Abita Amber
Review Date 7/22/2004 By John Staradumsky
Did you know
Abita is one of the oldest microbreweries going? Founded in 1986, Abita of
New Orleans, Louisiana thrives in a state not known for its craft beer
production (though that may be changing). Still, New Orleans is a partying
town, and beer does get drunk there. The brewery currently produces more
than 40,000 barrels annually, not bad for a small brewer. And their numbers
are increasing. If you visit the Abita brewpub in Abita Springs (just across
Lake Pontchartrain from the Big Easy), make sure to hit their website first
and print out the coupon for a free beer!
When I review a beer, I look at it two ways. First, what did I think of it
as a representative of its style? Then, did I enjoy the taste of the beer? A
beer must satisfy one of those two criteria for me. And to be honest, Abita
Amber really never satisfied either criterion for me when I lived in New
England. Perhaps that’s because it just had traveled too far and they
weren’t selling enough of it.
Up there, the Abita Amber I drank was medium copper in color with
good head formation and a fruity malt nose. The palate is fairly light to
me, a bit of slightly caramelly malt but not enough to make the beer really
interesting to me. The finish has a touch of melon-like fruitiness and is
balanced but not at all hoppy. This is supposed to be a Munich style lager
but doesn't really come close to one in my book. I am not impressed, and I
am a forgiving beer lover.
Since I’ve moved to Atlanta, I’ve found bottled Abita to be slightly better.
Likely its so much fresher. It’s slightly more flavorful, but still nothing
to write home about. So why the heck am I giving it four stars, you ask
yourself? Because if you visit New Orleans, Abita’s home turf, something
marvelous and magical happens. The beer becomes a fresh malty delight, not
an overbearing brew by any means but perfectly suited to the hot local
weather.
Abita Amber is also ubiquitous in the Crescent City. At least in the French
Quarter, you will find it at just about every restaurant and bar from
Bourbon to Decatur Street and beyond. I was truly amazed at how many Abita
Amber taps there were, and I was glad to see a local brewery doing so well.
And it’s easy to see why. There’s such wonderful turnover that every glass
(or plastic cup, which you can take out with you) I enjoyed was incredibly
fresh. Then too, I think the brewery is striving to improve its beers.
They’ve recently launched a line of specialty brews under the “Abita Select”
name.
Fresh on draught, Abita Amber pours to a golden copper color with a
thick creamy head and a fresh malty nose. The palate is smooth, creamy, and
refreshing, a wonderfully drinkable brew. There is a light caramel note
along with a firm nutty fresh malt character and a balanced finish with just
a gentle kiss of hops to balance. Abita Amber isn’t so overbearing that a
Budweiser drinker can’t enjoy it, but it had enough flavor to satisfy me as
well.
It’s also great with all the local favorites, and I used it to wash down
muffalettas, poboys, shrimp, boudin, andouille sausage, and more. If you go
to New Orleans and walk the streets of the French Quarter, be sure to do it
with a cold cup of Abita Amber.
Glad I tried it? T
Would I rebuy it??
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled, Canned
(D)=Draft