Living the Dream Brewing Company - Fly Reel Amber

This amber ale unsurprisingly presents a deep amber to medium brown hue in the glass, with good clarity and a head of light beige foam that drops to a persistent collar. Amber ales are a broad category, with most leaning towards the malty side of the spectrum while others can be quite hoppy. Fly Reel is among the former, offering us plenty of malty character in the aroma. Bold toasty notes grab our attention right away, including impressions of toasted bread crust, roasted nuts, and lighter roast coffee. Look, also, for a distinctive woody hop note here too, with a spicy, earthy edge. Those toasty malts come through at the forefront in the flavor as well, along with touches of caramel and even a wispy hint of dried fruit, but this brew is not at all heavy or sweet, remaining quite dry and light on its feet. With its malt profile, sessionable 4.1% ABV, and woody-earthy hop profile, this amber has a certain English character to us that we really enjoy. For pairing options, the brewery recommends pairing it with fatty foods like barbecued pulled pork, pizza, or brisket to allow the beer to complement the flavors while its crisp dryness cuts through to cleanse your palate. Cheers!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined.” This quote by Henry David Thoreau forms a sort of mantra for Living the Dream Brewing Company, appearing on their website as a symbol to encapsulate their philosophy.

Living the Dream was founded in Littleton, CO by Jason Bell. Born in Chicago and raised in Iowa, he attended Iowa State where he initially studied civil engineering before switching paths to follow his interest in culinary arts. He apprenticed with a chef and graduated with a degree in hotel & restaurant management in 1997. After eighteen years of experience in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry, and years as an increasingly serious homebrewer, Jason – with the support of his wife Debbie – launched Living the Dream in 2014.

In their decade in business, the brewery has become a well known and popular hangout for the locals who appreciate a dog-friendly taphouse environment with excellent beer and an impressive rotation of gourmet food trucks. In May of 2020, the brewery took delivery of their own canning line, allowing them increased opportunity to grow their retail footprint. In fact, with the brewery now at capacity, Living the Dream is – as we write this – preparing to move to a new, larger, and quite a bit more polished location about a mile up the road. It’s the former home of Grist Brew Co., and will offer an even larger location for beer production, the taphouse, and events, and is expected to be open in mid-January 2024.

The brewery currently produces about five year-round canned beers along with a variety of limited availability beers (many of them being inventive variants of their award-winning flagship Powder Run cream ale), and their taproom has a larger selection of tap-only beers. For more info on the brewery, their tasty brews, and events, check them out at www.livingthedreambrewing.com.