Emerald Vale Amber Ale: A Summery Stout That Thinks Its An Amber Ale
Crafters of fine artisan brews tend to gravitate around the beer poles of the Western Cape and Gauteng. However, from the dark outer rim of the Mzansi beer universe (aka the Eastern Cape) comes word of a small yet capable brewery worthy of attention.
Emerald Vale, is a far-flung beer farm just north of East London. Established in 2012, Emerald Vale produces pale, gold, and amber ales. If a trip to the Wild Coast sounds like a beer run too far, an ale aficionado need only venture down to Roeland Liquors (*in the near future), the Mother City's premier purveyor of craft beers, to pick up a few bottles of this Wild Coast import.
WarBrad and I shared an Emerald Vale Amber Ale over boerewors rolls smothered in Mrs. Balls chutney. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and before trying our hands at an all-grain apartment-style home brew, we sat down to boerie rolls and this new amber ale. Poured into two snifter beer glasses, this ale was nothing to write home about in the looks department. For one, this poured ale came up without a head. Even in bright sunlight it was not particularly amberish. Rather, it took on the appearance of dark, oversteeped tea on a cloudy day. When it comes to the taste, this amber ale was not what it purports to be. And that is not bad thing.
My experience of amber ales is limited to brews on the fruitier end of taste spectrum. This Emerald Vale Amber Ale was hands down the maltiest amber ale I have ever tasted. The taste was more akin to a crispy stout than a garden variety amber ale.
The coffee and chocolate flavours offered up by this ale were quite pronounced, and yet this stouty amber ale felt light enough that it made for a surprisingly refreshing drink on hot day. Drinking this ale, I was reminded of the experience of cooling off with a vietnamese iced coffee in Nha Trang beach cafe while a ceiling fan turns languidly overhead.
This is summery beer that is best enjoyed while wearing slops and sunscreen. But then what would you expect from a brewery that brews ales just minutes away from one of South Africa's most celebrated coastlines.
Crafters of fine artisan brews tend to gravitate around the beer poles of the Western Cape and Gauteng. However, from the dark outer rim of the Mzansi beer universe (aka the Eastern Cape) comes word of a small yet capable brewery worthy of attention.
Emerald Vale, is a far-flung beer farm just north of East London. Established in 2012, Emerald Vale produces pale, gold, and amber ales. If a trip to the Wild Coast sounds like a beer run too far, an ale aficionado need only venture down to Roeland Liquors (*in the near future), the Mother City's premier purveyor of craft beers, to pick up a few bottles of this Wild Coast import.
WarBrad and I shared an Emerald Vale Amber Ale over boerewors rolls smothered in Mrs. Balls chutney. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and before trying our hands at an all-grain apartment-style home brew, we sat down to boerie rolls and this new amber ale. Poured into two snifter beer glasses, this ale was nothing to write home about in the looks department. For one, this poured ale came up without a head. Even in bright sunlight it was not particularly amberish. Rather, it took on the appearance of dark, oversteeped tea on a cloudy day. When it comes to the taste, this amber ale was not what it purports to be. And that is not bad thing.
My experience of amber ales is limited to brews on the fruitier end of taste spectrum. This Emerald Vale Amber Ale was hands down the maltiest amber ale I have ever tasted. The taste was more akin to a crispy stout than a garden variety amber ale.
The coffee and chocolate flavours offered up by this ale were quite pronounced, and yet this stouty amber ale felt light enough that it made for a surprisingly refreshing drink on hot day. Drinking this ale, I was reminded of the experience of cooling off with a vietnamese iced coffee in Nha Trang beach cafe while a ceiling fan turns languidly overhead.
This is summery beer that is best enjoyed while wearing slops and sunscreen. But then what would you expect from a brewery that brews ales just minutes away from one of South Africa's most celebrated coastlines.