Ridgeline Amber Ale
Another brew from Great Divide that I've not had before. And I call myself a fan! According to the label, this beer won the Bronze Medal at the 1996 GABF in the Scottish style ale category. Lets see if it's still good. The GD Ridgeline Amber pours a nice looking... um... amber color, with a decent head that quickly fades but leaves behind some good yeasty-looking foam globules on the beer's surface. The nose is a spicy caramel scent. Also very sweet, with lots of malt and candied fruit. Almost gives off a harsh livestock show smell, if you're familiar with that (but in a good way). A bit woody and nutty too. Not a bad aroma at all, and certainly a lot going on in there, but it's a bit too sweet for me personally. The taste is rich and sweet, with lots of caramel malts. But it's balanced nicely not so much by the faint hop presence, but by the pronounced spices within. Mouthfeel is smooth and finishes dry. This isn't a bad beer at all, and I'll gladly drain my sixer this week with no problems. But it's a bit lighter and a bit spicier than some of the other Scottish style ales I've had. Still, this is quite accessible, even for initiate craft beer drinkers, and at 5.4% ABV, it's a steady session brew to boot. I don't see much of this beer in the DC area, but I'd be interested in trying it on tap for sure.