Hello everybody and welcome back to the Brew Review!
I have got another tasting from the great state of Indiana thanks to the folks @worldclass that put together the awesome Indiana sampler pack. So relax and enjoy a brew while and read on to find out the finer points of Oaken Barrel Brewing Company’s Indiana Amber Ale.
About the Indiana Amber Ale
The Indiana Amber Ale is a “Hoosier Style” Red Ale brewed in Greenwood Indiana. At 5.3% ABV and 28 IBUs the Indiana Amber is a combination of caramel malts and hoppy bitterness with a medium body and great taste.
My Review
The Pour
The Indiana Amber’s pour doesn’t quite match its name. It definitely has some red in it, but I found the beer poured a a light brown more than it did red. The head was thin maybe a fingers width and dissipated quickly and left no lacing at all.
The Nose
The nose was definitely strong and pleasant. The caramel and biscuity malts dominated the nose, it was difficult to find much else in there, but if you put your nose far enough in you will pick up a hint of the hops.
The Palate
Intriguing to say the least. Up front you get the malt flavors right away, the caramel seemed to take a back seat to the biscuity flavors. The hops are very mild and give you a subtle tingle as you swallow. Out of nowhere comes a delicious red apple flavor that I loved. Followed on the finish with the sweetness of that caramel malt. I wish these flavors had come together rather than run there separate ways. In fact if that had happened this would have been one of my favorite beers to date.
The Indiana Amber is awesome and if you are into medium bodied beers with a hint of sweetness that also give us hop heads something to talk about you will find it here. Given a little more structure this beer could have been outstanding. I would definitely put this on my short list at the liquor store and recommend you pick it up if you can find it.
The Rating
4 out of 5 stars
With my ratings make sure you consider a grading scale 4 out of 5 is an 80% or achieving mastery.
I have never seen this beer at a liquor store before but then again I have never really had time to “shop around” because Jaime prefers to get in and get out.
This beer definitely sounds great considering I love apples and if you add the caramel flavor to that I would find this very enjoyable.
Robbie,
I have never seen it at the liquor store either. If you can find it let me know, I got it in the Indiana sampler pack that they have at Ribordy’s
Adam
Explain about this mysterious Ribordy’s.
Robbie,
Ribordy’s is on 30 right by J & J’s Pizza Shack and Semento’s. Small place that doesn’t have a lot of beer, but they had a few midwest and Indiana sample packs that contain only beers brewed in the midwest or Indiana.