Sixpoint Atlantic Antic

On tap at the Sixpoint tasting at Bellport Beer and Soda. Pours a slightly hazy amber with a moderate short-lasting off-white head. The aroma was filled with lots of fresh oranges, grapefruit and even a bit of lemon, which surprised me for an amber ale. A bit of caramel malt is more noticeable in the flavor, but the citrus is still there. With all that hops, I thought maybe the finish would be too bitter, however, it was fine. Tasty.

Tap. I went to a Sixpoint’s night at Pacific Standard in Brooklyn on 11/5 where this was one of the features. It didn’t come across with huge amount of hops I am used to tasting in the great Sixpoint Ales as it had London meets San Francisco taste to it. I loved the lighter amber red malts that seemed to be swirling around in the glass and each pint seemed to be slightly different, which I found to be fun after three rounds.

Draught pint at the brewpub on 9/23/06.
Minimally-hazed amber/gold-leaf colored body has some strong polished bronze tints and a large, well-retained, white/off-white head that laces well as it proceeds down the glass.
Soft fruits in the nose are joined by leafy, lightly juicy hops, that add dryness near the end, being quite crisp and well-pronounced as the aroma progresses. Well-suited to balancing the medium-sweet, buttercream-like maltiness, and in the end, it’s very well-balanced, a strong trait in most Sixpoint beers. A very crisp, grainy, straw-like dryness is noted as well, further distancing the aroma from the sweetness (though it never comes off as under-malted in the least). Unpasteurized, as always, and just so attractively fresh and fragrant.
A slight hint of toffee begins the malt aspect, as I take a sip. Slowly spreading in to a slightly more accessible doughiness and finally finishing with some light pale sugars, it is, at all times, terribly well extracted and very comforting on the palate. The great attenuation level provides just the right amount of texture, and the low/appropriate carbonation keeps it flavorful without any noxious gassiness. Green, leafy, moderately bitter hops show off grass, herbs and light floral aspects, with only mild citrus traits. Some caramel and toffee reprise near the end of the glass, giving it a bit more heft, but it certainly remains another fantastically drinkable session-like beer. Alcohol never apparent, fruity yeast is moderate and provides light nuances without being overbearing.

I’m not sure if it’s the same recipe as the East Coast Amber, but I recently sampled what was called "Atlantic Amber," which was specially brewed by Sixpoint for the 2006 "Atlantic Antic" Brooklyn street festival of Beastie Boys pickpocketing fame (i.e. "Shadrach"). I remember tasing the the East Coast Amber at the Antic two years back when they were launching. This seemed a lot better to me, which leads me to believe it’s a different recipe. Anyway, I was quite impressed with this one. Couldn’t really zero in on aroma and appearance since it was in a white plastic cup from the Magnetic Field stand and I was outdoors amongst thousands, but basically dark amber with a moderate head with a bready malt and appley aroma. Well balanced flavor of biscuity, slightly sweet, caramel malts with some backing hops. Smooth buttery palate. Quite fresh and very local, which I’m sure made all the difference.