4.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Orange coloured. Notes of apricots, pineapples and honey. Very bitter and hoppy. Complex. A great brew.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
Very impressive beer, hazy & cloudy medium-dark golden color, nice thick bubbly white head that laced around the glass, plenty of hops in the aroma balanced by some nice grainy maltiness, the flavors were very well balanced also, tons of hops in the flavor & aftertaste, it's so brilliant to be burping up hops, very well balanced body, along with the huge hoppiness of the beer it had quite a malt profile, dry & spicy aftertaste as well, a very excellent & well-rounded beer
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
Highly bitter. Strong aftertaste. Good, fruity aroma.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
What a great beer! Pours a crystal clear bronze color with a great off-white head that stays around for quite some time. The aroma is very strong of PNW style hops and would lead one to believe this is a different beer than it is. The taste is decidedly bitter, but the hop flavor is nicely spicy owing, I suppose, to the Hallertauer type hops. Fruity english style malts round the beer out wonderfully. Body could be a bit heavier, and it may be a bit overcarbonated, but this isn't a major complaint. Very enjoyable beer!
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Amber in color. Balanced aroma of malt and hops. A well-done example of an ESB with full flavor that leaves you satisfied yet able to drink many more. A great brew.
4.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle: Heavy orange gold, quite hazy, large rocky white head, wonderful lacing... this beer looks superb. Subtle hop nose, not as agressive as I thought it would be. Definite malt aspect, probably moreso because of the subtle hop presense. Fleeting bitterness immediately up front, fades quickly leaving only a soft hop sting on the sides of the tongue. Fairly smooth for a Bitter/ESB. Mildly malty, balances well with the bitterness. Moderate body, but very smooth mouthfeel. Extremely clean finish. Again, lingering hop sting on the sides of the tongue well after the finish. Very well balanced, crisp, and ultra clean. I believe this one to be a bit underrated.
4.1 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
UPDATED: MAR 21, 2004 Pours out hazy orange amber with a rough frothy tall head that stuck around a while. Smells of grass, pine, and yeasty sourdough bread. Malt profile is not as complex as Fuller's ESB. Generally pale and caramel malts that are easily dominated by the American hops. Tasted pine and spruce with a distinct snap of hop bitterness and a hint of citrus flavors. Little too harsh for the style and to make a good session beer. Would be a great IPA. Just not as good as a bitter.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 18/20
The tawny, auburn color of this brew is slightly affected by its light cloudiness, and yet it maintains the exact complexion I most look for in a quality IPA. The head is off-white, prodigious and enduring. Lace is most impressive with this brew.
Citrus notes abound on the nose, along with a piney sweetness which is difficult to describe. It exudes a warm sharpness which sets the mouth to watering.
Smooth and crisp at the same time, the first thing that hits you are the hops, delightfully tingly, then combining with an alcohol warmth and carbonated sharpness. Right in the back and holding this brew up throughout is a rigid malt sweetness; not cloying in any manner, but there to support what is a massive amount of hops. Fruity tastes and hop oil esters combine to make this a very full flavored beer, yet creamy, and the finish is long and lingering.
What a great example of a full-hopped Northwest IPA.
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