What type of beer is Ambar?
Ambar is styled as a Spanish cerveza which means it is a pilsner lager.
A pilsner lager is popular in Europe and is characterised but a slightly more hoppy lager with some extra sweetness.
I have to say i do usually prefer a pilsner versus a pale lager and there is just that touch extra flavour from the hops to keep you interested.
The Ingredients
If you have read any of my reviews you will know i am a purity fan. The least ingredients needed to make a beer the better. How will Ambar compare?
Ambar includes…
- Water
- Barley malt
- Isomaltulose
- Rice
- Dietry fiber
- Natural Flavourings
- Hops
Oh, red flags ahoy!
In well over 100 beer reviews i don’t think i have seen “isomaltulose” before. It is a disaccharide carbohydrate made of glucose and fructose. It apparently tastes like sucrose but with half the sweetness. The fact no one else uses it makes me think it isn’t essential to beers so i query if it is needed here.
Rice is an interesting one which Budweiser Zero uses. As a brewing adjunct, rice has a very neutral flavour and aroma, and when properly converted in the brewhouse, it yields a light clean-tasting beer.
Dont even get me started on natural flavourings!
Is Amber really alcohol free?
Yes, Ambar has 0.0% alcohol by volume (<0.05% ABV) and as such can be called alcohol free.
You can drink as much as you want and drive, you can drink it if pregnant or on medication and there is no effects from alcohol
The Nutrition
How will all those ingredients affect the nutritional values? What does isomaltulose add?
| | Values per 100ml or 100g |
| Alcohol | 0.0% |
| Calories | 19kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 4.3g |
| Sugars | 2.5g |
This is a fairly typical nutritional profile of a European pilsner. Nothing too unexpected here. If anything, i would like to see the added sugar level down a bit as even at 2.5g/100ml, it runs the risk of tasting too sweet.
To read more about what isotonic is and how it affects beers, you can read about that here
The Look
The bottle and label are pretty plain, I had never heard of Ambar but they advertise that it is gluten free prominently.
The beer itself is a pretty dark orange and surprising for a Spanish cerveza or pilsner styled beer. I am intrigued now.
The Aroma
There isn’t a huge amount on the nose here. From the colour you would expect plenty of malt and verging into roasted malt and caramel.
I get a sweet light and perhaps faint caramel smell but I am concerned it smells a bit like wort, a sugary precursor to beer and the flavour might not be there.
The Taste
This is a strange one. A pilsner should be a bit more hop forward than a pale lager, but this isn’t really. I don’t get much bitterness of hop flavour at all.
There is a decent amount of malt flavour, I mean there would have to be with the colour. However the main flavour I am getting is a malty sweet orange with quite a sweet after taste on my tongue.
There isn’t really a lot of carbonation and it come across as a bit flat which isn’t helping the body at all.
The mouthfeel is average but ive now drank nearly it all just trying to pick out what flavours there are.
I think if I compare this to San Miguel 0.0, the San Miguel wins easily. Ambar is a bit more watery, lacks any real flavour and the hops have disappeared.
The Verdict
A sweet malty drink but not living up to a European pilsner. Not one I would be in search of again.
The Score
5/10 – Average enough effort and there was a reason I had not heard of it before.
Find out where this beer ranks compared to all the beers i have reviewed on my updated “Best Non Alcoholic Beers” page
Where to buy?
You can try these at Wise Bartender as well, a brilliant non alcoholic retailer
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
*Affiliate Disclosure – if you click on the links and buy from these providers, i might receive a small commission*
Is Ambar gluten free?
Yes, Ambar is gluten free and displays this on the bottle.
I have an entire article on non alcoholic beers and gluten if you want more information.
Is Ambar vegan?
Yes, Ambar is vegan friendly
For more on vegan beers see my article on the matter. Why beers may or may not be and how to check.
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SUMMARY
Average enough effort and there was a reason I had not heard of it before. |
2.5
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