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canyonwalkerMy Beer Tasting 2022 project has been on hiatus for about 4 weeks. It got stuck in my blogging backlog for most of the month of April while I was busy posting about our trip to Hawaii and other, shorter trips. I actually taste-tested these beers before I got busy... and then got so busy I forgot the nuances of the comparison. I had to go back and taste them again! So, here we go.
Ding-ding, Round 5! 🍻
For Round 5 I tasted a pair of amber ales that carve out different niches within the category. New Belgium Brewing's Fat Tire is an "easy drinking" amber ale, according to its maker, inspired by a classic Belgian style. It's brewed in Colorado and is widely available across the US.
Kilt Lifter is a Scottish style amber ale produced by Four Peaks Brewing in Arizona. What they mean by "Scottish style", apparently, is that it's a stronger ale; it has a higher alcohol content, at 6.0%, than most ales. Four Peaks beers are only distributed in 8 states in the US southwest and Hawaii.
Fat Tire tastes like a relatively normal amber ale but with a very slight fruity/citrus twist from its yeast and a slight sour finish from its hops. On the whole it's a beer that's fine for drinking on its own and also pairs well with a variety of food. Its slightly sour character isn't my... uh, cup of tea... though, so while overall I rate it a good beer it's not great in my book.
Kilt Lifter I first encountered on tap on a trip in Phoenix, Arizona, many years ago. I didn't see it again, except at bars around Phoenix, until a few years ago. I remember liking it as a rich, sweet amber ale years ago, so I put it into my taste test for this round.
Kilt Lifter is one of those richly flavored beers that practically jumps out of the glass and grabs your taste buds. This is a strong beer, not just in its slightly higher alcohol content but also in rich flavor. I thought it actually overpowered the food I ate it with— even rich food, like a deep-dish pepperoni pizza— so from that perspective it's not my favorite. I tried it again later on its own and found that, as with Black Butte Porter in Round 4 it works better on its own. It's still strong, and still a tad too sweet, but when I'm in the mood for enjoying a rich beer after dinner it's fine. Still, like Fat Tire, I rate it good but not great.
Ding-ding, Round 5! 🍻
For Round 5 I tasted a pair of amber ales that carve out different niches within the category. New Belgium Brewing's Fat Tire is an "easy drinking" amber ale, according to its maker, inspired by a classic Belgian style. It's brewed in Colorado and is widely available across the US.
Kilt Lifter is a Scottish style amber ale produced by Four Peaks Brewing in Arizona. What they mean by "Scottish style", apparently, is that it's a stronger ale; it has a higher alcohol content, at 6.0%, than most ales. Four Peaks beers are only distributed in 8 states in the US southwest and Hawaii.
Fat Tire tastes like a relatively normal amber ale but with a very slight fruity/citrus twist from its yeast and a slight sour finish from its hops. On the whole it's a beer that's fine for drinking on its own and also pairs well with a variety of food. Its slightly sour character isn't my... uh, cup of tea... though, so while overall I rate it a good beer it's not great in my book.
Kilt Lifter I first encountered on tap on a trip in Phoenix, Arizona, many years ago. I didn't see it again, except at bars around Phoenix, until a few years ago. I remember liking it as a rich, sweet amber ale years ago, so I put it into my taste test for this round.
Kilt Lifter is one of those richly flavored beers that practically jumps out of the glass and grabs your taste buds. This is a strong beer, not just in its slightly higher alcohol content but also in rich flavor. I thought it actually overpowered the food I ate it with— even rich food, like a deep-dish pepperoni pizza— so from that perspective it's not my favorite. I tried it again later on its own and found that, as with Black Butte Porter in Round 4 it works better on its own. It's still strong, and still a tad too sweet, but when I'm in the mood for enjoying a rich beer after dinner it's fine. Still, like Fat Tire, I rate it good but not great.
