Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale: Welcome to Boont
Written: Apr 26 '01 (Updated Jun 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great flavor, easy drinker
Cons: Distribution?
The Bottom Line: Best suited to fans of Pale ales or Brown Ales, good mix of fruit and malt with hoppy finish.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Boont Amber Ale |
Anderson Valley is a brewery I knew very little of until I checked out a few reviews, and decided that maybe I should pick up a few brews.
The Lingo
The first thing that struck me about the brewery was the curious names of its beers: Boont, Deep Enders, Barney Flats, Poleeko, Hop Ottin’ to name a few. These phrases come from a language called Boontling, a language developed over years by the residents of the secluded valley in the late 1800’s. Over time the vocabulary grew, as did the number of people familiar with it. Eventually, every resident of the valley had at least some knowledge of Boontling. For many, Boontling actually became their primary language, and they had difficulty reverting to English when circumstances required it. The names of the beers is a testament to the language. So just a little FYI:
Boont = Boonville. The largest community and focal center of Anderson Valley. The town where the language of boontling originated.
Boont Amber
This is the brewery’s most acclaimed product; with many awards including Gold medal in 1996 at the World Beer Championships and Silver in 2001.
An impressive pour, results in a nice head of foam with a good level of carbonation. There’s evidence of foam right until the last sip. The body is deep for an amber, pretty close to brown and slightly cloudy. When I released the bottle cap, my first impressions of the aroma were a little hoppy, but once I poured, the malt became much more evident, along with a little smokiness. The palate is fairly light, giving way to an initial sweet, fruity flavor. The main body of the flavor is a caramel malt, while the finish is slightly sour. Overall this is a very well-rounded, smooth, mellow brew, with a nice creamy mouthfeel. It’s very impressive, and easy drinking (my first only lasted 10 minutes), encouraging you to drink several.
Personally I see this as a great brew for an evening in the pub. Tonight mine went fairly well with a bowl of chilli, which took little away from the brew except maybe a little malt. It would work well with any meaty dish.
This is an easy beer to recommend, certainly to any pale or brown ale drinker, but also for anyone new to microbrews it makes for a fairly easy introduction. As for the rest that Anderson Valley has to offer, I look forward with anticipation.
Recommended:
Yes
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andaryl
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Member: Andrew Smith
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