Asheville Houdini ESP

Brewed by Asheville Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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Appearance: Lightly hazed, medium copper-hued (honey-colored for LibrarianGirl) body with a thin, white head. Smell: Honey aroma overlaying notes of pale, toasty malts with small bits of spice and dried citrus. Taste: Mild-mannered pale malts, lightly toasty grains with a thin brushing of wildflower honey for a bit of imparted sweetness. Lightly spicy, lightly citrusy hops with a minor amount of bitterness present. As it warms, the citrus emerges to give a bit more lemon flavor. Dry, lightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Fairly smooth mouthfeel. Overall: It’s light but food-friendly and pleasant enough for a round or two.

22oz bomber into a pint glass. Pours a slightly hazy dark orange with a white one finger head. Pretty good head retention and lacing. Smells is quite citrusy from hops along with a llittle nuttyness and caramel. Flavor is full of hops up front with citrus reminding me of apricot. There is a floral note as well along with some light nut and caramel. Mouthfeel is medium and pretty appropriate for this beer. Overall, this beer is pretty tasty but it just comes up a bit short. I feel like both the hop and malt flavors are muted and could stand to be much bolder.

Bomber as Escape Artist Pale Ale from Bruisin Ales. Pours hazy amber with a 4 finger creamy/foamy off-white head. Aromas of light roast malt and citrus(tho all that foam may be hiding other things). Med body, more or less. It’s quite fruity, probably floral too, and seems citrus and has a lightly roasted malt backbone. There’s a fair amount of flavor here, but the smoothness betrays East Coast approach, and it won’t satisfy a NW hophead. Decent drink tho. It’s heading into across the pond flavor and mouthfeel.

Sampler pours amber with a white head. Basic beer nothing really special. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Draft. Pours amber orange with a white head. Lightly sweet malty aroma. The flavor has sweet toffee malts and light earthy and floral notes. Not bad.

Strong aroma is malty and fruity, mainly apple with a hint of banana, while a subtle hoppy undertone rounds out the nose. It pours a clear dark amber with a fairly average fluffy pale tan head. Flavor is crisp and malty with fruity and hoppy undertones and a yeasty note in the mix. Texture is quite fizzy and lively, leaving a tingly, hoppy finish. Overall, an above average pale ale that is worth seeking.

22oz bomber split with Anndiesel. Unfiltered thick orange-tan. Big, long lasting head. Crisp, cool aroma. A solid beer, something they seem to do well in old Asheville. On the fuller side of medium bodied, this is quite sessionable while still retaining some depth of flavor. Balanced, clean despite the apparent non-filtration. Not mind blowing but pretty solid.

Draft at the brewpub on Coxe. Bright, luminous amber. Drinks with an edge as sharp as a knife. Among the better options at Asheville -- nicely drinkable and would pair well with a creamy, mellow cheese. (#4294, 10/5/2011)

Tap at APBC - pours a brownish orange with a white head. Aroma is nutty. Taste is a little bitter with more nuttiness. Palate is slightly dry. Overall, average ESP.

Pours slightly orange from tap with a thin white head. Not a lot going on on the nose or tongue. A bit of hop flavor on the finish. Meh!

amber color with thin white lacing. smell of sugar and melted caramel. tastes the same with an alcohol burn. this doesn’t taste at all like a pale ale. not a fan.