Full Sail Amber Ale

Style: Amber Ale
Brewer: Full Sail Brewing Company
Location: Hood River, Oregon, USA
Web: www.fullsailbrewing.com
Alcohol: 4.8%

Utilizing a marketing campaign that targets outdoor sports, and boasting a co-op relationship between the owners and employees of the company, Full Sail Brewing Company is quite possibly the most telling beer of the Pacific Northwest. In fact, when you consider the activities portrayed on the brewery's seasonal ales, snowboarding, mountain biking and wind sailing, Full Sail seems like it would make the perfect addition to any wilderness-friendly activity that the Seattle lifestyle has come to represent. To be sure, this is Bill Gates NXNW, not Kurt Cobain.

The beer itself, however, is perfect for nearly any occasion, although I must admit, the presentation makes it seem like the quintessential summer brew. At once hoppy and sweet, Full Sail's Amber Ale is sort of a paradox; a hefty ale that is thirst quenching rather than filling. As a result, the Amber Ale goes great with thicker, spicier foods, like a nice Cuban burger with roumalade sauce.

Rating: 8.3