Amber Ale tends to be pretty much the same as Pale Ale when you take brewing into consideration. They achieve the color by placing a bit more colored malt to produce a darker or more rose red colored beer. Also some amber ales tend to have just a touch more bitterness to the taste then actual Pale Ale.
Here is a list of ten of my favorite Amber Beers.
1) Kilgubbin Red Ale brewed by Goose Island Brewery of Illinois
This Red Ale is actually brewed in the old Irish tradition of using roasted barley and chocolate malt so when you sip on this beer you are actually touching a piece of history.
Kilgubbin Red Ale tends to taste a bit sweet with a spicy flavor that tantalizes the tongue. Its a nice solid red in color with a pure white head so visually its very attractive. Its definitely a must try for any beer connoisseur. You will either love it or hate it. I personally love it.
2) Red Felt Ale brewed by Goose Island Brewery of Illinois
This is another fine Amber Beer brewed by Goose Island. Its a sweet fruity beer with a nice cream head. It does not have the bitterness of the Kilgubbin Red Ale. You can definitely taste a strong hop flavor to this beer.
3) Hopback Amber Ale by Troegs Brewing Company of Pennsylvania
This beer is a lovely amber color that is filled with orange highlights when held up to the light and adorned with a nice white head. Hopback Amber Ale tastes hoppy and fruity. I also like the lingering taste of caramel that is left on your tongue after you sip this beer.
4) Calico Copper Amber Ale by Ballast Point Brewing Company of California
When you pour this beer you will see a true amber coloring with a nice off white head. Its a very attractive beer in a glass. The overall taste is sweet with just a small bit of hoppy flavoring. I also like the hint of coffee that I can taste after a sip. Its a unique beer and a definitely worth a try.
5) Red Ale by Odell Brewing Company of Colorado
This beer glows a deep dark amber in color with a nice bit of head. The flavor is quite hoppy that does leave a bit of bitterness. But if you are in the mood for a hoppy beer then I definitely would recommend this one.
7) Red Rocket Ale by Bear Republic Brewing Company of California
Red Rocket Ale is a nice mild beer. It pours a deep dark red with an extra large head. The flavoring is sweet with a fruitiness but it lacks the bitterness that a lot of hoppy beers have. Its a very smooth beer and I enjoyed trying it for the first time not too long ago.
8) Red Tail Ale by Mendocino Brewing Company of California
When you pour this beer you will see a nice amber color but a lack of any real head. The beer is bitter. Probably one of the most bitter of any Amber Ale that I’ve ever drink. But if you are in the mood for the flavor and you expect the bitterness this this beer isn’t half bad.
9) Alesmith Evil Dead Red by Alesmith Brewing Company of California
This beer was a bit of a surprise for me. I was prepared not to care for it but I ended up enjoying it immensely. Its a nice deep dark red in color with a tan head that isn’t too big or too small. The flavor is nice and sweet with some wonderfully spiciness thrown in that will linger on your tongue after each sip. Very nice beer that I would highly recommend.
10) Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale by Green Flash Brewing Company of California
A lovely red ale with a creamy tan head. This beer is well balanced with a nice bit of hoppy flavoring that also has caramel thrown in to linger on the tongue. I like that there is a bit of fruitiness also. I like the fact that you can have a hoppiness that is definitely there but not overpowering and also have the sweet fruit. An exceptional beer, in my opinion.
