Burton Bridge Empire Ale

Brewed by Burton Bridge
Style: English Strong Ale
Burton-on-Trent, England

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

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Bottled.This was a strange brew indeed. I started out not liking it very much but enjoyed it quite a bit towards the end. Upon opening it was extremely carbonated and slowly gushed for 3 minutes before I decided to pour it. The flavor, aroma, and texture were quite harsh and not at all pleasant (smelled like a dirty dishrag for one thing). However once it warmed up and lost some carbonation its character changed and became quite pleasing, almost like a very mild and sweet lambic. The following then is what I experienced and rated when the beer de-gassed for a bit and warmed up to 60F: No head and no lacing at all; nice hazy med-gold color.Aroma was sweet and fruity layered with a hint of bubblegum, a subtle oaky "brettiness", and a very present alcohol character. Off-dry, malty start; fruity mid-palate with some oakiness; finish was also off-dry with an assertive bitterness that carried into the aftertaste. The aftertaste had an interesting dry, husky malt character, akin to having chewed on a few grains of barley malt. Palate was med-full with a creamy, almost oily texture. So, to fully enjoy this beer I recommend letting it de-gas and warm up before drinking it.

Looks great. Cloudy orange-red. A strong citrus hop aroma with grapefruit. This is pretty darn tasty, even though it seems fruity. Then, it seems to get a bit of oldish flavor to it. A good dry hop bite at the end. Quite nice.

500ml bottle. Bought for its label which is reminiscent of a homebrew. It pours a slightly hazy amberish brown with a big foamy but creamy white head. I am not a huge fan of the scent. It has a spiciness of like anise or something. There is some sourdough, golden raisin, and alcohol. The flavor is boozy and astringent at first. The mouthfeel is prickly and highly carbonated. The flavor has ripe apple, booze, a mild bitterness, and some liqueur-like caramel. It is decent the longer you sip, it reminds me of an amber ale that has sat for a bit, but the hotness makes me think it isn’t that old. It is a pretty decent one in the flavor. Kind of a wonky one.

500 ml bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a cloudy golden/orange color with about an inch off-white head that stays around a while. Not much lacing. Aroma is bready malt, grassy and citrusy hops (lemon peel, oranges), and a bit of apples. The brew tastes mostly like the aroma, with toasted and bready malt, wood, citrusy hops (lemon and orange peel), minerals, and apple flavors all noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it’s a bit slick and has a good amount of carbonation. I thought this was a pretty decent brew, the more I drank it, the more I liked it. I’d buy it again. $5.49 a bottle.

Bottle from Wineways, Harrogate. Pours golden with a dense head. Toffee on the nose. The palate is rich, full and fragrant. Citrus fruit, caramel, floral hop character - it carries it’s 7.5% well and is very moreish. Creamy and some sweetness to finish.

A - dried fruit and Cotten candy A - dark gold with no head T - light sweet and sour with alcohol and controlled bitter P - full and soft O - decent

500ml bottle. Pours dark orange with a thin head. Aroma is earthy, gassy orange. Taste is sweet, some alcohol and cloying orange on the finish. Low carbonation.

Bottle@Home. Grainy aroma with cinnamon and sweet apples, alcoholic. Amber, off-white irregular head, fair lace. Sweet, apples, bitter, very very alcoholic. Off-flavours and unbalanced.

UPDATED: FEB 16, 2012 Not what I expected at all, pours orange with quite a bit of head. Not much aroma - light. Smooth, didn’t find it too hoppy, a little bitter. Wouldn’t buy it again but wouldn’t turn it away either.

Bottle from Beers of Europe poured into a pint glass. Vibrant orange and a bit cloudy. No head at all. Smooth, somewhat hopped, acidic. Hoppy aroma. Quite plain actually, but hides its alcohol content reasonably well.

Bottle from Star Grocery, Berkeley. Pours murky light amber with a thin white head and a floral aroma. There is a sweet pale malt flavor that quickly turns very bitter and slightly sour with a little banana ester. This is quite strong and a bit strange for a British ale, yet quite enjoyable.