left over by the time it disappears.

Smell-light mix of malt, hops, caramel, alcohol is there, not much else.

Taste/Mouthfeel-subdued, hints of caramel and fruit along with toasted malt character. Smooth, finishes fairly clean. Light mouthfeel.

Drinkability-no major flaws, subdued flavor.

Overall-not an offensive beer but simply not worth a purchase, indistinguishable and bland.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 12:52:00 | More by TheDeuce

Brianjames16

New York

3.43/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a clear light coppery red color. One fingers width of white head dissipates pretty quick. Little to no lacing sticks around on the glass.

S- Nice balance of caramel and toasty malt aromas with a minimal hop presence in the back. Very pleasing and welcoming aroma on this one.

T- Caramel is the most obvious flavor that sticks out. The toasted malts linger in the after taste and coat the mouth. Very nice balance of flavors. Slight bitterness from the hops.

M- Light/medium body with decent carbonation. Refreshing with a crisp finish makes this beer an easy drinker with good flavor.

O- This beers always available by me which is nice. Definitely a beer I revisit often.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 00:24:58 | More by Brianjames16

metter98

New York

3.5/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy light copper in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head that quickly faded away and left lacy patterns floating in the center of the glass.
S: There are sweet aromas of fruit and bready malts in the nose.
T: The beer tastes a bit metallic and has sweet flavors of caramel and toasted malts.
M: It feels light-bodied and somewhat watery on the palate with a light to moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is easy to drink, but nothing really interesting sets it apart from other types of amber ales.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 01:50:27 | More by metter98

WesWes

New York

3.58/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark golden/amber color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a solid pale malt scent along with some Munich malts and a touch of hops. The taste is decent as well. It has a bland pale malt flavor along with a moderate hop character and some yeast esters in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a drinkable beer, yet it's lacking complexity.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 21:06:42 | More by WesWes

tronester

Oklahoma

3.38/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a bottle, this amber ale starts with a sweet caramel flavor, then shifts to dried fruit, and a slightly tart malt finish. Not many hops, in either bitterness or flavor. Good mouthfeel and carbonation. Drinkability is quite good, light and refreshing. I probably wouldn't buy this but would certainly drink it again. A good starter craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 02:35:41 | More by tronester

mdfb79

New York

3.33/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

a - Pours a light brown-amber color with high carbonation evident and one inch of white head.

s - Smells of sweet fruit, roasted malts, bready, and toasted malts.

t - Tastes of sweet fruit, metal, and caramel and toasted malts.

m - Medium body and low carbonation.

d - Not that great of an amber ale. There was a bit of a metallic taste to it and mostly just malts. Wouldn't look to buy again.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2010 00:44:48 | More by mdfb79

portia99

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle received from joeybeerbelly in the SNF squares...thanks Joe! Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

A - Pours a perfectly clear light amber/copper color. Thin head of white foam that disappears quickly. Tons of very large carbonation bubbles rise steadily throughout the glass.

S - Lots of earthy hops in the aroma and a bit metallic. Thin malt in the background, mostly grainy character with some toasty biscuity smells too.

T - Taste mirrors the aroma pretty well. Hops give a refreshing bitterness and sit on top of the malt, which is light in character, but still gives a mild sweetness and some breadlike flavors.

M - Thin to medium bodied, slightly light in carbonation. Carbonation is pretty loose also. Goes down very easy, waterlike in that not much of the flavor lingers behind. Light and refreshing in feel.

D - Overall, a nice mild and highly sessionable beer. Good for after doing some yardwork (getting to be that time of year again too). This is one to grab if your in for a long session, flavorful enough to be satisfying, but in no way heavy...very easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2010 16:44:04 | More by portia99

billab914

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Dogfish shaped pint glass. Poured a amber in color with a thin white covering on top. The head settled out after a few minutes but left moderate lacing on the glass.

The aroma has some toasty malts with some caramel and a little hops coming through as well. The taste is a little light with caramel and toasted malts making up most of the flavor.

Mouthfeel is on the lighter side with moderate carbonation. Drinkability is decent. It's a pretty easy drinking lighter beer that has some good malt flavors going on.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 21:44:28 | More by billab914

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big up to JoeyBeerBelly for the extra!

Poured into a DFH curved pint: a honey-like amber with bright gold highlights & a finger of creamy head that drops to a thin covering.

There's a sweet, apple-ish kind of fruity smell. Some slight musty/funky smell, slightly vegetable, & some pretty clean hops.

Taste has a sweet-ish cereal flavor, like corn flakes or shredded wheat, with a caramel presence that's nooot quite there, never comes full circle. Nice crisp hop taste, just enough to balance it out without making it really bitter.

Light-bodied, just a touch flinty & crisp. Goes down easy, but nothing really to hook me into multiple glasses.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2010 02:34:49 | More by OneDropSoup

Mosstrooper

California

3.68/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into Roanoke College branded American pint glass.

Appearance: Crystal clear, light amber color with a very large white head hat dissipates very slowly and leaves substantial lacing.

Smell: Caramel malts and a toasty character, with slight grassiness.

Taste: Toasty and buttery, with a caramel finish that has balanced, nutty hop character.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with well-rounded natural carbonation and a crisp, slightly dry finish.

Drinkability: A very good session beer and very well rounded.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 18:40:34 | More by Mosstrooper

wahhmaster

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Macado's Halloween-branded shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a translucent amber color. Has a fluffy, white head that dissipates slowly and leaves decent lacing.

Smell: Has a malty smell with strong fruity notes. Also has some grassy hops notes.

Taste: Starts off bitter and finishes with sweet malts. Has a metallic tinge at the end of it.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a nice carbonation bite.

Drinkability: Meh...This is a typical amber ale with nothing to really make it stand out. Not bad but not worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 01:47:50 | More by wahhmaster

projectflam86

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this from a trade with JoeyBeerBelly. Cheers!

A- Pours a golden/amber color with a thick white foam head that fades to a ring. Some decent lacing left behind.

S- Sweet caramel malt and toasted grains. A bit of earthy hops.

T- Relatively low hop flavor with just a touch of bitterness upfront. Fruity esters are quite prominent with a sweet caramel malt finish.

M- Medium/light bodied with ok carbonation.

D- Really easy drinking brew with enough flavor to keep me happy.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 04:49:50 | More by projectflam86

albern

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First, a correction. The bottle says the beer is brewed in Saratoga Springs, so perhaps the contract brewery moved its operation. The beer pours a clear amber with very little head and no lacing. There is zero retention and the beer has fairly low carbonation. The nose on the beer is a touch grainy, maybe a little grassy, some undefined sweet malts maybe the slightest touch of caramel. This is a low ABV beer for sure.

The taste is very simple, modest, a touch watery bland, with some grainy caramel malts, maybe a touch of hop in the finish to tighten things up just a bit, but mostly just a refreshing, light pale type ale. There is a bit of crystal malts and a slightly sourishness that detracts a bit. There isn't much to this beer. It is light all the way through.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2009 19:10:59 | More by albern

Billolick

New York

3.78/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce, I'm am currently staying on Fire Island, so felt thisw choice was a no brainer. Pours typical medium honey amber, clear, with a light tan head, leaves fine spots of lace. Light malt/hop sniff. Medium bodied, peasant enough ale. Moderate malt underflowage, with a noticable but not beefy hop presence. Middle of the road in every way. Smooth and quite drinkable. Nothing special, just a so so, but still BA worthy ale

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2009 20:40:29 | More by Billolick

JordonHoltzman

New York

3.28/5  rDev -6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

bought in montauk. nice labels on this bottle, however no birthdate or expiration date anywhere on the bottle or on the sixpack packaging.
coppery color, with a pinky's head that dissolved in 15 seconds and no lacing. disappointing appearance. sweet but sour smell, with a little touch of oats and caramel.
tastes of oatmeal and caramel, no taste of alcohol. its a little toasty, some sort of tart is there at the back, can't pinpoint a fruit though.
light carbonation, average mouthfeel and drinkability.

must be a young company, only one brew to their name. average beer. i wish them all the luck.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 01:33:06 | More by JordonHoltzman