Helm Extra Special Bitter

Brewed by Helm Brasseur Gourmand
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Montreal, Canada

Serve in English pint

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Sample at the brewpub. DE 19/09.

App.: Clear deep amber with a rim of white that clings. Aroma: Some nice rich crunchy malts, brown sugar, a little rum-like, some resinous/earthy hops, a touch nutty (aren’t we all...). Palate: Medium-ish body, almost flat. Flav.: Cardboard, some caramel, burnt sugar, a bit fruity, a bit nutty, earthy/resinous hops; dry with good bitterness and a pleasant fruity malt, rum-like finish.

Happy Anniversary, I guess.

A golden orange amber ale with a thick creamy light moka head. In aroma, light nuts, light British hops, interesting. In mouth, a strange mineral cardboardy malt, with nuttyness and some British hops action, roasted notes, not very hoppy, scotch barrel notes. On tap at brewpub, Dec. 19 2009.

My Bottom Line:
This ESB’s expressive floral and leafy hoppiness teams up with creamy caramel malts, but is somewhat marred by the chalky, slightly vegetal personality of Frontenac malts.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam slowly dissipates atop the cloudy amber.
-The chalky astringency in the finish seems to be the result of those Frontenac malts not agreeing with the potent leafy hop bitterness. Whatever the cause may be, drinkability is lowered for me because of this finish.
-The juicy fruitiness is interesting, if only it were not overtaken by that awkward finish.
-Carbonation is cushy.

On tap at the brewpub.