Stoudts Scarlet Lady Ale ESB

Brewed by Stoudts Brewing Co.
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Adamstown, Pennsylvania USA

12 oz. bottle. Pours a slightly hazy auburn - a touch of brown with highlights of orange and red. The head pours thick and soft, and it leaves tons of lace on a pint glass. The aroma is a pleasant mix of fruit, caramel and bready malts, and herbal, perfumy hops - almost like a spicy fruit-cake drizzled w/ caramel (diacetyl?). The flavor starts similarly - a soft, slightly toasted, slightly fruity, bready malt flavor with a touch of herbal English hops. A little bit of dark toast and caramel enters on the sides of the tongue about halfway back. Here also enters a touch more of spicy, dry hops. The finish is well-balanced and somewhat dry with a blend of light, delicate malt with just a drop of earthy hops. The mouthfeel is very light and creamy - and not particularly carbonated (which is great because I always dislike how many bottled bitters seem overly carbonated to me). So the texture is a little bit closer to that of a nice cask-conditioned pint due to the low levels of CO2. Overall, this is pretty much exactly what I was hoping for when I saw it and picked it up - much closer to the English style of bitter than most American breweries tend to get. Very decent, and a good session beer (as long as its not too long of a session).

Pours hazy rust color with decent off-white head. the aroma is caramel, some pepper, and some brown sugar. The flavor is brown sugar and some earthy bitterness. Papery hops and chalky bitterness takes over the finish.

Bottle; poured an amber-coppor color. Not much white head. Aroma of caramel malt/toffee and fruit. Well done for the style, this style is just very boring for me. Flavor of caramel, honey and a general sweetness. Earthy and floral finish.

Pours a reddish-copper. A bit of an off-white head. An odd floral aroma that seems more malty than hoppy. Smooth on the tongue but the flavor is on the sweet side. In fact, it’s too sweet to be a bitter in my opinion. An adequate brew that has its own distinctive taste but not bitter enough for my lking. I guess my rating is a bit lower than the average.

Pours a slightly clouded ruby brown with a lighter tan head. Nose is hopped and slightly cherry sweet, with a stronger overall sugary tone to it. Flavor is lacking. Seems to be a bit too traditional, but it falls off way too fast. Almost tastes like semi stale pretzels...or just pretzels in general. There is an overall bitter tone to it, but I just think it lacks. Feel is nice with a decent carbonation. Drinkable, yes. Isn’t horrid, but it’s definitely not the best ESB you’ve ever had.

Bright golden-amber colour. Caramelly, earthy nose. Earthy and sweet, with lots of caramel and a hint of nuttiness. Fairly nondescript, disappointing for my first Stoudts in a long while.

Amber color with no head. Aroma is caramel, a bit of nuttiness, dried fruit. Taste is a faint caramel, light hoppiness, and fruit undertones.

Date: 04/18/1999
Mode: Bottle
Source: Chevy Chase, DC

clear red, tan head, floral hop aroma, light malt body, lots of bitterness from the beginning through an unusually short finish

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: *4
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