2.9 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
On tap at Holy Smoke. Pours a clear light orange amber. Soft caramel, buttery vanilla. Quite sweet, more butterscotch flavors. Too sweet. Big bitter finish. Butter bomb.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Draft at Kraftwork on 2/17/11.
Pours a clear golden amber/orange color with dark golden orange hues when held to a light and one finger frothy white head that quickly fades into a very thin lasting ring. Minimal lacing.
Slightly earthy hop aroma but the nose is dominated by a sweet malt character. Hints of earthy pine and very faint sweet citrus balanced by toasted caramel malt, rye and biscuit.
Medium bodied but fuller than expected with a hop forward flavor that lingers into a dry finish. This is quickly countered by a strong malt backbone with hints of caramel and biscuit. Although this is decently balanced, the hops are the star here with a lingering bitterness and dry finish. The ABV is decently masked but this beer is still a bit harsh.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
on hanpump. Thick white head and orange appearance. Nose of fruity and citrus hops. Solid bitterness before a lot of above hop flavor and a touch of sweetness from the maris. A dry finish results in a drinkable and solid version
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
(Old BA rate - tap)
Poured with a nice frothy and bubbly slightly off-white head. Great lacing throughout the sample. Deep, dark brown color. Sweet malt/prune-like aromas. Hop bitterness is not present. Deep, rich maltiness, dried fig flavors stick out. Dry hop bitterness finish. Medium MF, and nearly mouth-coating. Very little carbonation for the style, but not anything that detracted too much. Not nearly as drinkable as other ESB’s that I’ve sampled. This is mainly due to the lack of hop bitterness to balance out the malty richness. Overall, definitely within the style, but leaned a bit too heavy on the malt side of the equation. Could have used a bit more hop bitterness
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
Handpull. Decent malt, some cookie dough and honey, light herbal hops; Moderately bitter. Just a touch stale. Possibly wasn’t at it’s freshes. Outshined by the Uncle Teddy’s.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
On Tap. sampled next to Fuller’s ESB. Victory’s is not as sweet and more bitter. Brownish amber body with medium head. Flavor is filled with malts mixed with hops and hints of fruit. Dry and bitter finish.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Had this on cask at Victory; nice background notes with a clean backbone; very true to style as I understand it.
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
(draft @ The Old Toad - Rochester, NY) Copper color with a thin white head. Aroma is light and slightly bitter with some mild caramel malts. Flavor is rather plain. Some malts and some hops with a nice balance. Subtle sweetness at the end.
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