Flying Monkeys-Amber Ale

Flying Monkeys Amber Ale is a great-looking brownish-red ale brewed by Guelph, Ontario's Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery.  It is sold in outrageous 355mL bottles (outrageous by most standards, but fairly conservative for the Flying Monkeys) and weighs in at 5% alcohol.  It has a fair head and a moderate amount of lace.  It is only mildly carbonated. 

The Amber Ale features a slightly hoppy smell balanced with the sweet aroma of roasted marshmallows.  The taste is primarily malty and sweet, but it's quite a bit more complex than that.  There is also a slight bready taste and some smokiness.  The best thing about the amber ale is the aftertaste-delightfully bitter without being overpowering.  In fact, without the bitter hop finish, this beer would have been rated considerably lower.  The aftertaste saves it from being too sweet.

Flying Monkeys has a roster of unique and robust beers.  Of the lot of them, the Amber Ale is definitely the most conventional.  It is a fine ale, nicely balanced and chewy.  Give it a try.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.