Full Sail Amber - Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

KDawg

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This was had on cask at the Full Sail riverfront pub. Pours a nice red/amber color with a good foamy head.

Nice and balanced with malty aromas, toffee and some hops. Solid depth, but not too exciting.

Very smooth medium feel. The feel is very nice but the depth of flavor is lacking a bit with notes of malts, caramel, and some hops.

A solid amber. Nothing too exciting but drinkable.

Serving type: cask

06-27-2012 18:51:02 | More by KDawg

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Though Full Sail Amber is as common in the northwest as raindrops dripping from a Doug fir branch, I generally don't go out of my way to drink it. It's not designed to stir much excitement. And when I'm drinking budget beers, I tend to reach for IPAs or stouts. So, despite having every possible opportunity to drink this ale, I've somehow managed to avoid much familiarity with it.

But when I saw it at the Pilsner Room on cask I decided it was time for an amber reunion. The PR has three cask engines and I was careful to note that the bartenders hadn't served a single cask pour in the two hours I'd been in the house. In fact, the casks themselves looked dripless and dry. This didn't bode well.

But the amber came in chestnut with a bright, somewhat doughy aroma that didn't betray any off notes. It tasted of caramel sweetness with basic, appropriate bittering. The body was big and satiny and left lazy, recalcitrant lace in thick clusters on the glass. (The bartender had asked if I preferred a chilled or unchilled glass. Always good service at the PR. My preference is for unchilled glassware on all occasions.)

Built on simple balances, Full Sail's amber is not an extravagant beer by any means. But I certainly enjoyed mine.

Serving type: cask

07-19-2009 23:10:24 | More by RedDiamond

bridgeporter

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Haven't had this beer on cask for quite awhile so made a point of ordering a pint while visiting the brewery in Hood River recently. I was pleasantly surprised as this beer seems quite average from the bottle. Out of a handpump the malty lightly hopped taste came through quite nicely.

This is one of those beers that actually is not damaged by use of a sparkler to give it a creamier head. I get funny looks at Bridgeport when asking that this device be taken off for the IPA. When my pint was finished the glass had a nice creamy coating that made me want to have another. I-84 awaited so will have to wait for next time...

If you can find this ale on cask give it a try. I think you'll be surprised at the extra flavor this handpumped Amber can supply!

Serving type: cask

10-26-2003 17:47:11 | More by bridgeporter

FairyFunBoy

California

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A- Auburn red with a one finger white head. Minimal lacing down the pint.
S- Biscut, earthy tones.
T- sweet malt with dark fruit esters. A nice alcohol hit followed by hop spice.
M- medium body, low carbonation
O- Full Sail makes a good amber. A balanced beer where one attribute doesnt outweigh the other.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:29:37 | More by FairyFunBoy

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Full Sail Amber has a thin-to-medium, off-white head and a slightly bubbly, clear, amber appearance, with a bit of lacing left behind. The aroma is of sweet, fruity, brown-bread malt, and the flavor is of those elements with a pleasant hop bitterness at the end of the sip. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Full Sail Amber finishes semi-dry, refreshing, and easy drinking. Overall, this is a most excellent beer. RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 20:21:25 | More by RonaldTheriot

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Nice auburn color, clear, good lasting 1 finger head and pretty good lacing.

It's a malty one, nicely so, with some caramel, toffee, biscuit. Hops are accenting but plentiful and more notable on the aftertaste than the initial drink.

Body is medium, with smooth carbonation and a good malty finish.

A very enjoyable beer, definitely a nice amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 20:25:03 | More by AlCaponeJunior

kristenspaintings

California

3.66/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I poured this lovely beer in to a pint glass, I am not sure if this is the traditional choice for an amber ale but boy did it work. Right off the bat, it produced a very nice creamy and aromatic head. The initial taste is slightly sweet and malty, pure yummy. The beer does have a rather strong hoppy aftertaste for my personal choice, but that is not uncommon amongst this type of beer. This is definitely a very good quality beer. Pair is nicely with a flavorful curry or some grilled spicy meat. Not outstanding, a very good price and a great pair for flavorful food, try it!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 15:33:33 | More by kristenspaintings

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Mixed and matched this one for $1.75

A - Pours a very dark amber brown, probably because of the chocolate malts. The head is a solid 1/2 inch that sticks around with great lacing.
S - Biscuit malts, floral hops, and some herbal tea. Smells of mild caramel or toffee as well.
T - Very good crisp body. Flavors of sweet caramel malts, then toasted biscuit, followed by some citrus hops is great. The herbal tea flavor works its way into the finish as well which is actually quite refreshing.
M - Light to medium and crisp in taste. A great session ale.

Overall between this and the IPA I think I am loving this brewery. Worthy of a 10 dollar mixed six pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 23:59:16 | More by DrDemento456

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a shaker pint.

Appearance
Brownish-amber with 1 finger of off-white head. Excellent clarity with lively carbonation. Leaves behind a nice layer of lacing.

Nose
Biscuit, caramel and brown sugar.

Taste
Caramelized brown sugar and biscuit. Cantaloupe and honeydew melon. Touches of floral hops.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, silky, smooth and crisp.

Overall
This is an excellent Amber Ale!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:12:48 | More by justintcoons

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a bronze color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is malty, some caramel. Taste is well balanced malts and hops, a bit of caramel, tasty and refreshing. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall this is a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 13:30:45 | More by tone77

FLBeertender

Florida

3.59/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A favorite of our patrons down in the panhandle. This ale registers high in drinkability and overall flavor. Compared to a Fullers London Pride or CCB Tocabaga, it might fall short, but for an "amber" ale, I'd give it a chance. A fair addition to a menu, paired best with a Turkey Rueben or Cheese Fries.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 08:46:16 | More by FLBeertender

PublicansPlate

Florida

4.16/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I enjoyed this amber from Full Sail. The packaging caught my eye with the witty information on the label. "Specialists In The Liquid Refreshment Arts Since 1987." Pretty Funny.

Once I opened the beer though I was surprised at the aroma. I've tried quite a few amber beers in my life and they generally rank around a mild flavor and bouquet in my experience. This beer really stood out. I enjoyed the flowery smell as I put the glass to my nose. I kind of got a little preview of the taste. However, the taste exceeded even that expectation.

It surprised me with how complex the flavor was. Slightly bitter on the back of the tongue but a mild and pleasant sweetness that filled my mouth. It didn't necessarily have much "mouthfeel" as BA would call it. It wasn't velvety or rich in feel, but it was very delicious.

I kept tasting it trying to regather my opinion to make sure I had really got this right. But in conclusion, I'd recommend this beer for most people. I would exclude IPA snobs who think that if it's not crazy levels of bitter it's not worth drinking. Also, those who are into strictly lighter and more refreshing beers (i.e. my wife) probably won't pick this as their favorite.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 21:37:30 | More by PublicansPlate

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Hockey & beer = great times! The collegiate men's games leading up to next week's Frozen Four have been airing today and I have been sailing along with them, thanks to the arrival of Hood River, OR's finest beer. I despaired that they may limit themselves to the PHL area, but everywhere that I turn here in S/C PA has them in some form. I could hardly restrain my excitement at our single/bottle shops and am now reaping what I sowed.

From the bottle: "Ridiculously tasty original Amber Ale"; "Specialists in the Liquid Refreshment Arts Since 1987".

I want my beers to jump out of the bottle and into the glass and as such, I am heavy-handed with my pour. This was no exception and I quickly had two fingers of dense, tawny head head with great retention staring at me. Color was the dictionary definition of deep-amber, plus NE-plus quality, to boot. They certainly know how to clarify their beers in Hood River. Nose was nutty, not nutty like me, but more like pecans, walnuts, almonds, that sort of thing. Say, don't I remember something untoward about a bitter almond smell in liquids? Nah, I must be mistaken. Mouthfeel was medium and it really had a nutty flavor to it on the tongue. Finish had a minty hoppiness to go along with the nuttiness noted previously. I am not a huge fan of ambers, unless they are the hot redhead giving me a lap dance, but this was eminently drinkable. Now, if they would just CAN their beers, I would be a total fan ...

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:32:14 | More by woodychandler

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Copper amber color with a smallish white head. Plenty of lacing around the glass.
Aroma, I'm getting mostly biscuit and bready malts. I don't smell any hops.
Taste isn't that bad. Has a sweet malt taste like sweet breads.
Drinks smooth.
A solid beer thoug ordinary and plain. But good.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 12:32:04 | More by micromaniac129

TheSixthRing

California

3.96/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoy by date of 04/05/13

Appearance - Pours a clear, dark amber color with an off-white, 2 finger head. Good retention, leaving behind a nice layer of microbubbles on the surface. Fair to spotty lacing with good stick.

Smell - Sweet, bready aroma. Slightly earthy.

Taste - Follows the nose. Lots of bready, slightly caramel malt character. Hits very lightly on toasted malt notes near the finish. Hops are pushed back, but come through with soft earthy tones and very, very mild orange zest.

Mouthfeel - Wonderfully drinkable body. Medium-bodied with a moderate amount of soft, near silky smooth carbonation. Goes down with inviting ease.

Overall - A great amber. Very approachable, and just enough flavor to keep the beer geek in me satisfied. Can't believe I got this beer for $3.99/sixer. Killer steal of a deal.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 05:11:03 | More by TheSixthRing

CAA

Indiana

5/5  rDev +33.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

An outstanding amber. Gorgeous color. Full bodied. Smooth with a little bite to it. Very easy to drink. Goes with anything from steak to pizza.

One of the first amber beers I ever had (back in the 1990s) and it is still great. I am not able to find it in Indiana, but had a friend pack some down from Minnesota for me. Just awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 20:29:41 | More by CAA

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served from the bottle into a nonic glass

A- Poured a dark and rich amber color, very clear, frothy off-white head that left tons of splashy lace

S- Big cereal graininess, breadiness, chocolate, brown sugar, and toffee. Very interesting aroma for an amber ale, very pleasant

T- Some light citrusy and bigger herbal/earthy hop character, dominant cereal graininess and toffee, some light chocolate notes. Nice balanced flavor profile. Surprisingly quite a bit of alcohol comes through in the taste for such a low ABV beer.

M- Lighter bodied, soft carbonation, semi-dry, a little bit of alcohol burn

O- The aroma on this beer was very pleasant. I will say the booziness in the flavor was a turnoff for such a low ABV beer, just odd, maybe something was off.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:27:54 | More by Hoptometrist

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up this week at Buy Rite in Jersey City, having never tried this before. I didn't expect it to be as bold as the Troegs Nugget Nectar but this was still a good example of the style and easy to drink, as well as balanced. The alcohol was well hidden in addition, making this a nice example of the style that would serve as a good starting point for anyone unfamiliar with this.

The pour to this was nice and brown with a decent crystalline sweetness and caramel tone to the smell. Nice head and lacing to it without a lot of carbonation, it nearly poured flat and since my bottle's due date had already expired, I wasn't sure if this was too old to be fizzy or not. Very floral, malty base to this with some metallic and leather notes to the back. The mouthfeel was quite toasty with a decent creaminess to it that was very easygoing when combined.

Not a lot of alcohol in this either, making it a decent session beer for those inclined to have more than one at a time. While not a bright knockout like fuller Amber and Red Ales, this was dry enough to warrant a big glass of water after the serving. It was like the other Full Sail beers that I had - accessible, middle of the road, and sure to offend no one, while being a good take on its namesake style. The aftertaste had a slight burnt tone to it, making this a great choice for the days when Fall is in full swing.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 09:16:52 | More by JerzDevl2000

Ford

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Fuzzy's Taco Shop in Sugar Land, Texas

First beer I've had from Full Sail.

This beer had more hop bitterness at the finish than I am used to from most amber beers. It's still really good... and for some that would make it awesome.. for me.. who isn't a huge hops fan... it made it just ok.

I can tell there is lots of quality in this beer. Initial taste and smell was great, I just didn't love the slightly flowery and bitter finish as much.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 04:14:03 | More by Ford

smokinyodas

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The weekend is here and I’ve purchased a six pack of Full Sail Amber beer. The appearance is dark-reddish with a Tan Lace. A quick sniff detects an aromatic aroma of fruity citrus hops mixed with toasted malts. The flavor is a medium-light fruity body, mild bitterness, caramel smooth with moderate carbonation. All told, this Amber Ale is ridiculously tasty and has everything that I love about American craft breweries.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 07:06:35 | More by smokinyodas

Seven

4.15/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Light Brown Amber Color.
Smell's like, Orange, Hops and Malt all in one. Very good smooth smell.
Full flavor, very pleasent flavor, not a typical Ale. Malty with a slight tint of Hops.
Light carbonation.
This is what an Amber Ale should taste like. Full Sail did a real good job.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 20:13:22 | More by Seven

Bworfus

Austria

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in a belgian chalice, not too cold.

Pours very dark, like deep dark cairngorm. Very satisfying head. Smells like bread, fruit and a little "belgian".
Full initial mouthfeel, velvety and charming carbonation, thinner later. Roasted malts hit first, caramel, then balanced hops and acidity.

I'm not a fan of Amber's right now (going through a Bitter's / Pale Ales phase). This one's good for the style though, and for the season! Ho, ho, ho!

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 03:15:04 | More by Bworfus

Illmaticzx

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into hefeweizen glass

Min. head, very little head retension

Rusty red/dk brown clear appearance

Toasted hops, sweet caramel malt flavors

Hops flavor comes in after initial malt flavors, a little heavy but well balanced

Clean finish

Mod. carbonation,

low detectable alchohol level

Good brew, well done amber ale, enjoyable, easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 04:40:00 | More by Illmaticzx

IllNate

British Columbia (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very appealing and crystal clear ruby amber with two fingers of creamy head and good retention. Nose is a bit disapointing after the great eye show. Pale malt and a touch of caramel dominate, with a bit of citrus and earthy hop and some fruity esters. With such low hop character, I'm questioning the age of my sample right now. Taste follows with a nicely balanced malty profile backed by hop and fruity esters. Bigger caramel here with a decent bittering and touch of citrus. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, easy drinker. Overall a decent beer, but the appearance was definitely the highlight.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 04:09:17 | More by IllNate

Jsteez

New Mexico

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a dimpled beer mug.

A-Amber brown with a tan 2 finger head, nice and thick. Creamy lace on the glass.

S-Biscuits, caramel malt, baked bread, roasted nuts. Great balanced smell.

T-Flaky biscuits, sweet caramel, baked nuts, roasted barley malt, and toasted bread. A great taste that warms you on a cold autumn night.

M-Crisp and on the lighter side of medium. Low-moderate carbonation. Very balanced.

Overall, this brew would pair great with almost anything. It is a sessionable amber that is great for a cold season. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 14:40:48 | More by Jsteez