The amber ale. Sometimes lost amongst a sea of IPAs and Stouts, other times lauded as a majestic sea bird, flying high above crafty swells and malty krackens. The diversity of an Amber is broad – ranging from red-hued hop bombs to malt-laden easy drinkers. From within that scope comes Homestead Beer Co.’s Tenpenny Amber Ale, nestled snugly at the center of the Amber spectrum, and just in time for the grand re-opening of their taproom this Saturday. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “If there’s anything I love more than Democracy, it’s the re-opening of a taproom.” Ok, so he never said that, but I’d like to think he’d be a strong supporter of local craft beer, so it’s all good. To the review!
We begin today’s brewhaha with an aroma of sweet and bready malts, capturing the essence of mild Grape-Nuts laced with a touch of sugar. The big bread profile settles into its position as the base of this ale pyramid, allowing a floral breeze of hops to arrive with a mild spiciness and a breath of bitterness. A faint fruit tang mills about at the sides of each breath, given life by the brew’s yeast rather than fruit itself, but creating a best friend for the hop notes to hang out with. Throughout each breath, caramel and brown sugar sweetness trickle down through the layers of aroma to keep the malts not only front and center, but wonderfully bready as well. Be sure to take big breaths with this bouquet – the initial malt-forward, “liquid bread” vibe will grow into the balanced cloud of malts, hops, and yeasty zing that makes this an oh-so-pleasing aroma.
On the tongue, mildly toasted malts arrive first, filling the mouth with Grape-Nuts and crusty bread. Caramel and butterscotch sweetness slides in from the sides as the malts settle into place, glazing the bread and creating a sweet and savory vibe across the palate. As the malts find their positions, a gentle hop bitterness layers in on top of the bread, featuring a floral quality that settles over the back of the tongue. The malts and the hops have a zen-like balance with one another – keeping themselves in check while adding enough complexity to make each drink a deliciously fresh experience. The fruit tang of the aroma is much more subdued on the tongue, but there are hints of vaporous apples every now and then – tantalizing and tasty. Each drink ends with a mild, bready cling beneath a halo of soft bitterness that completes this brew’s yin yang of balance.
Known for their easy-going, good-ol’-days approach to beer, Homestead captures that essence within this brew. Scrumptious bread malts team up with floral hop bitterness to create a highly drinkable, ultra refreshing brew of unlimited potential. Drink it at parties. Drink it by yourself. Enjoy it with barbecue, or stew, or pizza, or even ice cream. It’s a brew-of-all-trades, with a deliciousness to match. Homestead’s Tenpenny Amber Ale does a nice job showcasing how less can certainly be more, and how the brew-basics can be damn tasty without crushing your liver. Homestead Beer Co., caressing your liver since 2011.
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