on THE TAPHANDLE

Mac & Jack's African Amber Ale, an Amber Ale by Mac & Jack's Brewing Company

The wife, the child, and I wandered down to Trackside Pizza for a family event. Troy's Work Table indulged in great pizza and great beer. And, even though they deliver, and the service is not always stellar, the restaurant has to be experienced. The restaurant is a few feet from the train tracks, which means that the entire building shakes whenever a train passes by, especially one that is westbound to Tacoma. The brickwork of the original building was kept and adorned with old metal railroad signing and advertisements. The booths are painted black and the lighting is low enough that the atmosphere feels like some of the pizza joints my family frequented when I was growing up. There is something to be said for nostalgia.

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On tap. Mac & Jack's African Amber was delivered to the table in a sixteen-ounce shaker. It was a brilliant pumpkin-orange, with a gold aura. The head was thick ivory in color, and hung around. The lacing was good, as was the lively carbonation. The nose was primarily fruity and floral.

The ale felt good in the mouth—present, solid. The flavor is primarily biscuity and nutty, with some raisin. There is a faint grapefruit flavor that makes itself known. Also, light floral and grassy notes. It reminds me less of other ambers I have had and more of a hybrid of a brown ale and an India pale ale. It definitely is an ale of its own and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Mac & Jack's African Amber is only available by the keg, which is a good excuse to make more trips to Trackside.

The pizza I had to accompany the Mac & Jack's was the B&O, minus the mushrooms. That meant a medium crust with a slightly sweet, slightly tangy tomato sauce, with generous portions of mozzarella cheese, black olives, pepperoni, Black Forest ham, and sausage. The Mac & Jack's, itself being well-balanced, was also a nice balance to the flavors of the B&O—in other words, a great pairing.