3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20
Draft taster at RBY. Tea colored, with a little haze to match. A ring of foam showing some legs on the sides. Fruity English ale nose, followed by light hops. Taste starts out with earthy, even woody English hops. Malt has some sort of sweet apple or berry esters, maybe even a skosh of funk. Closes in on some nice nut brown roastiness. Distinctive hop and malt blend above the call for an ESB. High, bitter finish.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Mug club draft on tap at the brewpub (Lombard, IL). Pours a rich firmly hazed orange amber hue. Darker glow and body with sunset edges of orange glow. A cakey tannish head sits atop, stays bigger with firm lacing. Striking colors. Aromas are touches of toffee and toast, a firm biscuity and bready malt touch with orange and earthy floral hops, mellow dustings of toast, biscuits, mellow earthy dry hops. Kiss of spice. Initial is lighter end of the fold, with a firm dry hopping up front, earthy dry florals, touches of grass, with a good toasty and biscuity malt presence. Mellow sweetness as the middle gives some gentle toast, moving quickly into a more dry fruity hop finish. Lemon rind, florals, and a firm bitterness from the hopping. Pretty damn drinkable with a good fresher firm bitterness into the finish than I expected. It’s not complex, but it’s a pretty drinkable ESB with a firm bitterness into the finish as opposed to a more malty flabby feel. Nice.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at RB Yorktown and offered a full sampler showing a clear & bright, golden tone, with presentable, off white/light cream foam, and a solid band of lacing that coated the glass above the head. The aroma was light grain, smooth malt, and a touch of alcohol. Also sensed just a hint of lemony tartness in the flavor along with moderate hop bitterness. Clean, crisp, and pleasantly dry on the finish.
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