Elysian The Wise ESB

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Co.
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Seattle, Washington USA

Draught at Bar Great Harry. Deep copper color poured with a small frothy off-white head, leaving squiggles of lacing. Aromas of toffee, tea, citrus and earthy hops. Rich and surprisingly complex flavor of caramel/tofee malts with a nice spicy bite to it. Almost like a spiced peach or dried apricot fruitiness throughout, with citrus, earthy and piney hops on the finish. Not sure if this is quite your British great uncle’s ESB, but damn if it’s not a tasty little ale.

Wonderful, medium-bodied ESB with caramel malts and a smooth, creamy, honeyed floral character. Excellent American spin on an ESB.

Maybe I was really thirsty for beer today but this one really hit the spot after doing some yard work. Pours light amber without a sustainable head. Aroma is good ol’ west coast hops. Flavor is the same, but not overdone and more refreshing. I can’t believe I lived in the Seattle area for 6 years and never got around to trying this beer.

Dark amber. Nose not to type ... with strong notes of PNW hops no one at Fullers would recognize this as an ESB. Taste is more dry, less malty, with far more PNW American hops than one would expect from an ESB.

At Humpy’s in Anchorage. Old world style. Pretty good. Weak head. Like an old world bitter. A bit watery, but expected from the style. I’ve had better American ESBs, notably Alaska ESB.

Sample at the Pike Street location. Pours a clear dark copper color with a compact and creamy off-white head that lasts awhile. Patches of lacing. Hops boquet in the nose, with a hint of line. Medium, smooth body with flavors of hops and malt with a piney undertone. The finish is hoppy and malty with a lingering pine and citrus aftertaste. Hoppier than a lot of ESBs, and pretty enjoyable overall.

This brew’s really subtle flavors are what make it great. Bottle... Poured ruby with some orange and thin white head. Aroma, has chocolate-malt and sweet yeast and grains. Very smooth and easy feeling in the mouth and the malt flavors hit up front while hops began to take over giving it some depth towards the finish. Either I’m starting to enjoy ESBs more, or I’m having a string of some pretty good ones, but this one hits the button for me.

Bottle, sample courtesy of walleye. Clear copper, no head, oily. Faint bitterness up front, w/o much else. Flavor much the same, light bitterness, w/o any malt backbone.