Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale

Is Boont the name of the bear with deer antlers on the front of this, or is it an homage to the name of the place where this is made, or is it something we aren't supposed to know about? Well, the can doesn't say, and I'm not going to go nuts with trying to figure it out. Anderson has been good enough so far, and this should be no exception.

The dark amber beer has a very interesting head that, while leaving no lacing, maintains top that has a patchwork that looks like the results of a petri dish floating on it. The aroma of faint wood and light malt that reminds me of toast are dominating that really weak smell. What does this mean to the taste? All too frequently, not a whole lot.

First sip is a simple and very well balanced amber ale. It has that finish that is hollow and woody, which I pretty much remember from almost every amber I've had. That's good - shows that they are aiming at the right place with this. Altogether, I'm tasting the malt as toast and toffee (maybe a bit of caramel).

Tip-in is very light carbonation with a homemade bread crust that bites around the edges just a bit. Then, the middle adds mahogany and a bit of toasting to the taste with toffee in tow. The finish is a bit of caramel and that hollow wood with light grains.

Bottom Line: A decent amber ale with a slightly too engaging finish.

2.5/5