Today's beer comes from a brewer that my Cincinnati readers may now recognize, Lexington, Kentucky's West Sixth. They have recently started to distribute their IPA in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Unfortunately, the amber that I'm looking at today, for now, is only available in Central KY. I'm sure we'll see it in this neck of the woods pretty soon though. So anyway, the amber joins the IPA in their canned lineup. It's kind of odd that on the can it's just referred to as Amber Ale While at the taproom it's Deliberation Amber. I think I prefer the latter. Also, big time thanks to my girlfriend's parents for the rad monogrammed pint glasses that I finally have the chance to use! Enough of my rambling. To the beer!
West Sixth Amber pours a beautiful crystal clear bronze with brilliant coppery highlights. It's topped by a finger of bubbly white head that recedes fairly quickly.
Toasty/ biscuity caramel malt dominates the aroma. It's slightly sweet with a bit of an herbal, slightly grassy hop note. Very simple, but still quite nice.
The flavors are very similar to the aromas. A kind of bready, kind of biscuity caramel malt flavor runs the show on the light to medium body. This is definitely a malt forward beer but a subtle herbal hop presence along with some grassy lemony flavors lend balance and complexity. A touch of drying bitterness lingers through the very clean finish.
This beer isn't going to blow any minds. It isn't wildly complex or creative. But I don't think that's what it's trying to be. It's a simple, approachable, sessionable amber ale. And on that front, I think West Sixth has succeeded in spades. Clean and drinkable with enough flavor and subtle complexity to keep things interesting. I could see this as a great day drinking companion to take you through a lazy afternoon in style.
HD
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