Elysian The Wise ESB

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

Dirty brown honey colored body. Oxidized crystal malt nose with a surprisingly striking amount of sharp, pungent and stale noble-like hop scents. I could not have guessed Cascade had any part to do with this beer, but Chinook for bittering makes complete sense, just have to adjust your taste around the unnecessary oxidized caramel character. Bitter, pungent and messy. I ended up pouring most of this out.

Bottle from Whole Foods Portland. Very hoppy smell because this is basically a red. And a fine one. Bright appley malts balance very bright and green hops nicely. Liked it a great deal!

20090130 Bomber from Spirits RB. Dark copper colored with small, lingering beige head that laces. Pine forest aromas, earthy with light notes of tobacco and those candied fruitcake fruits. Medium-full and coating on the palate, yet with quenching, tempered bitterness. Nice pine and resin notes, earthy malts, some tea hints, lingering bitterness.

Pours an amber color with a thin white head and minimal lacing... The aroma while pleasing is faint with notes of caramel and floral hops... Tastes is a bit creamy as it should be, with notes of floral hops and sweet malts, but not the traditional sweet malts i expect in an ESB... The finish is a bit on the thin side with a bit of a lingering metallic taste...

22 oz. bottle. Pours a deep caramel with a strong, pillowy head (looks like ice cream). Aroma is of vanilla, caramel, dust, and overpowering cascades. Taste is first bitter with a little sweetness, followed by a strong bitter finish. Needs a bit more complexity. Not nearly as good as others but not bad.

Pours a filtered amber color from the bomber with a full off-white head that leaves plenty of lacing. Smells like a pale ale, but finishes like a bitter. Tastes of orange rind, grapefruity hops, and pine sap. A bit flat.

on draft at elysian, hoppy with only a slight bitter take to it. Typically watered down palate.

In the bomber bottle from Cousin Andrew. Dark orange amber with a medium to large off white head. Good grassy and floral hop aroma. Sweet fruity flavor that has a mild hop bitterness. Good, not great.