Amber Ale - German Style Altbier - Bluegrass Brewing Co. - East St. Matthew's

secondtooth

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Attractive amber complexion, with minimal foam and fair lace.

Yeasty, bready caramel-toffee aroma. Good.

Flavor is malty, rich, and caramel biscuity. A solid drinking beer.

Not outstanding nor memorable, but worthy. I'd equate this one with some of the Samuel Adams brews -- solid and enjoyable in a session style.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 15:31:14 | More by secondtooth

NoetheMatt

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-20-2013 04:51:05 | More by NoetheMatt

rorjets

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev +17.1%

02-10-2013 04:11:22 | More by rorjets

Sivad

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +33.8%

01-04-2013 03:58:33 | More by Sivad

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

As an altbier, this is okay, I guess. Really malty with a thick sweetness. Quite cloying. Overall, not very good or interesting. This beer is marked as retired. And if that is a mistake, they should make it the reality for the beer. More waste of my money.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 03:56:14 | More by RblWthACoz

mwar

Kentucky

1.75/5  rDev -41.5%

11-26-2012 23:50:25 | More by mwar

bzach

Indiana

3/5  rDev +0.3%

10-16-2012 05:19:32 | More by bzach

The_1084

3.23/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pretty basic in appearance; pours a standard amber color with almost no head; light activity of carbonation and minimal lacing.

S - A small hint of caramel.

T - Tastes of caramel and biscuit throughout leaving a very mild aftertaste.

M - Thin and watery; light carbonation; very easy to drink.

O - This beer would probably be good as a drink with food, perhaps at a cookout or with some pizza, but doesn't do much as a standalone beer. Overall, I give it an average rating for the simple fact that it has an easy drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 09:16:36 | More by The_1084

mcorwin

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -8%

04-30-2012 01:18:07 | More by mcorwin

smarkham24

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev +17.1%

02-10-2012 02:44:35 | More by smarkham24

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16Oz on draft

A- Clear red with a 1 finger head, Standard stuff.
S- Earthy and grains with faint sweet maltiness.
T- Creamy and caramel malts, doesnt biring anything new to the table but not bad.
M- Good carbonation, Fairly easy to drink. wont want to take down more then a few but will go well on any occasion.
O- A good amber ale I frequently get because of its availability in my area. Cant go wrong here but if your just swinging into Kentucky for a short time Id try other beers first.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 08:28:08 | More by TwelveOunces

nmann08

Maryland

2/5  rDev -33.1%

11-15-2011 21:42:53 | More by nmann08

cmannes

Minnesota

3.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle poured into a SurlyFest Stien.

Appearance: Golden color, very little head.

Aroma: Slight bit of hops, and almost a little pepper.

Taste: Slight biscuity flavor. Slight malt, little metallic finish.

Mouthfeel: Very thin, while I can't say it's fizzy, due to the thinness, the fizz is strong.

Overall: Feels sessionable. But it's more of a beer you drink with something, rather than a beer you seek out for the beer itself.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 20:04:39 | More by cmannes

Ottertude

Kentucky

2.7/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This offering from the Bluegrass Brewing Company from my home state poured a cloudy coppery amber into my pint glass with minimal head. Very little carbonation to speak of and almost no lacing in my glass.

What smell there was some caramel malt and a hint of vanilla. The taste was an initial blast of caramel, toasted biscuit and something metallic with a subtle underlying hop flavor that all quickly left with little aftertaste. Kinda weird. Guess I was hoping for better.

The mouthfeel was like water so this goes down easliy. But after one of these I would look for something else. This alt is better washing down food than drinking by itself. BBC has other brews that are better. Too bad Alaska Amber doesn't make it as far east as Kentucky. That Altbier is soooo much better. Next time i'll pass on this.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2010 22:29:51 | More by Ottertude

Tone

Missouri

3.38/5  rDev +13%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy amber/copper color. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Decent retention and decent lacing. Smells of sweet malt, pale hops, yeast, and slight grain. Fits the style of an Altbier. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. There is also a slight wateriness to the mouth feel. Tastes of pale hops, sweet malt, slight nut, and some grain. Overall, a decent blend, good drinkability, and a decent Altbier.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2009 02:41:59 | More by Tone

huguey

Kentucky

2.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle.

A: Brown with excellent head.

S: Wheat, other grains.

T: Very grainy, slightly bitter. Almost a rice after taste. Bittersweet.

M: Goes down easy and not too oily.

D: I had one, it would be good with food. As a standalone beer, it doesn't stand up to my taste standards.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 00:30:26 | More by huguey

argock

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. Bottled on date on front label. Single purchased at Market Street Wineshop (Charlottesville, VA) for $1.40.

A: Clear tangerine hue with 1-2 finger foamy sandy colored head with average retention and some lacing.

S: Aroma is of some roasted caramel and pale malts with minimal herbal hops bitterness.

T: The flavor is metallic and off with some bland roasted caramel and pale malt flavors that don't approach bready followed by sour and metallic, aspirin notes that leave no trace of bitterness. Not even close to style.

M: The mouthfeel is thin and watery with no personality. Afteraste is chalky.

D: A definite skip. Not really sure what they are going for in calling it both an "amber" and "German style altbier" at the same time. This brew is not a good stab at either one.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2009 03:30:42 | More by argock

brentk56

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber color with a frothy head that persists fairly well and leaves some remembrance of lace

Smell: Caramel, with bready undertones

Taste: Bready, up front, with a developing caramel flavor that is quickly supplanted by bitter and sour elements; after the swallow, the caramel returns to domonate the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: An interesting take on the style but the bitter and sour elements in the middle throw it a bit out of whack

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 02:59:29 | More by brentk56

drtth

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Moderately chilled and poured into a Duvel glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: The beer pours out a clear dark amber/orange color with a ¼" off white head that soon recedes. Initially there is some modest lacing which is soon gone but a thin ring around the liquid remains.

Smell: The aroma is lightly bready and has some caramel malt in it but there is no real hop presence

Taste: The flavor includes caramel malt, hints of bready malt and nutty tastes and there are traces of floral spicy hops, but nothing dominates or stands out.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is thin and there is not much carbonation. The relatively short finish is dry with some hop bitterness trailing off.

Drinkability: While this was an OK beer I'll not return to this one and I probably would not buy this one again if I'd already had one. I definitely prefer the Long Trail Double Bag Stucke Alt.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2009 01:33:01 | More by drtth

briman

Texas

2.53/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours light copper color, with a lot of orange and golden tones. Slight haze, with a moderate off-white head. Little retention.

Aroma is very light, slighly bready with a slight grainy character. No hop aroma.

Flavor is very mild bready malt, with no discernible hop characteristic.

Medium light body, moderately high carbonation. Somewhat watery. This is classified as an altbier, which calls for noticeable to assertive hop bitterness. This beer has little to no bitterness. It has the color of a Dusseldorf Alt, but none of the assertive hop bitterness. It's the wrong color to be say a Northern German Alt, but still no bitterness, and although both versions of the style indicate a rich malt profile, it just doesn't exist in this brew. Honestly, I'm confused as to what this beer is really trying to be. In then end, it's basically bland and uninspiring.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 00:46:22 | More by briman

CrazyMacHarris99

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one pours a amber orange with a half inch white head. I was expecting a decently hopped amber ale not an altbier. Smell is malt and grains, very bland with no hop presence. The taste is the same with a slight fruity twinge. It is slightly watered down with no hop flavor at all. It is kind of old and musty as well. The mouthfeel is thin and there is no drinkability. Worst offering from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 06:38:06 | More by CrazyMacHarris99

Brewsmith

California

3.63/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a 12 oz. bottle set to me from a friend in TN. malty aroma with a little bready/toast. Color is a clear amber orange with a small off white head. I must have poured too vigorously because there is a little yeast sediment in the glass. Biscuity malt flavor with a hint of caramel on the back end, evenly bittered and a little floral/spicy hop character. Clean, easy drinking body and a dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 04:53:01 | More by Brewsmith

eporter66

New York

3.13/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Recieved this in the BOTMC - fresh date July 09

A - Poured hazy orange color, 1/2 finger head that quickly dissolved to a small ring around the outer portion of the beer. No lacing left on the glass.

S - I get a fruity - berry aroma from this beer, good smell. As it warmed a more woody or grainy aroma overtakes the beer. Started better than it finished.

T - Beer tasted better out of the fridge. As it warmed up it had a grainy taste, the fruitiness was more pronounced on the first few sip.

M - light to medium bodied beer, with a little zip from the carbonation.

D - One of the few craft beers that I have had so far that was better colder, usually the flavors come out more as they warm up. A drinkable beer, nothing outstanding about it.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 22:18:30 | More by eporter66

LordHammer

New Jersey

2.38/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Part of this month's BOTMC shipment. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a very clear amber with half an inch of off white head, which quickly faded to a thin lacing that stayed at the top of the beer as I drank it.

Aroma is mainly grains, with the faintest hint of hops in there.

Taste is very similar to aroma, only stronger. The overwhelming flavor is grain, with little else. It really tastes like chewing on raw grain, somewhere in the range of light caramel malt. This taste lingers for several minutes, which is most unpleasant when the taste is less than pleasing.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin, and the carbonation fairly light. The beer would be very drinkable, if not for the fact that it tasted fairly poor.

I was looking forward to this brew, as I quite like Altbier, but this example left quite a bit to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2008 20:09:20 | More by LordHammer

mooseisloose

Florida

2.4/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A recent arrival from BOTMC. Smells of grains and malts hint of cinnamon. Pours to a rusty orange. Really no head at all. Taste is watery really with a little fizz and no sweetness or bitterness. Kind of like drinking alka-selzter or beer flavored selzter water. A huge disappointment for what I shell out for BOTMC. Maybe this is a bad bottle? I'll re-review if others bottles fare better. Maybe also this brew is SO balanced that all the flavors are cancelled out. I never heard of that though.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2008 02:45:40 | More by mooseisloose