3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
I don’t dig this as much as when I was 20. 8 years later its a nice ale anyway. Complex bottle conditioned ale ,with a big malt profile . This is an old man beer meant to be drank with a pipe and chess set or some shit.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
UPDATED: OCT 29, 2011 500 ml bottle. Finland.
Dark amber colour with small off-white head.
Fruity tea-like hoppy aroma.
Bitter tea-like fruity hoppiness and mild maltiness in flavour. Long bitter fruity aftertaste. Proper strong English Ale.
Cask at Black Door, Helsinki, Finland.
Clear deep amber colour with small off-white head.
Mild vinegar, alcohol (spirit), malt, caramel, floral hops and some sweetness in aroma. Bitterish floral hops, nuts and wood in flavour. Alcohol kicks in when beer gets warmer. Bitterness stays.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Wonderful English bitter with a well-balanced toasted malt flavor. The liquid is a glowy brown, like old mahogany that hasn’t been shined in awhile. The head stays nice and sudsy throughout a glass. The beer definitely gets better as it warms up. I really should have let it warm more before uncapping it, but I just bought it from the grocery store where it was chilled and I’m saving the ESB for tomorrow or the next day. I’ll sip it slowly. The smell is sweet caramel malt with hops that are very close to just how I picture English hops, refined and bitter. The flavor really brings out a delicious balance of flavors. It’s a strong bitter, almost like a weak Old Ale. Lots of big malt notes dominate the palate but the whole package is well-balanced. After so many recent West Coast beers, this beer is like a breath of fresh air or, rather, malt. The feel is sudsy and just a tad watery.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Subdued mellow hops aroma. Pretty, medium-brown and clear. Just a shade above root beer. Substantial off-white head w/ plenty of retention. Medium-bodied and well-balanced w/ noticeable esters, but a bit thin. Almost lager-like (not necessarily a bad thing, but not what I was expecting). Maybe I’ll re-rate this one someday.
4.4 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Bottle.Deep amber with lasting tan head. Sweet and spicey wild honey aroma. Smooth with many solid flavours of xmas pudding, dark chololate and nutmeg. Captivating and sensational beer. Like it very much. Went back to shop and bought three more.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
(1pt. 0.9fl. oz bottle - pint glass) Pours a nearly opaque, reddish brown color. Has a medium size head, good head retention and leaves a nice lace. Has a fruity ester aroma and caramel chocolate malt; has notes of butterscotch, licorice and raisin. Tastes of medium to heavy bitterness, medium sweetness and a light sourness. Full body, thick texture, flat carbonation and long finish.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours dark amber with small off-white head; aroma of red berries, hops, malt; medium to full body, smooth carbonation; flavor is actually quite hoppy based on rich malty backbone including notes of red berries and caramel; the finish has also strong spicy feeling to it. The balance of this beer is again pretty english - which is to say close to perfect.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Cloudy light brown color, not very impressive. The head is thick and creamy, beer is also highly carbonated - bubbles form on the side of the glass and at the bottom. Aroma is very good - spices, licorice, and rich malt and toffee. The taste is similar - robust and full bodied with a sweet and spicy finish that lingers on the palate. Sticky texture. Imagine drinking this one next to the fire in a nice English Pub on a cold Winter night.....
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