AleSmith Anvil ESB

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
San Diego, California USA

Huge, bombastic levels of tart fruit envelop this particular beer. A smooth caramel color wraps around the glass, as a large cloud of foam erupts after the initial pour is completed. AleSmith’s ESB is a bit too floral, with an almost syrupy fructose bite that kicks the tongue. Imagine drinking Hawaiian Punch that has been fermenting in a wood jug somewhere for years on end, and this would be the final product. A little too much fruit for me, despite the aromic feel and lush coloring.

Wowee! An easy-to-medium pour just gave me, literally, a mug full of foam. Thick, creamy, tan colored foam. Almost like a Nitro-tap pour. After about eight minutes or so, it finally leaves me with a lightly amber tinted, golden colored liquid. Slightly darker than I’m used to for an ESB, which pleases me. The lacing is spotty, plentiful, and sticky. A fair amount of toasted malt presence is in the nose. Nice presence of floral hops. Light hints of apples and traces of dark fruits. The taste follows the nose very well. Loads of that toasted malt flavor. It blends quite nicely with a balanced level of those wonderful floral hop notes. Light hints of granny smith apples and bing cherries. There is a very light hint of smokiness in the aftertaste. This has a nice, medium, body. It has a medium-to-high level of carbonation. It’s nice, little, small bubbles, which help it out. It is smooth, with a mild level of active-ness on your tongue. It has a slight touch of creaminess, which helps it’s enjoyability factor. Traditionally, I am not big on the ESB style, but this is a definite exception. This is a beer that I could drink many of. Often. Thank you, Alesmith!

Alesmith sure knows how to make good beer. Pour is darken gold-red with a nice thick head. Aroma is caramel malts, floral hops and citrus. Flavor is a very solid bitter. Palate is smooth.

Pours dark red brown with a thick and creamy tan head. Bitter and full bodied while maintaining a fruity and light quality accentuated by an interesting spice note.

Sampled from 22-oz bomber during Darkness Day 2009 in Brooklyn Center, MN. Pours a semi-clear brownish red colored brew with a thick off-white head that slowly dissipates. Aroma of toasted caramel malt, light yeast, apple and floral hops. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of caramel malt, floral hops, some biscuit malt, hard fruit and some light spice. Finish is semi-sweet with a biscuit malt aftertaste that slowly disappears. Nice multi-personality ESB overall.

Septemberfest. Sample from a bottle thanks to nearbeer. Clear red-orange, big sticky off white head. Aroma is toasty, caramel. Taste is grassy, caramel, biscuit.

Bomber. Pours an unclear deep brownish amber with a billowing, thick, rocky, tan head. Awesome retention and lacing. Aroma is HUGE baked cinnamon apples and pear with hints of apricots, strawberries, Malibu rum, pineapples, ambrosia. Holy.... Taste is big pear with baked cinnamon apples. Light bodied with a juicy mouthfeel. This beer is so light and refreshing despite its appearance and just gets drained in seconds. Could be an awesome session beer.

Pours dark reddish brown with a tan (and slightly pink?) head. Aroma is very intriguing. Grapes, dried apricots, Camembert cheese. Some roasty malts. Flavor is more bready and malty, with more of that cheesy tang in the finish. Strange mix of flavors, but I love it.