A nice ESB. For me the ESB standard is Anvil, but this was even slightly smoother. The expected downside was an absence of the characteristic caramel notes, but pleasant nonetheless.

On tap @ 3F for Andrews Bachelor Party. Pours orange with a clear beige head. Light hops and carmel in the nose. Orange citrus with a light sweet creaminess. Some spicy/noble hops from underneath the malt. Tasty for the style. I don’t think it deserved first at NotLA, but I’m happy to try it again.

Tap at Spuyten Duyvil. Deep amber with a thick off-white head that lasts and lasts. Great fresh tangerine citrus notes right away but there is also a lovely earthy, crackery UK-type maltiness in back. Bread crust and light caramel. While the hops are the first thing that you notice with this beer, the attention to the malts really sell it. There is lots of hop aroma and flavour, but the bitterness is quite restrained. Soft caramel integrates nicely with the sweet malts. Earthy hop finish in spite of all of the citrus up front. One of the first US-style bitters I’ve had that really lives up the character of the style.

Rather dark amber pour...releasing a pretty potent aroma of American hops... pine resiny and a bit catty. big caramely/biscuity maltiness to sweeten it up. This is very sessionable.

On tap at 3F during RBSG Road Trip 2007. Slightly hazy brown with an off white head. Nice lace. Very citrusy nose, somewhat tannic. Flavor more relaxed, citrusy but with a nutty malt balance.