Today we talk about red beers, starting from the preferences of Italian consumers: according to a recent study by CGA Nielsen IQ, pale beer dominates the preference landscape in Italy, with as much as 66% of consumers choosing it over other colors, but 26% prefer red beers, a percentage that should not be underestimated.
Of course, golden beers are often seen as the "popular national" choice, but red beer is gaining more and more space in the hearts of enthusiasts, thanks to its complex aromatic profile and the various flavors it brings to the palate. After all, one in four Italians chooses to go beyond the usual options and ventures into the world of red beers… this is a significant fact that shows how the passion for fuller-bodied and aromatic beers is steadily growing.
Red beers or amber beers, which is the correct term?
Let's start with words, which we know are important: it is common to come across the terms "red beer" and "amber beer" used as synonyms, but is that correct? If you want to be precise, the traditions of the different brewing schools around the world have used the same color references for centuries, which we can still consider valid today. In general terms, especially when not speaking with industry experts, using the two terms interchangeably is functional and inclusive. However, for the more attentive enthusiasts, knowing that amber and red are not exactly the same can make a difference.
The main difference between red and amber beer lies not only in the shade of color of each example – which depends on the blend of malts used – but also in the style to which the individual beer belongs.
In reality, even in competitions, each beer style that falls under the red and amber color categories allows for some flexibility. For this reason, even in our product sheets on Maltese, we try to distinguish between a beer with a “light amber” color and one that is even “coppery.” In general, red beers are characterized by a color ranging from ruby red to light brown, due to the roasted or caramel malts used in their production. These malts not only give the beer its characteristic color but also provide a rich flavor, tending to sweetness with notes of toffee.
On the other hand, amber beers can have a deeper tone with reflections tending towards orange, copper, or amber, as the name itself suggests.
How red beer is produced and its characteristics
Red or amber beers are characterized by a good presence of roasted malts in their recipe. In some cases, brown candied sugar can also be added to give further color shades and flavor intensity. The production process can be either top or bottom fermentation: the result is a beer with a color ranging from very deep golden to dark bronze.
The range of flavors in red beers is varied and rich: you can perceive notes of dried and dehydrated fruit, caramel, toffee, chestnut honey, milk chocolate, cappuccino, and often toasted or slightly burnt nuances. The foam, typically ivory-colored, adds a touch of creaminess to the experience.
Now let's talk about beer styles, whose names, as mentioned, often suggest the color the beers should have. There are only three traditional styles worldwide that include the word “red” in their name, coming from three different brewing schools, and even experts do not hesitate to call them red beers:
- In Belgium, more precisely in the West Flanders region, we have the Flemish Red Ale: sour beers that mature in huge wooden barrels and combine the malted toffee notes with a well-known acetic acidity.
- In Ireland, instead, there are beers with more classic flavors and moderate alcohol content, the Irish Red Ale. Here, roasted and caramel malts reveal notes of dates and dried figs, but the good final bitterness balances everything well.
- The last style is typical of Nuremberg (only and exclusively Nuremberg, not all of Franconia, nor Bavaria or Germany): its name is Rotbier, literally “red beer.” These are beers with a sweet tendency, reaching really deep honeyed notes, now produced almost exclusively by a handful of breweries in the city.
And what about all the other beers with similar colors? Beer sommeliers and brewers define them as amber beers. Some styles, like American Amber Ale, state it explicitly in the name, but many others do not. Among amber-colored styles, the most common are Bitter, Scotch Ale, certain varieties of IPA (India Pale Ale) and APA (American Pale Ale), Barley Wine, Dubbel, Belgian Pale Ale, Bock, Doppelbock, Marzen, Vienna Lager.
Two interesting and fun ways to indicate colors that fall under the amber umbrella (or very close) come from the Czech Republic and Belgium. Czech brewers call their amber beers “Polotmavé,” which literally means “half dark.” In the Belgian monastic tradition, a common descriptor for Trappist beers is “monk’s robe,” which often indicates a color between copper and brown but does not reach dark shades.
This variety of styles means that anyone can find a red or amber beer suited to their tastes, from casual drinkers to enthusiasts seeking a complex and nuanced beverage.
