Amber Ale - Saint Arnold Review
There are few things better than an American amber ale. This is a beer style that’s stood the test of time when so many styles have been dumped down the drain, and many of our favorite brewers built their empires with a foundation made of this beer.
But what makes it such a long-lasting and ever-desired ale? Well, in our humble opinion, a number of things. When we think of great beers that have stood the test of time, we think of balanced lagers, malty stouts, and clean drinking beers. Combine all these and you find yourself with an American amber ale.
We like ours with a lot of malt depth and the right amount of classic hop flavor to balance it all out. That begins with the right ingredients. Saint Arnold starts this beer with 2-row and Belgian Caravienne malt, then balances it with Cascades throughout the boil, and finishes with Liberty hops for a floral and noble hop aroma. All together, this gives us 6.2% ABV and 32 IBU.
This is the flagship beer for Texas’ oldest craft brewery and certainly one of the state’s favorites, so we’re expecting a lot from this pub staple.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Pours golden and clear and is topped with an off-white head that maintains quite well. I’ll admit, it’s not the first thing you picture when you think of an amber ale but, as in life, looks aren’t everything—you have to sniff further.
On the Nose--The caramel (almost toffee) note from the Caravienne is prominent alongside the floral hop aroma from the late addition Liberty hops. A classic amber ale aroma worth getting excited about.
On the Palate--Quite a strong hoppiness with the old school Cascades and the more noble Liberty hops. The malt sweetness comes in a rush and does have that Abbey ale toffee touch from the Caravienne, which to me is a very strong sweetness that requires a forceful hoppiness to balance it out, which Saint Arnold has given it. This amber ale has a medium body that makes it savorable and also deceptively sessionable. The finish is quite dry and, like an amber ale should, it has a classic American draft brew taste from the malt and hop selections that give it a very 90’s taste.
Food Pairings: We follow a simple rule with amber ales: if you go to a pizza place or a burger shop and they have a local amber ale on tap, you’ve found your pairing. You won’t be disappointed.
Final Thoughts:
Amber ales are an American craft brew classic, right up there with the west coast IPA, but, like the IPA, that doesn’t necessarily make them specific. Malt selection is key in these beers, and a good palate for hops to balance the malt helps as well. But malt selection seems up for contention amongst brewers. Some go with layers of caramel malt, and others go for deep roasted flavors from chocolate malts. Either way, it has to be nailed.
Visually, this beer is not a classic amber ale, and neither is it in taste, but it is a very good beer. The Caravienne (you know it from Abbey Ales) is very sweet, but Saint Arnold expertly balances this beer with early additions of Cascades to add bitterness, and late additions of Liberty to add floral aroma to complement the sweet malt. It has a great mouthfeel, and despite it being 6.2% ABV, it is a deceptively sessionable beer. And to us, that ABV is perfect for this style. The amber ale is the working man’s beer, and when a beer is at an ABV that high, it means the brewer put some effort (and money) into malt selection and into the balancing hops. It tells me Saint Arnold cares about the working man, and that’s what makes this beer great.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew