Dark Horse - Amber Ale

Today I'll be drinking Dark Horse Brewing's Amber Ale.  According to their website, this beer is the "red headed step child" of their beer portfolio.  Why?  Because apparently, it's a ninja.  This Amber Ale is brewed with a yeast that is "almost" a belgian yeast strain.....a ninja-belgian yeast strain.  I'm not exactly sure what they mean by that, but certainly sounds like a twist on the traditional Amber style.

As usual, the label on this bottle is completely disheveled and looks like it was applied by a 2 yr old.  I'm not sure why Dark Horse is incapable of putting a label on a bottle straight, and without rips and tears all over it.  They need to fire the labeler, and hire me!  I'll work for beer.

The beer is a nice reddish brown color, hazy with sediment visible.  Not much head is present, and the little bit of lace that isn't sticky.  The aroma is very, very... belgian-funky.  Fruity, sour, yeasty nose with some peaches, cherries, and maybe even mangos in there.  The taste starts off with that big belgian yeast flavor - pears, cherries, and cloves come to mind.  Then comes a spray of lime.  The middle/end of the drink brings some light caramel malts.  The body is medium, with a smooth mouthfeel and light carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (4.5 out of 6.0)  This was an interesting brew - there wasn't much there to remind me that this was an Amber Ale.  But that didn't matter....the mix of belgian yeast flavors and light caramel malt worked really well together and made for an interesting experience that I enjoyed.  This is an Amber Ale....with a TWIST!