Fire Boat Amber - Fire Station 5 Brewing Company

BeerManDan

California

2.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The color when poured was a hazy amber, with foam that disapated immediatley. The smell had a hint of roasted malts and sweet aroma of candy.
The taste was not as I expected. I tasted a combination of grass and malts, with a hint of spice? Not to sure, but the flavor was really weak. Different taste that I found one bottle was enough for me!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 21:47:04 | More by BeerManDan

lwillitz

Florida

2.85/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12-oz bottle into New Belgium globe

A - transparent amber body under a very thin off-white head; small amount of visible carbonation

S - honey-sweetened biscuits with grassy hops

T - sweet and bready up front; bitter grass and citrus add balance, especially in the finish; well-balanced, but dull

M - light/medium body with medium/high carbonation, carbonation gives it a bite, astringent, refreshing

O - The flavor is pretty plain and the carbonation is stronger than I would like. Fire Boat is drinkable, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 19:51:05 | More by lwillitz

shelby415

Oregon

2.5/5  rDev -14.1%

02-25-2012 07:01:13 | More by shelby415

abeldiaz

Washington

3/5  rDev +3.1%

01-09-2012 16:20:09 | More by abeldiaz

Sargully

Oregon

3/5  rDev +3.1%

12-10-2011 16:11:00 | More by Sargully

twelveinches

Washington

3/5  rDev +3.1%

11-24-2011 07:00:58 | More by twelveinches

rrock44

Washington

3/5  rDev +3.1%

11-15-2011 03:03:53 | More by rrock44

Bookseeb

Washington

2.6/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance of a darker amber color with a thin head and mild lace. Smell has a light bready malt sweetness. Taste has the same as the nose with a slight metallic sweetness and light hops. Mouthfeel is medium with mild carbonation. Not one of the best Ambers I've tried, don't think I'd go for it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 03:36:50 | More by Bookseeb

SickBrew

Washington

2.98/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz twist off BB, and, after having two other sub-par brews from this Fire Station 5, my expectations are quite low.

This brew with a weak off white head that quickly dissipates to basically nothing. It pours a weak amber hue which is mostly gold in color, but it is quite clear. Nose is slightly sweet, somewhat malty and then has something like maple syrup in the end of the whiff.

Taste is actually fair. It has a decent malty sweetness but lacks that caramel quality of a good amber. Hops are basically absent and a grainy, almost cardboard quality finishes this beer.

Mouthfeel is medium light, which a bit weak for the style and there a bit a astringency which may from the carbonation.

To finish, this beer needs an infusion of body, composed of a rich malty, caramel backbone.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 01:38:56 | More by SickBrew

Spikester

Oregon

2.63/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

From a 22 ounce bomber.
Pours clear reddish amber with a very modest head and few lacings. Aroma is not bad there just isn't much of it.
Taste is astringent, sweet, and turns a bit sour due to the modestly bitter hops. I could taste a bit of citrus but it ends up somewhat sour on the tongue. Medium carbonation.
Drinkability is O.K. but I'll not buy a sixer any time soon. I agree that this is close in quality and value to the Henry Weinhard line.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2008 05:12:51 | More by Spikester

ElGordo

Oregon

3.05/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A friend brought a sixer of this stuff to my house, and we weren't very impressed the first time around. I picked another up out of the back of the fridge, and I have to say it's about the same on the second chance.
Body is a dark amber hue, topped by a small, temporary flourish of creamy white head that dissipates to a thin ring almost immediately. Aroma of caramel malt, along with a touch of floral hops. Palate is malty up front, with a bit of balancing bitterness from the hops emerging mid-palate, yet yielding again for the fairly sweet finish. Body is nice and firm, creamy but not too thick. This is certainly not a bad beer, just a boring example of a tired style.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2008 07:01:11 | More by ElGordo

nickfl

Florida

2.38/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A - Less than one finger of off-white foam with a hazey, light-amber colored body.

S - Biscuity malt aroma and grainy sweetness.

T - Slightly sour with some maltiness and a little bit of roast. There a hop presence, but it kind of blends in with the sourness.

M - Moderate to thin body and high carbonation.

D - Not too impressed with this one. The malt is weak, the hops are indeterminite, and the sourness seems like a pretty big mistake.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2007 22:41:39 | More by nickfl

arizcards

Arizona

3.08/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up in late April as part of a mixed six-pack from Fry's for $5.99.

Beer poured an amber color with a decent white head. Nose is pretty non-descript outside of the hint of caramel malts. Taste is very fruity and sweet for the style. Finish is rather tart. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and lively on the palate from a decent amount of carbonation that appears. Overall drinkability is average. I have had this at tailgate parties in the past. It is OK for a session beer and worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2007 22:46:33 | More by arizcards

britzdog

Ohio

3.08/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

not a bad beer but there are better ones out there. i did not care for the carbonation level , a little to much for me. the aftertaste seemed a little off.

i sampled two bottles bought a week apart from different dealers and the results were the same

"live long and prosper"

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2007 02:56:56 | More by britzdog

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A nice clear amber with a fairly thick head. Aroma is strongly malty and inviting. Flavor is malty with metallic hints and a surprising but not unpleasant bitter overtone. A little thin but smooth and satisfying, this ale is definitely worth at least sampling. I am glad that I bought a six pack.

How could I resist the name? I love firefighters. They are real superheroes.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2007 02:45:38 | More by Cyberkedi

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - pours a nice coppery color, a thin head on top, off white in color. Thin rings of lace.

Aroma - bready, crackery grain. Clean but average.

Taste - roasty caramel to start. A metallic touch also, moving to the bitter hop side without much of any citrus. It's low-key though and a nice overall balance to the front-side malts.

Mouthfeel - crisp carbonation, average body and weight. Good fit for the style.

Drinkability - pretty good, as the last swallow from the sixer disappeared a few moments ago. Easy to drink, but pretty middle of the road.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2007 17:27:59 | More by brewdlyhooked13

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.98/5  rDev +36.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I thought this beer was better than most other BA's. It's a simple style, and I think that the flavor profile was expected, and the brew is neither overly sweet, nor under malted. A pleasant toasty, carmel, malt aroma remains light, but persistant throughout the session. The appearance is a clear ruby, mohogany color with average CO2. Tastes mimic the aromas with the light toast, caramel / toffee flavor. Hopped for balance in flavor and bittering. The beer has a clean crisp mouthfeel, while remaining firm until the end. Finishes a bit sweet, but still clean. I prefered this brew to their Hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2007 16:41:59 | More by BEERchitect

merlin48

Kentucky

3.45/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a mostly clear, medium orange body with a tiny offwhite head that quickly vanishes. No lacing. Aroma is weak, toffee and some vague fruits that seem to be apple or orange. Medium body with a nice medium carbonation. Taste mirrors the aroma, toffee maltiness and the same vague fruity notes. A very pedestrian amber, but engaging in its own way.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2006 15:16:28 | More by merlin48

kimcgolf

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This started out great, but was dissappointing. Poured to a reddish-orange color with little carbonation, a thin off-white head and little lacing. Had a great aroma of malty sweet caramel, with hints of chocolate. Unfortuantely, little or none of this was found in the taste, which was bland. Mouthfeel was slightly spicy, but nothing great. Finish was a little stale, like wet cardboard. Not real impressed with this aside from the aroma.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2006 02:32:21 | More by kimcgolf

Zorro

California

2.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a slightly hazy amber colored brew with a fast vanishing white head.

Smell is very malty and a bit fruity. Lots of grainy and caramel smells and a bit of raisin and soy sauce in the scent. Smell is similar to Fat Tire Ale but not as strong.

Taste is a bit sweet with tartness in the background. Bit of butterscotch in the taste and a little bit of hop bitterness in the aftertaste. Taste is OK but not outstanding.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Not a bad beer but not a great one either. I would say that this is just a bit better than Killians Red, but not by much.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2005 01:14:02 | More by Zorro

Thrasher

Oregon

3.33/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Fire Boat Amber pours an orange amber that is not very dark for an amber ale. It could be the color of a bitter; it's lighter than many British pale ales, and I think it's lighter than FireStation5's ESB. The head is small and fleeting and the aroma is mild. The taste is of caramel, sweet bread, pizza dough, perhaps nuts and a twinge of brown sugar. It's very mellow and a bit difficult to grap a hold of, but pleasant. It's in the same ballpark stylistically as some British brown ales, such as Newcastle or Samuel Smith. This has the added advantage of being local and packaged in brown bottles. It could go nicely with pizza. It could also be a fine session beer, since it doesn't draw much attention to itself and the maltiness is relatively tame compared to some bigger ambers. FireStation5 makes some brews that I quite like. This one isn't as good as the others, but I like it better than other reviewers did.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2004 00:53:32 | More by Thrasher

RoyalT

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance – This one was shiny orange in color and clear with a full, white head.

Smell – This one has a nice, nutty aroma that blends well with the light citrus and floral hops. It also has a solid malty base that’s slightly sweetened.

Taste – The nutty malts took over this fire boat. There’s some light spicing in there that kept things interesting but the hops fell off the table and this amber ale took a turn for the worse.

Mouthfeel – This is light-bodied with a slightly tingly mouthfeel. The nice malty smoothness is heavy at times but feels good, especially on the back part of the tongue.

Drinkability – I’m clearly in the minority here, but I didn’t think this was all that bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2004 17:03:08 | More by RoyalT

beertaster13

Washington

1.73/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

This is a watered down amber at best. Pours a dark goldish red with nice head that turns into nothing, lacing is nowhere to be seen. The smell is slight skunk and grain, otherwise nothing else. The taste is like a dark lager, very light, hints of grain and corn, very light and watered down, by far the worst from Firestation and I do not recommend even looking at this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2004 00:33:18 | More by beertaster13

alexgash

Connecticut

2.6/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I don't think I'll go out of my way to buy anymore Firestation 5 beers. Too mediocre.
This "amber" pours a dark copper with a wispy, off-white head. Smells of fruity malts, some cookie dough, and minor hops. Taste starts with an apple malt flavor with sweetish bread notes. Hops come in and simply provide an off-tasting bitterness. Finish is bitter, but wanes quickly. Meh...

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2004 19:52:30 | More by alexgash

jreitman

California

2.5/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

The best way I can describe it is a Bud drinker's amber. For all the mass market ambers I have seen, this is by far the worst. The flavor and aroma profile are minimally and and overall pretty subdued. Beer is very watery without much body or flavor. Is quite easy to drink, but that's more due to lack of character than skillful brewing. Not horrible, just not interesting in any way.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2003 22:02:01 | More by jreitman