11 Beers to Drink and Enjoy for the Brewski Newbie

DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 08: Crazy Mountain Brewery has revamped it’s bottle labels these are some of the new ones left to right: Crazy Mountain Amber Ale, Hookiebobb IPA, Mountain Living Pale Ale, Lava Lake Wit, Snowcat Coffee Stout on Tuesday, December 08, 2015 at it’s Denver brewery. They have moved into the old Breckenridge Brewery space at 471 Kalamath Street in Denver. More and more breweries are seeking colorful and creative labels to draw customers to their beer. (Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

8.) Amber ales

In contrast with the very traditional German/Bavarian styles we’ve covered, amber ales are a more modern, American avenue for beer enthusiasts to explore. These beers borrow a lot from pale ales (more on those later) and can be anywhere from a light copper to a light brown in color. Unlike pale ales, amber ales can have a darker malt to it, sometimes even with a toasty or smoky flavor.

Hops might also be less pronounced in an amber, compared to an APA or IPA style. That’s thanks to American hops, which are right in the middle when it comes to hops-related flavors and bitterness.

I would also include “red ales” in this category, which can be – you guessed it – a dark brown to a rich, vibrant red. In general, this is a very loosey-goosey style that can produce some very interesting beers if handled correctly.

Since this is a pretty free-flowing sort of style, IBUs can range anywhere from 25-45 IBUs, and sometimes even a touch higher. Like always, check out the label on your beer to see exactly what you’re getting.

Amber ales to try:

• Maine Beer Company, Zoe
• Pipeworks Brewing Company, Blood of the Unicorn
• Cigar City Brewing, Tocobaga Red Ale