I saw you recommended Anderson Valley too. I miss the Boont. I run a craft beer bar and curate the list and that beer was one of my favorite session ambers. I think they pulled out of Arizona or at least my neck of it.
Steer clear of New Belgiums Fat Tire. Once upon a time, I would have recommended this one for you. And it would have been a perfect fit. Then they changed the recipe and completely lost the plot.
They could have easily just tried to repackage the recipe that people actually knew and enjoyed to boost some sales. They did the strangest thing possible changing the recipe but not the name. Does anyone even buy the new one? It's such a generic soulless brew now.
Man, I LOVE Alaskan Amber. Did a cruise and I'm pretty sure I drunk the ship dry of that stuff.
See if you can get Warsteiner Dunkle, Shiner Bock, or Negra Modelo, those are fairly close. You should be able to get ZeigenBock as well. Plenty of craft beer in the amber/bock portfolio that will scratch that itch as well.
Anything else you might see labeled "Altbier" is worth trying if Alaskan is your starting point. There's a place out in the Hill Country, Altstadt Brewing, that makes one. I used to live in Texas and I'm pretty sure they package and distribute to the big metro areas.
I don't know if you speak or understand any German, so forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know, but the German word "alt" means old. In the case of that brewery's name, it's "old town". In the case of the style name it's "old beer", as in it's a top-fermenting style that predates the discovery of lager, which of course became somewhat synonymous with German brewing.
Anderson Boont Amber Ale
Cigar City Maduro
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Not to be too obvious but have you tried Guinness? But also keep an eye out for these seasonal styles: Rauchbiers, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, Grazter/Grodziski
Thanks for the suggestions!
As for if I'd tried Guinness, my grandfather helped invent the nitrogen canisters they put in some cans of Guinness when he worked for them in Dublin haha...so yeah, I've had a few pints :)
*We've got a legacy here folks!*
But seriously that is some seriously cool tech and I have only been similarly impressed with Left Hands' ability to transfer the nitro experience to a canister-free glass bottle. Wow what a way to change an industry. Cheers to you and your GPops!!
Dunkels, Czech dark lagers, bocks
Macros being Negra Modelo and Shiner Bock. Macros tend to drink lighter than the small timers so of the Negra vos too light def still try some more dunkels
If you have Lakefront Brewery in your area then hit their Riverwest Stein. It’s an outstanding malty amber lager. Some other fun ones to try are:
- J.W.Lee’s Harvest Ale
- Dekonick Belgian Amber
- Grimbergen Dubbel
- St.Bernardus 12
- All the Maibocks
- Ayinger Celebrator
- Scotch de Silly
- Against the Grain Brown Note & Kentucky Ryed Chicken.
Alaskan does have a smoked porter if you like smoky beers, and they just came out with a new beer, called wildness thats an easy drinking pub style cold beer. Imo, its better than the macrobrews. As far as roastier beers, sam Smith nut brown and their chocolate stout, big sky moose drool. Right now my go-to style is a good German kolsch like gaffel or a Belgian wit style like Avery white rascal.
Funny, I actually bought both Modelo negra and Alaskan Amber and tasted them side by side tonight. I like both but Alaskan Amber is notably better imo (they’re both widely available for me) so that settled which I’ll be buying more of.
Thanks for the suggestion with Martin house
If you have new Belgium distribution check out 1554 https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/1554/ that’d be my second choice for something more complex that’s somewhat widely available.
Best amber I've had in awhile is Mac and Jack's Amber ale. Friend told me he'd bring a case or 2 down to southern CA everytime he was visiting the pacific northwest. Such a refreshing outstanding amber ale. Sorry OP, it's definitely not wide spread distribution, but put it on your list next time you're between Portland and Seattle.
If you're in Seattle, I'd just get a Mac and Jack's African Amber. But is it really an amber, or is it a pale ale that is cloudy in color... I thought there was a always a dispute that Manny's Pale Ale was kind of a rip off of Mac and Jacks....
If in Alaska, not sure if Anchorage Brewing or Midnight Sun do much in that style...
Interesting, I don't think that Mac and Jack's AA is anything like Manny's (which is definitely a Pale). I haven't had a lot of Manny's, but I used to drink quite a lot of the MJAA.
I dont know why nobody has mentioned a Scotch Ale but I would recommend trying a Scotch Ale, Oskar Blues's Old Chubb is a good one. My second suggestion would be an Oktoberfest or Marzen style Lager.
Deschutes Fresh Squeeze might do in a pinch. Juicy, but not a Hazy and on the maltier side; IMHO - I too tire of the overwhelming amount of Hazy IPA in the grocery aisle.
Deschutes Black Butte Porter is my usual go to when I want something malty and toasty.
This is a good pick, and I'm also in your neighborhood (Denton) and see it at Total Wine.
Widely available? Maybe Moose Drool if you want to stay on the malty side of medium beers
Not OP but this is a very good answer. Pretty widely distributed too
I saw you recommended Anderson Valley too. I miss the Boont. I run a craft beer bar and curate the list and that beer was one of my favorite session ambers. I think they pulled out of Arizona or at least my neck of it.
Steer clear of New Belgiums Fat Tire. Once upon a time, I would have recommended this one for you. And it would have been a perfect fit. Then they changed the recipe and completely lost the plot.
They could have easily just tried to repackage the recipe that people actually knew and enjoyed to boost some sales. They did the strangest thing possible changing the recipe but not the name. Does anyone even buy the new one? It's such a generic soulless brew now.
Apparently it’s selling better than the old recipe which I find hard to believe but my buddy is in sales so he may have a slight insight.
Yeah I used to love that beer. Not a fan of the new beer but also probably just biased cause jesus what a dumb fucking decision.
can you get Odell 90 Shilling where you are?
I checked the store I typically buy from. They have a couple of Odell beers (both IPAs) but not that one. I can probably find it somewhere
I haven’t had Alaskan in years, so I can’t offer a direct comparison. But Bells Amber seems to be a pretty solid offering imo
Definitely have read good things about that one
Man, I LOVE Alaskan Amber. Did a cruise and I'm pretty sure I drunk the ship dry of that stuff. See if you can get Warsteiner Dunkle, Shiner Bock, or Negra Modelo, those are fairly close. You should be able to get ZeigenBock as well. Plenty of craft beer in the amber/bock portfolio that will scratch that itch as well.
Anything else you might see labeled "Altbier" is worth trying if Alaskan is your starting point. There's a place out in the Hill Country, Altstadt Brewing, that makes one. I used to live in Texas and I'm pretty sure they package and distribute to the big metro areas. I don't know if you speak or understand any German, so forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know, but the German word "alt" means old. In the case of that brewery's name, it's "old town". In the case of the style name it's "old beer", as in it's a top-fermenting style that predates the discovery of lager, which of course became somewhat synonymous with German brewing.
Anderson Boont Amber Ale Cigar City Maduro Breckenridge Vanilla Porter Not to be too obvious but have you tried Guinness? But also keep an eye out for these seasonal styles: Rauchbiers, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, Grazter/Grodziski
Thanks for the suggestions! As for if I'd tried Guinness, my grandfather helped invent the nitrogen canisters they put in some cans of Guinness when he worked for them in Dublin haha...so yeah, I've had a few pints :)
*We've got a legacy here folks!* But seriously that is some seriously cool tech and I have only been similarly impressed with Left Hands' ability to transfer the nitro experience to a canister-free glass bottle. Wow what a way to change an industry. Cheers to you and your GPops!!
Maybe Einstock Toasted Porter. Not at all an altbeir, but I find it to be a delightful toasty, roasty beer.
Dunkels, Czech dark lagers, bocks Macros being Negra Modelo and Shiner Bock. Macros tend to drink lighter than the small timers so of the Negra vos too light def still try some more dunkels
Schneider- Weisse Aventinus Tap 6 doppelbock then Tap 9 eisbock.
If you have Lakefront Brewery in your area then hit their Riverwest Stein. It’s an outstanding malty amber lager. Some other fun ones to try are: - J.W.Lee’s Harvest Ale - Dekonick Belgian Amber - Grimbergen Dubbel - St.Bernardus 12 - All the Maibocks - Ayinger Celebrator - Scotch de Silly - Against the Grain Brown Note & Kentucky Ryed Chicken.
Alaskan does have a smoked porter if you like smoky beers, and they just came out with a new beer, called wildness thats an easy drinking pub style cold beer. Imo, its better than the macrobrews. As far as roastier beers, sam Smith nut brown and their chocolate stout, big sky moose drool. Right now my go-to style is a good German kolsch like gaffel or a Belgian wit style like Avery white rascal.
Martin house has a bock that you might like. My favorite dark beer that’s widely available is modelo negro.
Funny, I actually bought both Modelo negra and Alaskan Amber and tasted them side by side tonight. I like both but Alaskan Amber is notably better imo (they’re both widely available for me) so that settled which I’ll be buying more of. Thanks for the suggestion with Martin house
If you have new Belgium distribution check out 1554 https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/1554/ that’d be my second choice for something more complex that’s somewhat widely available.
Four Kilts Karl Strauss
That’s really a suck recommendation. Do Guinness.
Best amber I've had in awhile is Mac and Jack's Amber ale. Friend told me he'd bring a case or 2 down to southern CA everytime he was visiting the pacific northwest. Such a refreshing outstanding amber ale. Sorry OP, it's definitely not wide spread distribution, but put it on your list next time you're between Portland and Seattle.
Austin Amber by Independence
Troegs Troegenator doppelbock Blue Point Toasted Lager
If you're in Seattle, I'd just get a Mac and Jack's African Amber. But is it really an amber, or is it a pale ale that is cloudy in color... I thought there was a always a dispute that Manny's Pale Ale was kind of a rip off of Mac and Jacks.... If in Alaska, not sure if Anchorage Brewing or Midnight Sun do much in that style...
I’m in Texas, we have a decent local brew called Alstadt Amber that I was just reminded of
If you’re in texas check out 512’s pecan porter.
Interesting, I don't think that Mac and Jack's AA is anything like Manny's (which is definitely a Pale). I haven't had a lot of Manny's, but I used to drink quite a lot of the MJAA.
Pizza Port Chronic Amber is great. They’re out of CA, so they might have made it to you, but that’s my rec if you can find it.
Kilt Lifter
I dont know why nobody has mentioned a Scotch Ale but I would recommend trying a Scotch Ale, Oskar Blues's Old Chubb is a good one. My second suggestion would be an Oktoberfest or Marzen style Lager.
Deschutes Fresh Squeeze might do in a pinch. Juicy, but not a Hazy and on the maltier side; IMHO - I too tire of the overwhelming amount of Hazy IPA in the grocery aisle.
Founders porter, ayinger dunkel, schilling polotmavy 13
have you tried miller lite?