Caledonian Elf Esteem

Formerly brewed at Caledonian (Heineken UK)
Style: Bitter
Edinburgh, Lothians, Scotland

Serve in English pint

Cask (handpump) @ JDW, Greater London, England.
Clear medium to dark amber color with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, burnt caramel, cream caramel, toffee, butterscotch. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20081231]

Cask, The Last Plantagenet, Leicester. Amber with an off-white head. Aromas are peppery with sweet grain. Flavours are very dry and peppery with light citrus. Overall very mediocre.

Cask conditioned - handpump - Saracens Head Daventry A dark copper coloured beer with a loose whitish head. A fruity malty beer throughout with hints of spices, and berries. A bit of the house yeastiness, but better than expected.

Handpulled cask at JDW Hatch End, Harrow. Dark amber with a thin white head. Toffee and butterscothch malts with very little hops or unusual seasonal flavours. Another very average effort from Caley.

Cask stillage at the Pigs Ear 2008. Butterscotch, sugar, sticky. Not pleasant at all.

<i>Cask Conditioned at Market Porter, London</i>
Dark amber color, thin head. Both the aroma and flavor feature a god mix of caramel and toffee, the aroma being lighter. It´s correctly bitter, but the final lacks a bit of interest.

Cask at The Last Plantagenet, Leicester. Reddish amber beer with a strongish head. The aroma is roasted and the flavour is watery, roasted and weakly bitter at the finish. Overall an average beer.

Cask conditioned at The Doric Arch, Euston, London. Tawny brown with white head. Rich, malty bitter, perhaps a little grainy, mashy with a toffee, caramel background. Easy and smooth. Not bad.