Stoudts Scarlet Lady Ale ESB

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

Aroma is not strong but pleasantly malty. From the bottle it pours a lovely dark brownish gold with a nice thick head. Flavor is richly malty and has a smoky undertone. Smooth and easy to drink, it has no bitterness in the flavor or aftertaste. A pleasantly drinkable ale.

$1.49 at Total Wine (& More) in Kennesaw, GA. Appearane: Pours a clear, cherry wood hued body with a thin, though lasting off-white head. Smell: Sunbaked biscuity malts, primarily, with a rather understated, light herbal hoppiness. Taste: Slightly sweet biscuity maltiness with a hint of fruit and even nuts. Again, the hops, with a floral, rose petal taste, remain light. Finish with a brief tea-like bitterness. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: Makes for light, refreshing drinking!

Clear copper color with medium tan head. Aroma is a combo of malt and hops. A nice flavor of grain (biscuit or lightly roasted) Marris Otter malt and a fair amount of hop bitterness. Hits the ESB style quite well with some nice added body and malt flavors. Works well.

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).

Tap at the Brew Kettle. Softly textured copper-red pour. Pine resins and maple wood on a smooth, bitter nose. Subtle to taste. A stark biscuit malt canvas, dry with cinnamon dust. Strokes here and there of cranberry skin, minerals, and dark raw nuts. Medium palate with a quiet strength. This is well-made and could benefit from a bolder sweetness to compliment its earthy tones. Very respectable.

12 oz. bottle. Pours red with light brown hues. Pillowy, off-white head that contributes some lacing tops this brew. Nose is sweet and fruity with caramel, and slight chocolate. Medium bodied with well balanced malt and hop character. caramel and biscuit character with faint chocolate and roast notes give way to a moderate earthy bitter that rises slowly through the finish and clings to the palate well into the after. moderately dry with some sweet toffee notes battling the bitter well after you’ve taken a drink. I’m a big fan of this brew. It’s drinkable, not overly bitter nor sweet, and is light enough in body to be enjoyed as a session beer. A bit high on the alcohol content for that, but who’s counting. Cheers to Stoudts.

Very little head, flavor is slightly bitter but not overwhelmingly so. A distinct aftertaste, which sticks around for a short while after each sip. Definitely enjoyable.

Clear dark amber color with a medium frothy white head. Light bitter aroma. Sweet caramel and tea flavor.