New Holland Red Tulip Ale

What can I say, I fall for the gimmicks. Anytime a seasonal brew hits the beer aisle, it usually finds a place in my fridge. Today's catch was a 6-pack of Red Tulip Ale from New Holland Brewing Company. It's a seasonal brew inspired by the annual Tulip Time Festival in Holland, MI. This amber poured very well with a light head and a strikingly bright red hue. Unfortuately, all this beer has is its looks. It seems to spend most of its time trying very hard not to offend and ends up being unremarkable. I found it to have a lighter taste than most microbrew ambers; however, nothing seemed to take the place of this reduction in taste. It also had a fairly watery texture like any mainstream brew. I find that beers with a creamier texture (say halfway between a Miller Lite and a Guiness Draught) just feel more substantial and satisfying, important when you're paying $9 for a sixer. It had a slightly bitter aftertaste as most ambers do. The weird part about this one is that the bitterness seemed more reminiscent of a Sam Adams lager than a microbrew amber. The aftertaste was fleeting, though; so the beer could be easily accompany a meal.

If you get a chance to sample this one, by all means go for it; it's a seasonal. I'd find it very difficult to purchase it in a 6-pack, though; it's just not that great.