While they have a similar structure and color, amber ales favor crystal malt with notes of caramel and balanced bitterness, where red ales favor caramel malt and are lighter and more bitter – making them often compared to IPAs. Our last Tournament of Beer competition, Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers, pitted Washington and Oregon brewed ambers against reds. For our Saturday beer flight, we’re offering a chance to taste the difference with two red ales on tap and three amber ales from the cooler. Stop by Peaks & Pints craft beer and cider bar, bottle shop and restaurant and enjoy Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Ambers Versus Reds.

Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Ambers Versus Reds

Skookum Up River

5.1% ABV

Change, although often uncomfortable, is inevitable but this change is cause for celebration. It’s no secret that the past few years have been extremely challenging for Skookum Brewery, but with the support of their community, they continue to do what they love — brew beer. The change I speak of is renaming Amber’s Hot Friend Amber Ale — one of Skookum Brewery first beers for the Arlington community. It’s now called Up River. It’s still has a full malt body, smells like a little chocolate, a little pine, brown sugar, and nuts followed by flavors of caramel and mild citrus plus enough hops to keep it in balance.

Oakshire Amber Ale

5.4% ABV

Eighteen years ago, Jeff and Chris “Alty” Althouse were the only employees at their newly founded Willamette Brewery in Eugene, Oregon. The Althouses brewed 300 barrels that year, far short of what they’d eventually brew after two years later when they converted Willamette Brewery into Oakshire Brewing. Seven years after opening, Dan Russo became the taproom manager but soon after used his American Brewers Guild degree and became lead brewer. Russo remains Oakshire’s longest-tenured employee at the community-inspired, small-batch brewing company. Oakshire’s first beer brewed, Amber Ale, combines five different specialty malts with a touch of hop bitterness for a well-balance beer.

Boneyard Diablo Rojo

5.5% ABV

Fourteen years ago, Boneyard Beer was started in an old auto shop tucked away in the backstreets of Bend, Oregon’s historical district. Without any outside investors or major bank loans, Boneyard’s inception was unconventional to say the least. After decades in the brewing industry, owner Tony Lawrence built up a “boneyard” of old equipment he collected from 13 different breweries around the country. Alongside co-founders, Clay and Melodee Storey, this second-hand brewing equipment was pieced together to brew the first batch of Boneyard Beer. Eight years later, Boneyard opened a new taproom at 1955 NE Division Street in Bend; the location was formerly a Chinese restaurant as well as a Texas Hold’em poker room and a short-lived taqueria. Boneyard’s Diablo Rojo is not a malt bomb. First, the Cascade hops in this red ale are Oregon-grown on Crosby Hop Farm, and have a lighter, more delicate flavor than their acidic cousins from the high desert of Yakima. Second, this deep amber ale is extremely well balanced and very drinkable. Yes, the taste is caramel malts, subtle grassy hops, and piney resin — but, again, all well balanced and easy drinking. It appeals both to the hop lover and non-hop lover. Fun fact: Boneyard Diablo Rojo took second place in our Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers.

Hopworks Fresh Hop Abominable

7.3% ABV

More of an India red ale thanks to toasty molasses notes from Munich malt, Hopworks’ “A-bomb” is the snow day treat that delivers the flavor of candied orange peel. The fresh hop version, released every September, stays true to its namesake with fresh Centennial hops adding juicy notes of pine.

Triplehorn Folkvang Irish Red

6% ABV

Two brothers and one vision propelled Nordic themed Triplehorn Brewing toward its summer of 2012 opening in Woodinville’s “Warehouse District”. Rich and Ray Nesheim donned Viking helmets and made a pack to produce small batch specialty beers in a lively environment. The quest continues. Triplehorn’s Folkvang Irish Red is brewed with rich dark malts and light United Kingdom hops, plus mild peat. It pours a cloudy copper red with all the malt aromas. Flavor is a dusty malt and light smoke, but smooths out nicely with a grainy, caramel finish. Fun fact: Triplehorn Folkvang won our Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers.

LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory