Tröegs Hopback Amber Ale - Tröegs Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well-hopped, aggressive attack of malts and carbonation on palate. Fine cooper amber colour. Light, good as IPA! Some pine aroma. Mid-sip sour grapefruit citrus, spices and nuttyness. Refreshing on hot day. Unique and very drinkable. Recommend you try and can convert beer drinkers to the craft world.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2004 05:16:29 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rich apricot with a large cap of foam that is the color of light brown sugar and that leaves abundant lace as it slowly deflates. The nose is more akin to an APA than an amber ale due to the impressive hoppiness. There is enough malt to keep the hops honest though.

Hopback Amber is good beer (Troegs hasn't disappointed me yet). This is a classic amber ale, but is bolder, hoppier and more full than most. Thanks to a prodigious malt backbone, the hops aren't quite as boisterous as they were in the nose. When the actual drinking gets underway, their citrus peel and pine deliciousness is reined in to some extent. There's no mistaking it for an APA now.

The body is definitely full for the style with a sweet stickiness that most beer of this style doesn't achieve. As a result, there's flavor to burn. It might be a bit too big to be sessionable, but one or two should go down rather easily.

Troegs doesn't brew bad beer. Hopback Amber is a wonderful ale that keeps these guys solidly in my top dozen American breweries. The first of many from blitheringidiot. Thanks man.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2004 19:55:50 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Another goodie from Troegs…I really could not wait. This one poured a nice light amber color, with the tiniest hint of an orange hue. Deep carbonation came up from the bottom of the glass only to reinforce the large head of white stick and foamy lace that formed on the top. Great retention finally gave way to copious side glass lace and a nice little film across the top. The smell was deeply hopped. Very nice bouquet of floral hops, lots of pine and citrus notes accentuating a typical amber back, nicely malted with large hints of grains. The flavor was so much hoppier then I had thought it would be. There was a huge citrus hop punch from the very first sip and a very nice resin like taste that followed you throughout the session leaving behind a great dry and bitter finish. Great use of the hops here as the typical amber will have more of the malty character, which was still evident in the underlying base here, however the big hop presence not only balanced it well, but pushed it over to the lighter side and gave it much more of a bright feel. Great smooth and light body with ample carbonation led this to be an easy session beer. Overall I had honestly never heard of this one before I got it and it was truly wonderful. This was a great beer and something I would like to see more of, a nice, well rounded amber that could hold its own with a lot of sessionable IPA’s. Definitely have to recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2007 00:05:31 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

G: Pint glass with a Black Bear (WV) logo printed on it.

A: Deep amber with a decent head and quality retention. Medium amounts of carbonation.

S: Malts and sweet amber. Plenty of hops; mostly floral and seemingly fresh--from the hopback?

T: Slightly sweet and definite amber malt flavor. A nice, fresh hop taste.

M: Slight carbonation and little alcohol sensation--goes down smooth.

D: Very drinkable. Glad I'll soon be moving out to VA and can get Troegs beers whenever I need them.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 23:04:21 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color with a modest head that leaves sporadic lacing

Smell: Bursts out with a pine cone nose but there is plenty of caramel malt in the background, too

Taste: It has that caramel amber flavor going on up front with lots of piney bitterness arriving by mid-palate; nicely balanced right through to the bitter tea-bag hoppy finish, though their are plenty of amber ale elements in there as well

Mouthfeel: Medium body and moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Overall, a fine effort that shows that an amber ale doesn't have to be boring

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2005 03:07:44 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Steph: Poured a deep copper color ale with a big foamy white head with some good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of floral and bitter hops is dominating. Taste is a mix between light caramel malt with some bitter hops at the end. Body is about average with some great carbonation. With the level of hops that can be found in this beer it is almost leaning toward an IPA. Very good session beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2007 19:48:40 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An insanely good beer, and well-deserved while visiting Betty's in Columbus over the ROTR weekend.

This beer is Amber-done-right. A deeply.. well, amber colored beer takes on darker tones than most. A lightly tanned head form a 1" barrier on the beer and remains for the session while leaving great lacing all the way through.

A great blend of bold toasty malts swirl with resiny pine and citrus hops for a hypnotizing aroma. Lightly fruity, cramelly, and nutty to the nose. This beer is quite complex and bold.

Flavors alternate between the malts (toffee, toast, melanoidin, sun-kist caramel notes) and hops (grapefruit, orange zest, pine, and fresh grasses and herbs). Throw in a light estery (fresh apples, berries, and plubs) and we have a remarkably complex beer for an Amber.

Full and creamy to the mouth up front. But the beer releases into an easy drinking and balanced beer. No sweetness like the caramel noted in the aroma and taste. Rather a bready, bitter, and lightly minty alcohol note in the finish with a long, clean, and lingering aftertaste.

This beer reminds me of Troegs Nugget Nectar. Yea, it's that good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2009 15:32:05 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow a really nice beer,smell was great-grassy hop with some balancing caramel sweetness,poured a nice amber color with a nice medium head left a good lacing.Taste was of herbal hop to begin with the nutty maltness came thru in the end to really balance this one out nicely.Very well made brew will be looking for more from Troegs after this one!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2003 12:29:13 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

If there's one thing that defines the Troeg's beers it's drinkability, and this one is a real charmer! It pours a clear, very deep amber body that's capped by a creamy off-white head. The head drops shortly to a thin creamy surface covering, but maintains it throughout the entire glass and leaves some spotty lace as well. The aroma, however, establishes this beer as something special! Fresh hops burst forth as if you had them cupped in your hands and you could rub them between your fingers releasing the floral, softly grassy, and lightly spicy aromas! Really enticing! The body is medium/light with a very fine and moderate carbonation that's lightly crisp in the mouth. The flavor melds a rich caramel maltiness with grassy and floral hop flavors. As it warms in the mouth a gentle sweetness comes forth and accentuates some of the more floral flavors of the hops. It finishes lightly dry with a lingering caramel-laced malt note and a gently spicy hop character. The hop bitterness is well restrained, keeping it quite drinkable (and accessible), and allows for an interplay between the flavors of the sweet malt and hops that's rarely seen! Although the serious hop head may be let down by this beer because of it's moderate bitterness, I think that most beer lovers will find it's ability to combine and balance the malt and hops in such a unique way very interesting and highly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2002 20:04:08 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear amber color, decent, off-white head: all is in order...

But the olfactory senses are most pleased by what pours out of this bottle...hops stand up, bright and tall, citric, spicy, warm, but refreshing, a beautiful hop bouquet, a pleasure to enter the nose.

Great, big, buzzing hops are the first order, but they fade fast, and mellow out.
Body is light, finish is fast, but each subsequent sip returns the hoppy, fruity sensation anew.

A great candidate for a session brew, easily consumed, but a reminder is always around the corner of how good a beer can taste. Well done, Troegs!

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2003 14:38:19 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a reddish amber color with a thin white lace head. The aroma is great! It has a nice light crystal malt scent, but the main feature here is the awesome floral hop aroma that is very pleasant. The taste is great as well. This beer has got some good hop flavor that goes down easy and finishes creamy. It also has a solid malt core which helps balance the flavor. The mouthfeel is perfect. This is a med/full bodied amber ale with adequate carbonation. This is the best damn amber ale I've ever had. It has great hop flavor and a complex mouthfeel. I love it!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2004 00:57:57 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer served on draft at a local beer bar served in a standard pint glass.

Beer is amber and light. Completely clear, no haze at all. Carbonation is high and steady. Forms a thin white head that leaves a lot of lacing as I drink the beer. Head breaks up despite high carbonation.

Beer smells sweet and has a strong citrus hop aroma. Masks most everything else present in beer but that's fine, it smells good.

Even though it smelled a lot like citrus hops, I am not expecting a hop bomb in my mouth and I don't get a hop bomb. This beer is medium body and really smooth. The bitterness is understated and there is no aftertaste. There is a strong citrus hop flavor in the beer. The carbonation really helps to connect the flavors of the beer while I'm drinking it. Drinkability high and mouthfeel is high.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2009 19:05:34 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to hudsonphotog for sharing this beer.

Pours amber with a slight off-white head. The aroma is piney hops with some malt. The flavor is more of the same with piney hops and a nice caramel malt backbone. Medium-thin mouthfeel and low carbonation. Not the most complex beer in the world but a very good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 20:57:11 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, amber color with a foamy, off-white, three finger head. It left sticky rings of lace.

S - It smelled of roasted malt goodness and hints of grassy hops.

T - It had a very strong roasted malt taste with a pretty big dose of bitter hops.

M - A crisp and sharp ale with a dry finish. It was medium-bodied.

D - This is one of the finest amber ales around. ANother strong offering from Troegs.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2009 22:39:41 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark amber in color. Pours with a medium-sized head that quickly dies down into lacy patterns. Moderate carbonation; swirling the glass produces a little bit of head.
S: Hop aromas dominate the smell
T: Strong flavor with lots of hops and pine oils, less in the way of caramel malts. Bitter finish.
M: Medium-bodied taste
D: Relatively easy to drink, especially if you like hoppy beers

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 19:05:39 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a rich amber color, which is brilliantly clear and lightly carbonated. It is topped by a frothy, initially just over a finger thick, tan color head. The aroma is nicely hoppy with a nice mix of dominant pine notes and a light grapefruit citrus character. There are some lightly malty notes underneath the hop character; toasted malt and sweet caramel.

The beer is sweet up front, which accents the citrusy hop character. The hops have a tight grip on the palate; sharp and herbal with a solid bitterness that lingers on through to a long finish. This is nicely hoppy, just what I needed this afternoon. Fairly malty as well, with a solid backdrop, which helps to accentuate and balance out the hops. Both a malt sweetness and a toasted almost baked malt character. Quite a tasty beer, and as is the sign of any good beer it seems to disappear from my glass long before I want it to.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2006 23:42:13 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.8/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Acquired via trade from plaid75, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light brownish orange color with a large foamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is loaded with hops as the name suggests, along with citrus and caramel sweetness.

T: The taste is very well-balanced with a strong hops burst and a heavy citrus and caramel sweetness. I know that isn’t much analysis, but it’s as simple as that. It just tastes great.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, clean finish.

D: Very tasty, goes down extremely easily, not very filling, similar to Nugget Nectar the only thing keeping this beer from being an American IPA is the fact that Troegs doesn’t call it an IPA. That being said, this is an excellent beer and I could see myself drinking a whole lot of it in an evening, if only Troegs were available this far in the Northeast. HINT-HINT!

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2007 03:57:28 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This brew poured out as a clean crisp looking amber color with a thin cream colored head. The smell of the beer is hoppy and slightly sweet. It's a good mix of citrus and sugar. The taste is about half the hoppiness of the Nugget Nectar. This is a more standard drinking beer for a more common drinker. Regardless it's still got a good flavor to it and it's a quality Amber Ale for sure. The mouthfeel is carbonated, and medium bodied. Overall I'd prefer the Nugget Nectar but this is a pretty decent alternative.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 17:00:52 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this one from melbatoast93, cheers Hart!

Pours amber with 1 finger of sand colored head. Very good lacing & good head retention

S: Breadyness & citrus hops

T: Citrussy hops, a touch of grainyness & breadyness up front. Orange slices & a touch of lemons as this warms. Finishes grainy with lemony hops

MF: Light/medium bodied with low carbonation, very nice balance

Superb drinakability, a nice amber to session on

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2008 04:50:45 | More by russpowell

Gavage

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an amber color, with a nice slightly off-white head. Some lacing was formed during the drink. The aroma was floral and fruity. The bitterness is definitely detectable through the nose. The flavor is bold for an amber ale, as hops are abundant creating a great sweet / bitterness combo.

The bitterness pleasantly continues into the aftertaste on the tongue. Some fruit tones are also distinguisable. Medium body ale. Carbonation level was perfect. This is very drinkable as several can be consumed in a session without batting an eye. Kudos to the brewer on this one. Becoming a staple brew in my refridgerator.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2003 12:28:20 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Part of variety pack - best by April 7, 2007 (on box).

Pours deep rubyish amber with a creamy, thin white head that leaves rings of lacing on glass.

The smell is of citric fruitiness, some pine - almost like a strong PA or mild IPA.

The taste is of floral, orangey citrus. Some leafiness. Sure is hoppy for style. Fresh fruits and sweet caramel soon balance it out and add complexity. Lightly toasted grains are there enough to fit in with style, though it is a nicely hopped interpretation. Clean, bittersweet finish.

Creamy and medium-to-full. Coating.

A very nice amber. Balanced, but certainly leans towards hop bitterness, but sweet, roasted malt keep things in line and in character for style. A nice interpretation of the style and an enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2007 17:23:31 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to Leftmindedrighty for the trade.

I was expecting a little more hop from the hopback, but it was still a tastey brew. Fairly sweet, that must be where the amber comes in, the flavor reminded me of candied oranges and citrus. A hint of booze in the nose and mouthfeel but still pretty good overall. Give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2007 21:29:13 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On cask at Al's. Advertised as 3x palisades.

A: The ale is a darker color, more brown than not, that clings to its translucency. The color is much darker than Hopback. A small head, less than a finger, comes along for the ride.

S: The nose has a bit of hops, zesty and citrusy, but for the most part sticks with the caramel malt base. No sign of the rich Hopback aroma.

T: The amber ale is malt-driven, with caramel and toffee taking turns in the lead. The cask has mellowed out any hops, leaving a smooth flavor behind that trends towards the English end of the spectrum. The hops, unfortunately, aren't the main attraction. A good cask ale that reminds me of a few English pints that I've had.

M: The mouthfeel is malty with just a little bit of citrusy hops. Perhaps this beer has been on cask just a little too long.

D: The drinkability is high, as the cask softens the rough edges. Glad to have had it in this fashion.

Serving type: cask

12-23-2010 22:06:04 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appears amber with a copper tint and a huge billowing head with trickled lace surrounding my pint. This is one balanced brew in my opinion the aroma is balanced between sweet caramel malt and floral eathy pine scented hops, so balanced it's just about the perfect beer. This is one reason why Troegs has done what it has, and with it's oatmeal stout truly one PA's finest micros out there I must say. The taste is also truly balanced with a trace of the hops adding a bittering quality with the malt waves following blending perfectly to form a hopback amber ale. Medium to light bodied very good beer with no off tones to it everything here is like butter, what can I say. The drinkability level is unlike any other amber ale out there it's perfect, I love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2003 15:04:01 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice clear red hued brown. Minimal head. Nose is like vibrant cherries, but not extremely pungent really. Flavor is nice and woody in a milder way. Hops are present in a leafy and slightly almost smoked way. Medium level sweet edge to it. Very smooth and consistent flavor. Feel has a fairly full level of carbonation sending tiny bubbles over my tongue. Liquid has a good body. Overall very drinkable. Extremely smooth and even, though the sweet kick on the tail end seems slightly out of place.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 03:35:41 | More by RblWthACoz