New Planet Amber Ale

Has anyone had this yet? Looking at the website, the ingredients look almost exactly like something many of us would make...except they use "caramel color." That is kind of surprising since I don't like any of their beers.

http://www.newplanetbeer.com/gluten-free-beer/amber-ale-2/?ao_confirm

So it's basically their pale ale with lower IBUs and caramel color? Well, that's not very exciting. Haven't had it yet, can't find it anywhere. More interested in their Belgian style, curious how cinnamon and vanilla extract plays out in a Belgian beer.

Also, did not realize that they rely so heavily on sterling hops. I made a mild with them a while back (used some molasses, too, IIRC) and thought it tasted nearly identical to their pale ale. Now I know why!

It's funny, I remember when I first had a New Planet, I was ecstatic because it was so much better than Bard's or Red Bridge or New Grist. Now I'm like...psshhh, you call that "craft beer"? LOL. I wonder if they'll ever move away from extract-only beers that any chump with a kettle and a bucket can replicate at home?

igliashon said:

I wonder if they'll ever move away from extract-only beers that any chump with a kettle and a bucket can replicate at home?

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I have a carboy as well. HaHa. New Planet pretty much sucks. I would like to try that belgian though. I really hate how "green" and "progressive" they make themselves seem, even though they use non-organic products, extracts, and caramel color. I bought a case for like $13 on clearance (PA has weird liquor laws) and still felt ripped off. Best part of that purchase was that I got a case of bottles. Rant over.

Bards is the only one mentioned I haven't tried, and I'm disappointed to hear it put in the same class as Redbridge, etc... I had high hopes. I thought the New Planet Amber Ale was OK-ish, but defintiely not worth the price and then found out it has coloring. NEVER going to buy from them again.

I think bard's is way better than redbridge. It's actually a nice drinkable beer. It is a bit pricey for what it is. Just my opinion.

Bard's is okay, definitely has an interesting grain flavor, but it's still a fairly typical light lager. In a side-by-side tasting of Bard's, Redbridge, and New Grist, I found very little difference. All were quite sweet but with an obvious almost-sour twang.

I have a Greens' Dubbel Dark Ale in the fridge...hopefully that will taste something like what the name implies.

Greens is incredible. I fall asleep thinking about them every night. God bless the Belgians. Its Greens that inspired me to brew at home because I never found any gf beer that could hold a candle to it.

Noontime said:

Bards is the only one mentioned I haven't tried, and I'm disappointed to hear it put in the same class as Redbridge, etc... I had high hopes. I thought the New Planet Amber Ale was OK-ish, but defintiely not worth the price and then found out it has coloring. NEVER going to buy from them again.

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Bards tastes exactly like Redbridge to me. More expensive Redbridge.

I tolerate redbridge in a glass. I like bards in bottle. St. Peters actually made me almost throw up.

St. Peter's is very inconsistent. I had one bottle of it once that had AMAZING hop flavor and aroma, but the rest of the time I've had it, it's been skunky and bland. I like it better than Redbridge and New Grist, though.

igliashon said:

St. Peter's is very inconsistent. I had one bottle of it once that had AMAZING hop flavor and aroma, but the rest of the time I've had it, it's been skunky and bland. I like it better than Redbridge and New Grist, though.

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I have never had a St. Peter's that was awful, but it has been much better on occasion. I blame green glass and who knows how long it has been sitting on the shelf.

I must be the only one that likes New Grist.

No. I actually really like new grist. Its just hard for me to get it. I also know I can make better beer. Not really worth going out of state for an overpriced case.

I believe greens is the best followed by new grist, then bards. Tweason ale is definitely last. Foxtail isn't even worth mentioning. The only major GF beers I have never had are st. Peters and harvester. Also glutenator if you count that as major.

Just personnal preferance. If you like new grist, drink it.

I also like new grist. Its decent. The dogfish head Tweason is alright as well.

Harvester is my favorite. They had some QC issues early on and I wrote a pretty scathing review of them, but they've definitely ironed it out. Their IPA is hands-down the best gluten-free beer I've ever had, even among my own creations. They just put out a dubbel, and while it's not as good as Green's, it's still plenty tasty. Makes me want to take a crack at the style. Also, apparently they are now experimenting with buckwheat, and I'm really curious how that plays out. They seem like a good bunch of dudes, definitely not content to rest on their laurels. Seems like they're always trying new things, which is awesome because apparently they're the only GF brewery who feels that way. I keep hoping Bard's will come up with another style, because I'll bet they could do a legit amber ale or something.

Harvester is still only available in OR, right?

So I finally found New Planet's Amber and Belgian Ales at one of the local health food stores here in Berkeley. I got pretty excited and bought a 4-pack of both. DUMB. The Amber tastes exactly like I suspected--exactly like the Pale but with less hop character. I mean, I really don't know that I could tell the difference in a blind test. The Belgian is alright...the yeast character helps it along, but the vanilla makes it ridiculously sweet. It's almost like a cream soda. Still, it might be their best beer to date. I'd prefer this over their Blonde.

But really, I'm kind of insulted by the Amber. Like, really? You're calling this a "new style"? UGH. Clearly they are putting more effort into marketing than they are into anything else. If their Brown ale comes off as just the Amber with more molasses, I'm never buying them again.

I honestly have no idea why they put spices in a belgian. The spiciness is supposed to come from the yeast. I read the marketing paper for their new beers. I just laughed and asked our rep if they sell many. He sighed and said no.

I will wait till its $10 a case and buy one. Just so I can give bottles to people. Then I follow it up with one of mine and watch their reaction at the extreme change in quality.

Although many Belgians use coriander and other spices, I'll take your word for it and not go out of my way to find the New Planet Belgian. That style is one of my favorites (when done well) and I was originally excited to read here that New Planet had one. Oh well...if I come across one I'll get it out of curiosity.

I'm surprised there aren't more gluten free IPAs out there, considering it's popularity. And it seems the easiest style to make gluten free. Weird.

I live out in the middle of no where so I do mostly homebrew shop orders over the internet. Purchased a kit of Bard's GF from one of the larger homebrew shops online. Made an IPA also and when I was dry hopping made a mistake. Ooops, I put in 1oz. of Cascade and 1 oz. of Amarillo into the Bards instead of my IPA. But it turned out pretty darn good and gave the beer some flavor. If I was to do the kit again, add dextrose for some body and more hops in boil. Or add some malted buckwheat.

Hey Tractor, sounds like a happy mistake. If you're trying to add body, dont use dextrose, use malto dextrin. Dextrose will thin the body out, its highly fermentable.

I had no idea there were GF beer kits out there...interesting.

Kits:

Austin Homebrew , Morebeer , and Seven Bridges all have kits . None of them have much selection , but it is a place to start . Sounds like a good opportunity for someone. Master a bunch of GF recipes and start and online GF homebrew supply . Or, work with one of these shops to get more kits on the shelf. I have never even had a GF beer, but was interested in the thread and shocked to find so few kits available .

BrewCanuck said:

Hey Tractor, sounds like a happy mistake. If you're trying to add body, dont use dextrose, use malto dextrin. Dextrose will thin the body out, its highly fermentable.

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Yes, your correct about the malto dextrin. Typed the wrong sugar in. Doh. I'll try to be better about that next time.

Thank you

No prob, just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't be disappointed.