4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle
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Brilliantly clear, vibrant pale amber with a foamy tan head that settles to a respectable cap with crazy lacing. The aroma is well balanced between the leafy, floral hops and the malt which is bready, toffeeish, and nutty. A bit of rye spiciness rounds it out, and adds some complexity. The flavor starts out firmly bitter, and while the bitterness stays strong throughout, all of the malt complexities come out around the midway point. Lots of toffee, toasted bread, and nuttiness form a wonderful backbone underneath the biting, floral hop bitterness and flavor, which combine with the rye for a spiciness which accentuates both the hops and malt. Round and medium in body, with a lingering dryness from the rye on the finish. Ends with a splash of hop flavor. Overall, a fantastic ESB and a hearty winter brew that I look forward to every year. It’s worth noting that this is heavenly when cask-conditioned from Schlafly’s hand pump.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Amber beer with fluffy head that leaves decent. A fine balanced ESB that goes down smooth-lots of rye maltiness and cascade hops. Hints of earth, melon and spruce.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
A very solid beer that stays with you for awhile. There is an initial hop bitterness, which develops into a nice malt and hop balance and a lingering bitterness. Fantastic ESB.
4.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
This is one of my FAV’s!! Pours a bronzy orange whit a thick head. Very smooth taste with an excellent balance of malt and hops. Not as ’stong’ tasting as other ESB’s, but Schlafly has created a really great beer! Highly recommended!!!
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
On draft is quite a treat. Definitely one of schlaflys best and also my favorite bitters. good floral hoppiness and pleasant toasty biscuit malt. A must try
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Pour is nice clear amber with a thin white head...smell is nicely sweet and spicy with lots of nice hops giving a melon quality to the very doughy aroma...taste is strongly bitter for an ESB, but not in an IPA way...sweet doughy flavors up front turning into a growing mild bitterness...very well done!!!
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Nice amber color. Poured well out of the bottle. Thick white head. Nice sweet aroma. Floral taste. Not too bitter, but just enough to make me happy. A very good bitter.
4.1 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
A very nice Winter offering. If it were darker I'd swear it was a PNW beer.
Pours an amber color with a respectable head and a very nice lace.
The scent is *very* hoppy, which explains in part my PNW comment. There's a nice malt component there as well.
Taste...hoppy for sure, with a citrus aftertaste. Far more malts than an IPA, of course, but not quite balanced enough for style (one of my favorites). There just doesn't seem to be enough meat to this. I think the hops would mellow and the beer become more complex with a few months aging.
Mouthfeel is good but just a bit thin for my preferences. Overall this is a very good winter beer.
4.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Initial sweet taste followed by a bitter finish. The color is pleasant with an off colored white head. One of my favorite beers.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
11/6/03... Poured an orange amber color with a large bubbly white head and some lacing. Mild sweet floral saaz hop aroma. Slightly bitter, but some nice malt to back it up. Certainly a well balanced bitter, probably one of my favorite. I had been looking for a nice bitter to enjoy lately, and I found it!
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