Moe's Backroom Amber Ale (Taproom No. 21 Brewery)

So I bought a six-pack of this last night. I've been putting off trying this beer because it's packaging looks unappealing and generic. My instincts, as usual, were correct. I paid eight dollars for this, and instead of a Tire Bite or a Rogue American Amber, I get something closer to J.W. Dundee's Amber Lager.

The beer pours well enough. It has fairly thick head and a solid, not-too-clear amber color. It's smell is where this beer starts to disappoint - faint malt and not much else. The taste is overly-sweet up front. I don't notice any adjuncts, but the strange cloying sweetness makes the malt profile seem artificial. There's a barely satisfying amount of bitterness with light-to-bland flavor from the hops. How generic. This nondescript brewery (Is it Moe's Backroom Brewery? Taproom No. 21 Brewery? Taproom Brewery?) ought to relabel the bottle with nothing but the words "Amber Ale" in black lettering on a white background and sell the beer for $5 a six-pack to match the genericness (real word?) of this craft brew. I suppose such a beer has it's purpose. Someone has to cater to the in-transition market that's tired of drinking Budweiser but isn't yet ready for primetime. Plenty of people can go straight from Bud Light to Dogfish Head 90 Minute without any problem, but others (read: pussies) need baby steps. If you are one of those pussies, then this beer is for you.


Meh.