Free State Queens English ESB

Formerly brewed at Free State Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Lawrence, Kansas USA

Serve in English pint

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Despite enjoying several of these one night and getting a growler of it, my notes are non-existant, I got my book out, got talking to someone at the bar, my buddy arrived and the night was started. The flavor was malty initially, with a nice hoppiness at the end, but the malt is what holds this beeer together. A great session beer. A rerate is needed.

The sweetest, maltiest part of this beer was the aroma, no doubt about it. Not enough malt to round out the astringent bitterness of the flavor. The hop flavor is herbal, woody and enjoyable, certainly unique for the style. The finish is extremely dry.

Aroma is fairly mild (which strengthens as it warms), featuring some gently sweet, darkly bready, caramel maltiness, along with overt suggestions of Fuggles spiciness, tea leaf and a bit of lightly orangey, citric fruitiness. Deep, dark copper color with a fine, uneven, lasting head and frothy lace. Filtered. Flavor is initially sweet, more caramel and biscuity, bready touches, closely followed by a strong influx of spicy, herbal hop flavors and bitterness, mingling nicely at the finish, which is also full of juicy hop resins and some latent fruitiness. Smooth, oily mouthfeel, mellow on the palate with a medium body. Very tasty indeed with bold hop additions. A fitting selection for a warm summer night and certainly one of the hoppiest ESBs one is likely to encounter.