Start 14-Day Trial Subscription

*No credit card required

John C. Tull's picture

Off The Leash

May, 2016
Judges Rating: 
89
Aroma: 
22 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
35 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
9 / 10
Overall Impression: 
17 / 20

Floral hops, light fruit esters and some caramel malt aromas can all be found in the aroma of this beer. Otherwise, it has a very clean nose. The color is a dark copper with exceptional clarity. A nice off-white head of fine bubbles gathers at the top and sides of the glass. Rich caramel malts, slightly sweet, (though not cloying or tasting of stewed grain), dominate the flavor followed by some fruit esters, moderate hop flavor and a relatively restrained hop bitterness that is on the low side for an American Amber Ale. The finish is more malt than bitterness, with some herbal hop flavors and a slight toasty malt character carrying through to the finish. The body is medium with a hint of creaminess. All said, this is a very clean and pleasant beer with more of a malt leaning than hops. If you are a fan of ambers, and you are a little tired of the big hoppy beers, you should give this a try for its malt-centric focus and overall clean profile.