I’ve been meaning to get to a brew from River Horse for a while. ?After all, not only is this a Jersey brewery, but it’s only about 20 minutes from my house. So when the opportunity came up this week, I decided to go with it.
Here’s what the folks at River Horse have to say about their Special Amber Ale: “A variety of specialty malts are the backbone of the American Amber Ale; a perfect session beer.”
A simple description for a rather simple beer. And honestly, one I can see myself using to introduce Bud fans to the world of craft beer.
?Most of the amber ales I’ve tried are very traditional. More malts than hops and fairly smooth, so there’s nothing overpowering or?off-putting. As I’ve said before, it’s hard to go wrong with an amber ale.
River Horse Special Ale pours out a nice, dark orange under a frothy, off-white head about two fingers tall. It leaves behind a surprising amount of lacing, too. And due mostly to the malts, it has a nice scent, too. Hints of caramel, ?sugar, but a little bit of?earthiness?as well. ?
The flavor is your typical amber ale and is?reminiscent?of Big American Beers, but better. With a fairly low alcohol content (5.5%) and a nice, mellow and refreshing taste, this is one for the masses. It would be a great session beer and totally drinkable on a hot day. You’ll get some caramel flavor, some roast and no bitterness. Really, just one of those simple, smooth and enjoyable beers.
Enjoyed it enough that I’m putting a visit to the brewery on my schedule, so I can sample some more of what they offer.
If you want the overpowering flavor that a lot of craft beer drinkers are after, this probably isn’t for you. But for an easy-drinking session beer, this fits the bill nicely.
?I’ll rate it a 5.5 out of 10. A good, solid, average ale.
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