Beer 232 - Abita Amber (3.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by the Abita Brewing Co, Abita Springs, LA.  Bought at Walmart in Lake Charles, LA when we made an evening trip to Lake Charles (150 miles east of Houston) to visit David, one of Patricia's friends/work mates who had just come out of hospital after surgery on his back to repair three ruptured discs.  David will be off work at least six weeks, though he is already making great progress and no longer has to wear the neck brace.  I tried to drink a Louisiana beer at the Texas Roadhouse in Lake Charles when we stopped for dinner before going to David's house, but the restaurant did not have a single LA beer available, so I drank this beer at home tonight with our dinner of meatloaf, red cabbage and squash.

the beer web site: http://www.abita.com/brews/

The web site/bottle says: "Amber is a Munich style lager brewed with pale and crystal malts, the finest  Perle hops and German lager yeast. It has a smooth, malty, slightly caramel flavor and a rich amber color. Abita Amber was the first beer offered by the brewery and continues to be an Abita favorite and our leading seller.  Guided by our principle of "quality before quantity" Amber is cold filtered and brewed in small batches using no additives or preservatives.  Each batch is handcrafted using the pristine artesian waters of Abita Springs, Louisiana, resulting in a refreshing, silky beer.  Amber is prepared with the attention to detail upon which we have built our reputation as one of the country's finest breweries.  4.5% ABV
Amber is Abita’s most versatile beer for pairing with food. It has been voted "best beer" in numerous New Orleans reader polls and is used frequently in recipes of great Louisiana chefs.  Because of its smooth, malty flavor, try it with smoked sausages, Louisiana boudin, or even with caviar. It’s great with crawfish and Cajun food. You might also enjoy it paired with a spicy gumbo or tomato-based pasta sauce. It also goes well also with fried catfish dipped in a tart, lemony tartar sauce. Parmesan, Pecorino and Romano cheeses are good pairings with Abita Amber."

This was a very pleasant light bodied beer that also had some flavor.  I enjoyed the beer with my dinner.  It was well balanced and didn't drown the taste of any of the food.  It would have skored higher, perhaps, if the finish had been a little stronger and more tasteful.