Mendocino Red Tale Ale in a 12 oz brown bottle. The only other amber ale I’ve tasted is GD ridgeline amber, which wasn’t bad, but that was a while ago. Nifty red tail bird of prey on the label. Pop the top to reveal very little aroma, but the aroma that is there is just a hint of beeryness. Pours cloudy like sweet apple cider, same brownish light orange. No head to speak of but there is a very thin froth on the top. Initial taste is hoppy ale-ish. It commences with a bitter onslaught like many ales. I don’t recall ridgeline amber being this bitter. Each taste carries more of that offensive bitterness. Has as much offense as an IPA with out the fruity grapefruitness of it all. The label says it has a lasting character and I have to agree, no false advertising here. The brew is a bit viscous, something like light vegetable oil. Not mild enough for my taste buds, will not buy again. However, if you like the bitter stuff and strong ales, give this a try – you may like it. This is perhaps why it rates so high on this site. Discordant linger for minutes on end. Not easy to forget because the harshness goes on and on and on. Then close your mouth five minutes later to taste it again. --- Beer merged from original tick of Red Tail Lager on 13 Jan 2008 at 12:39 - Score: Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5. Original review text: Chocolate malt aroma, when first popped then it clears to a candy like olfactory. Darker than your typical pale yellow lager, a little more brown and perhaps a little hazy. Has a small amount of gunk on the bottom of the bottle for a swirling ending pour. Initial taste gives no inkling of the alky content, You’d swear this is more than 6% but it really is only 4.5%! Woody and leathery, more personality than many octoberfests or hellers. Hints of honey perhaps. Finish has a bit of personality. Not your everyday lager fer sure.