Elysian The Wise ESB

Bottle sampled at SF International Beer Fest. Copper color with an nice off-white head. Aroma of caramel malt and citrusy hops. Flavor is more of the same, northwest-style C-hops stand out, which I think work really well in this style. Medium body.

$3.49 @ Bottle Barn--I think this is my first Elysian beer. 22oz, no date. Clear copper orange with a two-finger light yellowish white head, good retention. Some caramel malts are dominant with just a touch of toasted malts. I can only pick up on a little generic citrus hops (Cascade, I think). Flavor is much the same with lots of caramel and a little toasted malts, but seemed a little bland. Not much hop presence, though bitterness was surprisingly peaked at a 4 in the dry finish. Light carbonation with a medium body. Easy drinking, and not too bad.

nice malty aroma - hazy brown/orange pour with medium fluffy light brown head - notes of carmel and citrus hops but a bit too bitter for the style, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is bad as it is overall a pretty good beer

Draft at Stanton Public. Poured a clear medium orange color with an off white head. Smelled of light grass and caramel. Light to medium bodied with grass, toffee, caramel, and steeping barley flavors. Decent.

On tap at Zeitgeist, San Francisco, 27th March 09, with Phyllis. Clear mid amber. Lightly hopped ESB taste. Moderately full palate. Decent but not really impressive.

tap. Pours with a brown color. fairly mellow in flavor as well as aroma. Some caramel notes and a bit of fairly light hops, easy drinking session beer.

On tap at McGilvra’s. Pretty standard ESB - like a barley wine without the bite (or the flavor, for that matter). Crisp and clean, with citrus hops balancing caramel malts, which dominate the brew. Not at all bad.

Poured from the 22 oz bottle a rich amber with an off-white head and good lacing. Good nose of caramel malts and floral and citrus hops. Smooth clean mouthfeel. Flavor is lightly bitter and so is the finish. A very easy to drink beer.