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Oxford Organic Amber Ale
Baltimore, Maryland
BJCP Category: 10B American Amber
Oxford Brewing Co. <visit site>
37
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[expand]Total Score: 37/50
Excellent drinkability. Chewy and rich. Chocolate aroma/flavor is high and caramel notes a bit low for an American amber ale—almost an American brown ale. more >
[close]Total Score: 37/50
Aroma: Rich, caramel and nutty, chocolate malts are intense. Very low earthy hop aroma. No DMS. No diacetyl. Very low fruity fermentation esters. No specific alcohols. (8/12)
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Appearance: Dark amber to light brown; on target for the style. Bright to brilliant clarity. Very nice. Dense, tan head with adequate retention. (3/3)
Flavor: Chocolate maltiness with hints of caramel, more as the beer warms. Nutty taste, like an English brown ale. Moderate hop bitterness balances very well, leaving a balanced finish as well. Low hop flavor, not citrus but earthy. No diacetyl. No DMS. No specific alcohols. Low fermentation esters; a very clean ale. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Smooth, almost creamy with a lingering bitterness. Medium body. No astringency. No apparent alcohol warming, but likely deceptive as the beer goes down very easily. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Excellent drinkability. Chewy and rich. Chocolate aroma/flavor is high and caramel notes a bit low for an American amber ale—almost an American brown ale. Hop aroma and flavor low for style as well. Could adjust malts and hops for better representation of the style, but it’s still an excellent beer, especially with beef, like a beef pie in an English pub. The organic nature of this beer didn’t detract from this beer at all; a well-made beer may be organic and still be excellent. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 38/50
Quite an enjoyable beverage, with the brown sugar and toasty flavors I’ve encountered in the better fresh draught British brown ales. more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Biscuity, grainy malt up front, with moderate earthy, peppery spice hop aroma, notes of fresh baked bread and a hint of green apple. Brown sugar sweetness and nutty, roasted peanut aromas emerge as the sample warms a bit. (9/12)
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Appearance: Copper with gold highlights, brilliant clarity. Fine foam of off-white bubbles forms low head that dissipates rather quickly to a film and ring around the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Malt is biscuity at first with subdued caramel flavor and brown sugar sweetness; gives way to grainy flavor mid-palate, then ends with a distinctly roasted peanut, peanut butter nuttiness. Hop flavor is spicy pepper, like green pepper berries without the heat; moderate bitterness. Fermentation is clean. This beer is well balanced between spicy hop and nutty grainy malt, though with a lingering hop bitterness to the finish. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. A little creamy; no astringency, but a tangy feel on the sides of the tongue. Subdued, though present alcohol warming lingers in the finish. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Quite an enjoyable beverage, with the brown sugar and toasty flavors I’ve encountered in the better fresh draught British brown ales. The spicy, peppery rather than citrus hop character is different, as is the peanutty, grainy malt flavor that became more pronounced as the sample warmed a bit. Definitely an alternative to the big citrus hoppiness in some examples, this is well balanced, nudged toward the edge of style. A lovely session beer on its own, would be an equally lovely accompaniment to any meal. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 38/50
I enjoyed this beer, though it misses the mark a bit stylistically. It’s a nice session beer that exemplifies the style, with more of a malt emphasis. more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Pleasant beery aroma with moderate toasted malt. It has an underlying graininess that may speak to a North American malt base. The hops are on the light side, which is OK for the style, though there are some strawberry and pear esters that add some complexity. (11/12)
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Appearance: Deep copper color—attractive but on the dark side for the style. The clarity and head retention are both good. (3/3)
Flavor: Overall character is malt-focused, with a good dose of caramel and toast. I also get some toffee and roasted malts—not quite at the level of a brown ale but more than most ambers I have tasted. The hop bitterness is moderate and balances the malt, but hop flavors are not perceptible. The light fruit esters complement the toasted malt. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: The body and mouthfeel are moderate, but not cloying. The carbonation level is good, though there is some astringency that leaves a mouthpuckering sensation. (3/5)
Overall Impression: I enjoyed this beer, though it misses the mark a bit stylistically. It’s a nice session beer that exemplifies the style, with more of a malt emphasis. It would perhaps fit better in the Irish Red category, but that could be addressed with a little more finishing hops. By the same token, I like the slight roastiness in the finish, but that also leans more to the red ale style. (6/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 37/50
Very drinkable. Mild flavors and superb balance. Less hoppy than a typical American amber, and also has more nutty flavors than caramel. more >
[close]Total Score: 37/50
Aroma: Hoppy and biscuity. Hops are somewhat earthy and spicy. Lightly estery. Grainy biscuit malt tends to dominate. Otherwise clean. Malt has a nutty, bready, "English" quality to it, somewhat like an English Brown Ale. (8/12)
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Appearance: Deep copper color—very pretty. Very clear. Moderate-sized beige head, settled slowly. (3/3)
Flavor: Grainy, biscuity, nutty, bready malt flavor. Little caramel. Moderate bitterness. Balance is about even between hops and malt. Fairly dry finish. Moderate spicy, earthy hop flavor, lingers into the finish. Fairly neutral yeast character. Grain bill seems English, like a nut brown ale. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body, medium carbonation, no alcohol warmth or astringency. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Very drinkable. Mild flavors and superb balance. Less hoppy than a typical American amber, and also has more nutty flavors than caramel. Beautiful color. Bitter enough to be interesting. A good everyday drinking beer. Not a great match for the style. Tastes sort of like a hoppy English brown ale to me. Cleanly fermented, fresh and tasty. Style issues cap the score at 37, but it's a better beer than that score suggests. (7/10)
