Elysian The Wise ESB

This is a reddish-brown beer with no head at all. Wait... no, I think I see a head... yes, there’s a thin layer of something white on top. That must be the head. I’ll have to look at it under a microscope to be sure. Aroma is malty with some sour hop smell. If I were in a generous mood, I would say that it has a hint of lemon. Flavor is about the same, malt, hops, some pine. Rather bitter when it hits the back of the tongue. Very drinkable, but there is nothing extra special about it.

Cask at Elysian’s SBW Firkin-Firkin throwdown (vs. Marin ESB). Pours cloudy orange amber with a nice off-white head. Funky citrus/pine and oatmeal in the aroma and taste. Not really what I was expecting from an ESB, but neither was the Marin, and this one was slightly better.

On tap at Toronado in San Francisco. Pours a clear, darker copper body with a finger-width, off-white head that dissipates into a moderate lacing. Aroma is heavy and sweet caramels with a light toasted toffee. A moderate pine and light fruits go well with the big, sweet malts. Flavor is similar and well balanced. Lots of full caramels and just a touch of toasted toffees. Dry and malty in the finish with lots of moderate pine bitterness. Overall, a solid ESB with a nice balance and bigger body. Lots of caramels and lots of hops. Good one.

On tap at Toronado. This dark amber ale poured with a modest beige head and a caramel aroma. There is a sweet malt flavor with plenty of hop bitterness.

Draft. Coper penny in color, pure white head. Sweet and citrusy aroma, flavor is citrusy hops, sweet sugary malts, metallic note to the finish.

Bomber from the rip and run. A clear amber with steady carbonation yeilding a decent regenerative head. Alternating wash of hops then malt. Some overripe fruit covered in caramel tones distract me from the initial refreshing mouthfeel. Finish is a bit muddled from this and slightly hoppy.

Deep amber coloured body with a very thin off-white head. Aroma of malt and nuts. Medium-bodied; Clean nutty flavours in the taste override all the hops. Aftertaste shows more clean nutty flavours on the palate with strong alcohol and a light english hop taste. Overall, decent, but the amnesia bitter is better. I sampled this as my final beer in Portland, Oregon on 09-September-2006.

Bottle from Bottle Trek via an internet order. Poured a clear bronze color with the smell of carmel coming from my glass. Wonderful balance of hops and malts which my this style on of the most drinkable for me. This beer was excellent!!