Stoudts Scarlet Lady Ale ESB

1st ESB, and I’m not sure this is consistent, but it’s good. It’s obviously hoppy in aroma, with malt notes as well. It’s appearance is a reddish amber. It’s flavor is very pleasing sweet and nutty, with some malt. It’s not astringent like I’d expected. Very nice

Yeast dominates the aroma with light amounts of malts and even less of hops. Hazy orange color with a small tan head. Mildly sweet beginning with a nutty finish.

July 2007 - Beer pours a chestnut brown color with beauty head and a little lacing. No aroma at all. None. Flavor was bready malty with a touch of caramel sweetness and a slight bitterness. Not a bad ESB...but a tad boring.

Draft: Poured a dark amber color with a nice amount of head. The aroma was that of caramel and roasted malts. The flavor mildly bitter with a bit of hops, sweets, and malts. Very good beer to drink.

Dark amber, almost brown color with a thick off white head. Smells like wheatgrass. Flavor is dry, mildly bitter, mildly burnt. Well balanced and not bad overall.

Bottle: Ruddy amber pour with a thick beige head. Aroma is mild with bready and caramel malts. Faint floral hops. Flavor is malty and sweet. A bit earthy with some florals. The malt character gives a feel of an English Pale Ale, but not quite as flavorful. Smooth and an easy drinker.

I’ve had Scarlet Lady a couple times over the past month on draft. Not sure what to make of it, not overly hopped but not well blended either. Bitterness collides with caramel & earthiness to prevent this ESB from gaining greatness.

Aromas of roasted caramel and floral hop. Slightly hazy amber color with a decent beige head. Medium body with mild carbonation. Roasted caramel flavor decently balanced by floral bitter. The finish is pretty much the same. Very English, if perhaps a bit heavy on hop for the friends across the pond.