Although Shawn Seidel considers his “Fire Amber” ale a nod to the firefighters, it may also be a tribute to his patience.
You see, when he took the reins at Mount St. Helena Brewing Co., Seidel did not start immediately on a lineup of pilsners, ales and stouts. Instead, he decided a little housekeeping was in order. So he pored over the Middletown restaurant’s fermentation tanks and other equipment meticulously.
Unfortunately, once satisfied with the upgrades he endured another delay as the Valley Fire tore through and around Middletown.
So when he finally had an opportunity to produce something distinct, he settled on an flame-hued beer.
The Fire Amber seethes with dark roasted coffee, casting a deep and bittersweet eye. Hints of sassafras underscore the provocative nature of the ale. But this is a flare up that comes after an almost whimsical introduction, when the beer greets you with teasing notes of malt and citrus.
It’s a clever combination, offering depth of character through breezy and enjoyable manner.
While the nice dark coffee note tries to hold sway, it is scythed by a clean orange zest and smoothed by soft hints of malt. The effervescent body furthers the impression of a friendly, fun beer.
“It’s a very light red ale,” Seidel said.
The recipe is a play on one he developed while working at another brewery. But this time around he worked on developing the color — and on the enigmatic quality called drinkability.
Seidel refers to it as a firefighter’s beer, not only in recognition of their efforts during the Valley Fire, but also because they deserve a refreshing yet interesting beer on that rare off day.
“They can have more than one,” he said with a laugh.
Well, that depends on the designated driver situation. But firefighters — and the rest of us — will certainly want more than one.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
