Roughhouse Ona Farmhouse Amber

With so many different breweries continuing to pop up in Austin and the surrounding hill country, it's hard to get around to sampling all of them.  But i try.  From San Marcos comes Roughhouse Brewing and their delicious Farmhouse Amber called Ona.  Pouring a nice amber (naturally) with a dissipating white head, the 6.3% ABV brew, refermented with dried Montmorency cherries, smells of grains, spice, and said cherries.  The flavor is one with the aroma, the cherries having a very balanced feel throughout, and some hints of tartness.  All in all, a lovely beer to close out the summer with.

Visit the brewer.

4th Tap Yule Cat Winter Amber

I probably don't give Austin's 4th Tap Brewing nearly enough love and enthusiasm as i probably should.  Aside from having an awesome taproom space, the brewery has as close to perfect a record on beer releases as one could possible hope for.  And their latest holiday offering is no different.  The Yule Cat Winter Amber comes in swinging at 7.2% ABV, pouring a brownish-reddish hue with a bubbly white head and smelling of malts, mulling spices, and nutmeg.  The flavor is a mix of sweet and bitter, malt and holiday spices at the forefront with some subtle oak notes on the back end.  It's delicious and surprisingly smooth, something i'll probably be stocking up on for the winter months ahead.

Visit the brewer.

Real Ale Bitchin' Camaro

Blanco's Real Ale never disappoints.  The Central Texas brewery has been doing things for a number of years now, and everything they create is worthy of inspections.  The Bitchin' Camaro is a new limited release, an hoppy amber ale that really hits the spot.  The 6% ABV brew pours a deep amber with a bubbly, dissipating head and smells of spice and citrus with light notes of bread.  The beer feels and tastes like your normal amber, but with lots of citrus and decent bitter finish.  This is a great beer for grilling in the backyard.

Visit the brewer.

Infamous Foghorn Redhorn

Collaborations are a good thing, and not just with beer, but especially with beer.  Infamous Foghorn Redhorn is a delicious coffee amber ale created by the fine folks at Austin's Infamous Brewing and Cedar Park's Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing.  This 5.5% ABV concoction pours a murky, cloudy amber and smells of subtle spices and coffee.  The flavor is fantastic, a smooth and crisp amber ale with hints of sweetness and a very fine coffee bitterness.  Nothing overpowers.  Everything meshes beautifully.  Find these while you can.

Visit the brewer and the other brewer.

Oklahoma Suks

If the last few weeks are any indication, i'm probably going to be one sad dude on Saturday afternoon, hanging my head in defeat...yet again...because my football team likes to make me upset.  That being said, never ever ever give up.  Every year, Independence Brewery here in Austin puts out a limited amount of Oklahoma Suks beer, a cleverly disguised version of their classic Austin Amber.  The beer pours a nice amber and smells of hops and spices.  There's just a hint of caramel in the flavor of this easily sessionable 4.8% ABV brew.  If you're here in Austin, the surrounding area, or Houston or Dallas, grab some of these up quick before they're all gone...and then use them to celebrate victory this Saturday.  Or wash away your tears.  Hook 'Em!

Visit the brewer.

Circle Devil's Envy

Generally the end of May keeps me in lighter fare, pales and hefes and whatnot.  But the gloom and doom brought on this weekend by the torrential downpours and constant thunder and lightning has me thinking a little darker instead.  Devil's Envy from Circle Brewing is a pretty tasty different take on their Envy amber beer.  The beer has been aged in whiskey barrels making it a little darker and a lot tastier.  Pouring a dark amber with minimal head, Devil's Envy smells of bread, whiskey, and oak, and those whiskey and oak flavors prevail.  At only 4.8% ABV, the heavy alcohol flavor can kind of throw you off, but the beer is light bodied and delicious.

Visit the brewer.

Circle Envy

Austin's Circle Brewing Co. has a rather tasty amber beer called Envy.  The brew pours a darkish red, minimal head, and smells of molasses, some dried fruit, and maybe some hints of pine.  The flavors are predominantly sweet, but not too sweet, a good combo of the aforementioned molasses and fruit.  The hops compliment the malts well, adding a dry bitterness, but not too dry and bitter, to the beer.  Complex and simple.  Well done.  Drink this with anything.

Visit the brewer.