Amber Sun Ale - 16 Mile Brewing Company

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. Pours dark amber with an off-white, fluffy head. Aroma is of caramel malt, ripe fruit and herbal hops. Body is medium and crisp. Taste is caramel malt, bread crust, herbal and earthy hops, ripe fruit. Finish is long and hoppy. Very nice session brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 15:05:08 | More by mikeg67

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance wise, pretty boring. Color is ruby amber and flat . Very little head, white and unresponsive. Aroma is light and mostly of malts. Taste finds a mostly malt based ale with little in way of hop flavor and bitterness. I don’t think I would prefer another one.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 20:32:47 | More by micromaniac129

mgironta

New Jersey

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

The brew poured with a one finger, off white head on top of a clear, chestnut body. It had lots of visible, active carbonation. The nose was a bit on the nutty side with a very minute hint of hops. The taste of the beer was not what I expected. It had a lot of carbonation with a thinner body. The taste had a bit of fruity sweetness to it with some nutty, caramel malts. It had a bit of a metallic flavor to it as well. The finish lingered for a bit with the sweetness that was apparent in the taste. For a person that doesn’t like ambers, this one was actually decent. Worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:45:36 | More by mgironta

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on 2012-09-15 in Columbia, PA

A - Beautiful, clear amber-ruby with a 1-finger tan head that fades in half quickly and leaves mild lacing.

S - Sweet cherries, touch of brown bread and hop floral. Pleasant but not very strong.

T - Slightly rotten cherries, sour bread, somewhat harsh/medicinal hop-tang with a decent amount of bitterness.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Substantial but dries nicely.

O - It's drinkable. There's enough flavor here but it fails to excite.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 21:09:47 | More by Tucquan

dacrza1

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

glassware: Yuengling pint...occasion: preparing for the Shore...appearance: burnt orange/brown body that has an encouraging, thick off-white head that laces well-- pleasure to look at...aroma: light floral hops and some bready, roasted malts make for an intriguing balance of scents...palate: medium-bodied, soft and creamy delivery, with a brief finish--easy-drinking! taste: lightly bitter, almost as an afterthought, with much more stress on the toffee-like sweetness--refreshng!...overall: Shan’s Uncle Mark sent this to me particularly please by its sneaky-quick 6.1% ABV; he’s more of a pilsner drinker, so I can see why this caught his fancy; I may have to seek out more 16 Mile brews when heading to Baltimore.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 02:33:38 | More by dacrza1

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #59 (December 2011):

LOOK: Crystal-clear reddish-amber

SMELL: Toasted bread, dried fruit, broth, yeast, faintly buttery

TASTE: Rich malt, caramel, toasted pie crust, twang of overripened fruit, estery alcohol, woody hops, spicy bitterness, faint roasted grain, semidry finish, light aftertaste

Not overly exciting or sessionable, but it’s got flavor and balance. For those looking for a basic, stronger English-style Ale brewed stateside, it’s worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 10:28:17 | More by BeerAdvocate

Kranders

Massachusetts

2.73/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I think this may be the last beer from my trip to Deleware that I still have, but I finally opened the Amber Sun Ale that I got form 16 Mile brewery. I have to say, this one wasn't as good as I remember. It was nice when I tried it in the brewery, but opening it up at home I'd say it came out too sweet and too malty. Still, not bad overall, but just a bit too sweet without anything to balance it on the other side in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 01:20:21 | More by Kranders

corylew

Oregon

3.05/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours clear dark brown with a fluffy white head that hangs around for a minute or two.

Smells like esters and CO2 with some malt. No hops.

Tastes sweet. Slightly malty with an aftertaste of sweet piney hops. Nothing really distinguishable in this beer from other ambers besides that though.

Mouthfeel is about right. Carbonation is spot on. Leaves some sweet malt behind and that lingering hop flavor is okay as well.

Yeah I don't see anything here that I would call special. I also don't see anything that is flawed in this beer, but with there being so many incredible ambers on the market, I probably wouldn't select this one again unless my other options were crap.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 03:02:40 | More by corylew

Gushue3

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Really small head that does not stay around at all. Body is an amber red and clear.

S- Sweet malts and a caramel come through. nice scent.

T- Theres a sweetness upfront that has a hint of fruitiness. Really not too much going on in the taste and is kind of blah. light caramel toward the end and the finish leaves nothing to linger.

M- About a medium mouthfeel that feels pretty nice but theres almost no carbonation.

O- not too impressed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 02:04:32 | More by Gushue3

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a reddish brown. Pretty appearance. Smells malty and sweet. The smells is probably the best part of this beer. Tastes boring. Malty... A bit thin. The mouthfeel is okay. Nothing special . Overall the beer isn't bad but isn't great. Finished the glass no problem but wouldn't order it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 23:31:35 | More by Urbancaver

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.38/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 22-ounce aluminum bottle into a plain tumbler pint glass.

A: Medium, reddish copper color with fierce carbonation building to a two-finger head of dense, creamy, off-white foam which retains nicely and leaves a bit of sticky lace.

S: Sweet, roasted caramel malts, a bit of toffee and smoked peat, but also a hint of bubble solution or sidewalk chalk; hard to place it.

T: Smooth, creamy, bitter roasted malts with a hint of metallic, watery grains that interrupts an otherwise semisweet and fruity malt palate. Very low bitterness with a dose of smoky, sticky malt sweetness and herbal, mineral water and hop taste in the finish.

M: Medium-full bodied with a hint of creaminess. Very smooth throughout but a bit of a harsh, metallic feel before the finish.

O: Not a bad red, but certainly one that isn't without its flaws. Hovering around 6% ABV, it's on par with the plethora of other red ales and even has as good of a look and mouthfeel as most. A bit overly carbonated and maybe a bit metallic, but not all that bad of a red ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 00:12:19 | More by Gambrinus1184

mdaschaf

Washington

3.1/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Review from notes.

A: Pours a clear red/brown color with a two finger tan foamy head. Foamier than most beers, very light foam though. Pretty good retention and decent lacing.

S: A good bit of caramel malt, some toasted bread, and a light citrus hop aroma. Not bad.

T: Not a ton going on, some sweet caramel, grains, and some fruit, mostly bruised apple and a little bit of plum.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: I don't mind beers in the style that are on the malty side, but this one has no sign of hops at all. The bottle is cool, but 16 Mile is moving to glass bottles soon. Too many good beers out there to buy this one consistently.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 18:21:47 | More by mdaschaf

THECPJ

Delaware

3.35/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: copper orange red with a 1 finger head

smell: mostly malts, with little hops

taste: caramel, malts,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: this category has a very broad range from hoppy red's to very malty reds. this one leans towards the more malty side.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 16:34:49 | More by THECPJ

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I visited the 16 Mile Brewery in the summer of 2010 and had this beer on-tap at the brewery. I met the two owners who are super nice and very passionate about their beer. Review is based on a 22oz Alumi-bottle given to me for Christmas.

Enjoyed in a DFH Signature Glass.

A - Pours a deep golden, amber color. Little to no head upon pouring. Whatever head there is quickly dissipates. Leaves a very faint whitish foam around the edge of the glass while drinking. Little to no lacing on the sides of the glass.

S - A caramel sweetness is very noticeable.

T - Very malty. A sweet, caramel taste with no hops present at all. A biscuity taste is also present. There is a tangy aftertaste after each sip.

M - A slightly watery mouthfeel but the heaviness of the malts balance this out. Not highly carbonated.

D - A decent beer. Not a beer for those seeking a hoppy type of beer. Very malty. Very drinkable but not a true session beer in my opinion just due to the heaviness of the malts.

Overall: I like this beer and I like the taste even though I'm more of a "hop head" at heart. The aluminum bottle is a cool concept and it did a decent job of keeping the remaining beer slightly chilled after I poured and enjoyed my first glass. I would have no problem drinking this again, although I like the taste of an good IPA so I don't know how often I would seek this out.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 21:41:25 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

Stoneyrok

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +26.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Aluminum bomber bottle poured into a globe new Belgium bottem inscribed glass. Excellent redish, clear, excellent head, looks great!

S = caramel, sweet, roasted malts, fresh and light smelling..

T = taste similar to nose, sweet, mildly malty, roasted malts, sweet caramel,

M = smoooth, caramel, nice carbonation, this beer grows on you quickly! Sweet, but not too sweet, just a great balance, low hops, but enough to balance the caramel, smooth, yet drinkable and enjoyable. This would make a great session beer and is a great beer for cross overs to crafts since it has high drinkability, flavor, and ease of a great crossover beer

D = yip, could drink just this beer for the night on the right night. This brewery needs to get out there, and perhaps get their signature IPA, porter,and stout, then I think they will have to hire some extra employees to get this rolling.

Will sample this tomorrow with a local brew pub in NC to see if we can get this down here in NC!

Thanks to Dhartogs, I am honored to have such a great brew. It seems like the target market for this is beginner craft brewers and most beer drinkers sick of domestics!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 07:31:48 | More by Stoneyrok

deskim

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance - amber, very clear, two finger head, reminds me of a redwood tree

Smell - smells slightly hoppy, fairly sweet

Taste - carrmel, straightforward amber ale, sweet and still slightly malty

Mouthfeel - slightly carbonated

Drinkability - very drinkable, would have again, really cool bottle as well more craft breweries should adopt this style

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 05:29:20 | More by deskim

treyrab

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to my parents for bringing me back a few different varieties of 16 Mile Brewing beers on their recent trip to the Delaware coast. I didn't think there were many breweries that I have not heard of before, but alas, there is at least one. They only make three beers and they come in 16oz aluminum cans.

A: Pours from the aluminum can a beautiful red copper with a nice, creamy one finger head into my Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass. The head lasts for a while and laces pretty nice. It is a nice eggshell white.

S: The smell is fairly straightforward for an amber ale. Decently sweet caramel and a touch of toffee and coffee. Very grainy with grainy sweetness and sugar. Also, hints of apple as well.

T: The taste is fairly decent. Nothing extreme, but decent sweet caramel and sweet pale grains. The apple flavor carried into the taste, but not in a bad way.

M/D: Nice carbonation and a pretty good body.

Overall, this beer is average. I'm glad I tried it and I would definitely get it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 00:37:58 | More by treyrab

VaTechHopHead

California

3.3/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Amber brown (shocker)/ruby red. Quick fading one finger head, no visible carbonation, nice and clear.

S - Toasted malts, caramel, and a slight smoke/molasses aroma. Pretty much all the average aromas one looks for in an amber ale.

T - Nothing too special/exotic. Lots of caramel and sweet sugars. Nice toasted grains and malt flavoring.

M/D - Great carbonation, sweet finish, moderate alcohol feel, and very easy to drink.

A good amber from a new brewery and I dig the fact they are trying to bring the aluminum bottle to the craft beer scene!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2010 22:27:25 | More by VaTechHopHead

FenwaySquid

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 22 oz. aluminum bottle (different, but nice) poured into a mug.

Appeaance: Pours a deep dark ruby red color, beautiful.The head formed 1-2 fingers thick and had excellent retention.

Aroma: Sweet caramel and toasted malt.

Taste: Sweet caramel and dark fruit up front. The sweewtness really comes through in the middle. The finish is toasted malt, turning slightly bitter as it lingers.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, smooth and creamy. The carbonation balanced well.

Overall: Good stuff. Definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2010 09:25:08 | More by FenwaySquid

CWiggins

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked this up-along with the same brewer's Old Court Ale-at Atlantic Liquors (a beer lover's paradise for those of us in the south) while visiting Rehoboth Beach back in January. The Old Court Ale I enjoyed some time, but this one's been sitting around for two months. I've never been particularly enthusiastic about American amber ales (the sole exception being Duck Rabbit's Amber Ale), so they tend to hang around a bit in my collection 'til the mood strikes. Well, the mood struck, so . . .

It pours much darker than most ambers I've tried. The dark brown hue recalls American brown ales. Very little head formed; what did form dissipated rapidly into a scant few tiny bubbles around the rim connecting glass to brew. The smell is enticing indeed: there is a strong grainy aroma with the backbone of caramel and dark fruit. Hmmm. This a smell that begs for a taste. Upon first sip I realize this is no normal amber ale. The sweet, fruity front is full of flavor and quickly gives way to a rich, caramel center. Hops are mostly detected near the end, connecting finish to aftertaste. That tell-tale bitterness enters madly, interrupting the sweet flavors and allowing a shift in the taste experience. The mildly lingering aftertaste combines the two distinct flavors, and they mingle delightfully on the tongue.

It's a medium-bodied ale, perhaps a bit heavier than most amber ales, but it's entirely drinkable and is pleasing in medium doses.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 01:01:13 | More by CWiggins

jmfc8237

Delaware

4.35/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a glass from a very cool looking aluminum bottle. Has a dark redish hue almost burgundy color. Little to no head but that was due to a bad pour by me.

Smells great.. Lovely malt aroma that really stands out. Biscuity as all get out. Not a lot of hop nose.

Very crisp mild chocolate and bright doughy taste. Great aftertase with a perfect hop aftertaste that leaves your pallet wanting more of this great beer!

Very light and fluffy mouthfeel that is refreshing yet complex in its body. I am pleasantly surprised by this local beer and I will be back for more.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 02:49:33 | More by jmfc8237

Genuine

Connecticut

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a clean pint glass.

Poured a nice medium golden color, with a white head that seemed to have a short visit.

Smell - this one smells very..buttery and light. Very interesting to say the least.

Taste - this has got to be one of the most unique tasting beer's i've had so far. Right off the bat, it has a nice buttery/sweet taste, that finishes ever so well with the carbonation. At the end, the hops show up for a very, very nice finish. Nice and light for the summer, but not lacking taste!

Mouthfeel - nice and light

Drinkability - I could drink this all day long. Definitely a huge winner in my book.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 05:44:16 | More by Genuine

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up two bottles at Woodside Liquors south of Dover while visiting my brand-new grandson.
Ap. I love the aluminum bottle, beautiful. It pours a very dark coppery amber. The beer was cold from the fridge and had no head whatsoever. The second half pour produced a nice head.
Sm. Not a real strong smell, but I noticed mostly sweet caramel with a faint lemon that got stronger as the beer warmed up.
Ta. The caramel was foremost, but I also thought of coffee, candy, butterscotch?, but it was not an overly sweet taste. A nice bitterness in the finish with lingering caramel.
Very pleasant.
Mf. Decent carbonation, filling, with a nice thickness.
Dr. I like this beer and could easily drink a couple of these, except for the price. Six dollars per 22oz. bottle is out of my range for common beer drinking.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2009 00:12:47 | More by deaconoflove

audirs4s

Pennsylvania

1.68/5  rDev -53.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

When I was in Delaware last week my waiter recommended I go out and find a bottle from the new local brewery, 16 Mile. At the beer store down the street I found a bottle of Amber Sun Ale and hoped for the best. Well now that I've actually had a chance to sit down and drink it I'm very un-impressed.

The easiest way for me to explain this beer is water mixed with hops. Not a beer with a strong hop flavor, simply water and hops mixed into a bottle. By no means am I a good home brewer but this tastes like the first beer that a home brewer would try to make. The only thing this beer has going for it is it is a nice color, and that's not what you want people commenting on when you drink a beer.

My recommendation is to stay away from this brew. Maybe the other offering from 16 Mile iis good, but pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 01:35:18 | More by audirs4s

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

While perusing the shelves at Total Wine & More in Claymont, Delaware an employee added a new beer to the shelves. I'd never seen 16 Mile so I thought I had to give it a try, and the bottles were still cold to boot! I grabbed two. Only later did I learn that they were $7.99 a piece :(

It poured a somewhat hazy, dark mahogany-brown body beneath a short but creamy head of off-white. Unfortunately, the head retention was quite limited, although there was some thin lacing.

The aroma displayed a deeply caramelish, biscuity, and almost roasty maltiness with a bit of fruitiness from both yeast and hops.

The flavor followed true to the aroma, and there was just an edge of roastiness to the maltiness, and a good dose of citrusy hops. The flavors worked well together, and it was nicely balanced by a stiff bitterness beneath. It finished dry with some of the roastiness lingering dryly as the citrusy notes evaporated.

Overall it's a pleasant enough, tasty beer. And with its roasted edge and citrusy notes it's slightly different. That combination has obviously been done before, but at least it's got something going on beyond a standaard amber ale. It initially kind of leans towards a kind of porter-amber hybrid while cold (because the roastiness stands out more), and then it's more like a kind of a Scottish ale with a bit of an American hop bent as it warms.

Additionally, the packaging is very attractive. The brushed aluminum bottle is nice. Oddly enough, however, I should note that although I bought my bottles in Delaware, DE is not listed as a state that requires a bottle deposit. There's Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Michigan - but no home state of Delaware. Odd.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 00:10:37 | More by NeroFiddled