Elysian The Wise ESB

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

Bomber. Pours with a nice white head, small bubbles, moderate retention (good for the style). Body is a dark orange copper. Aroma is fresh flowers, something like powdered french toast but not as sweet, light and very mild pepper- a pretty nice nose. Taste is mineral, solid caramel malt. Good hop balance, mostly with bitterness. Finish gives a clean bitter taste, subtlety of pepper on the far far end. Body is soft and forgiving, minimal carbonation as if trying to impersonate the cask. If I understand this style correctly, this is a supurb beer. Approachable and sessionable. Had this for a few months and was almost sure it would be oxidized, but it held up like a champ. I’d love to try this off cask/hand pump at Tangletown.

NoCal tasting Jan 07 - I was a little apprehensive with this beer to be honest, due to the last beer I had from Elysian (which was one of the worst I’ve ever had). This time around things were a bit different. Appearance was a cloudy brown color with a normal sized head. Aroma was caramel, toffee with a small dose of hops. Flavors had an obvious light citrusy hop profile, a little astringent with an average finish. Much better than the last garbage I had from them.

22oz bottle purchased in Spokane, WA. Pours a very clear reddish brown with a dense two finger head, that settles slowly to a thick cap, leaving behind a solid sheeting of lace. On the second pour the beer was very cloudy. Smell; very pleasant earthy and slightly spicy hops stand out at first. Smells pretty much how I would expect an ESB to be. There’s also some nice caramel malts. Taste; the hops aren’t quite as strong as I was expecting based on the aroma, but they’re nicely there. In the beginning this is a bit earthy, with a good caramel malt backbone, and then finishes a little on the spicy side. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice smooth carbonation, and a very good drinkability. Overall a very good and easy to drink ESB that would be great for everyday drinking. I think this one would be really good on cask.

Bomber from Liquid Solutions. The aroma is lightly sweet malt, but it’s dry with some bready/toasty notes. The body is copper/orange and holds a slowly diminishing thumb thick tan head that is fairly craggy atop. <P> Bready, doughy first sip is just very slightly sweet. Nice hop profile gives it a dose of bitterness. Full, creamy mouthfeel. Not sure that it really fits the style, but it’s not a style I have much experience with so I can only say I like it.

Not sure where I got this one,Demolayfire I think. Pours a copper color with plenty of off whiye foamy head. Nose is light on the hops and then a blend of some kind of toast with jam on it. Nice brew and just a bit light on the palate.

Bottle. Pours clear dark orange with spare white frothy head, mostly diminishing, spare lacing. Aroma is average malt (cereal, bread), light hops (grass), average yeast (cheese, dough) with notes of honey. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness, metallic. Medium bodied, creamy texture, flat carbonation, chalky finish. Not very representative of a the style but an acceptable brew.

Hazy amber with a moderate head, average lacing. Aroma is pine, grapefruit, citrus. Some caramel there too. A PNW style ESB. Tasty but not true to the style.

GABF-on tap-copper color. Taste is nice bitter hops. Backbone, medium malt.