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Steel Wheels ESB
Blue Mountain Brewery
- From:
- Blue Mountain Brewery
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.79 | pDev: 11.61%
- Reviews:
- 34
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 02, 2021
- Added:
- Sep 05, 2011
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 16
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Clydesdale:
Reviewed by Clydesdale from District of Columbia
3.77/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: Pours a deep, clear copper-red color. The tall, copper-tinted head is moderately dense and frothy. Retention is good, and a respectable amount of splotchy lacing sticks to the glass as the head recedes.
S: Toasty, caramel aromas are prominent. Some nice depth here, with estery notes of fruit (orchard and dried) and light spiciness. Hop aromas are mostly leafy and herbal, with some added fruitiness.
T: Firmly malty up front, with equal parts sugar cookie maltiness, caramel sweetness, and toasted flavor. Hop bitterness is moderate and appropriate for the style. Some leafy and herbal hop flavor is noticeable. This is not a particularly clean beer, though not in a bad way; there are prominent yeasty esters of fruit (think golden apples and raisins) as well as some residual sweetness towards the finish.
M: Rather full-bodied. Carbonation is medium. This has a fairly big malty feel, especially for the style. There is a fair dose of hoppiness to balance things out towards the finish, but this drinks more like a brown ale than a pale ale.
O: This is a good ESB from Blue Mountain. It's a little fuzzy around the edges, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyability. Steel Wheels has a little of everything: maltiness, hoppiness, and estery character.
Feb 13, 2014S: Toasty, caramel aromas are prominent. Some nice depth here, with estery notes of fruit (orchard and dried) and light spiciness. Hop aromas are mostly leafy and herbal, with some added fruitiness.
T: Firmly malty up front, with equal parts sugar cookie maltiness, caramel sweetness, and toasted flavor. Hop bitterness is moderate and appropriate for the style. Some leafy and herbal hop flavor is noticeable. This is not a particularly clean beer, though not in a bad way; there are prominent yeasty esters of fruit (think golden apples and raisins) as well as some residual sweetness towards the finish.
M: Rather full-bodied. Carbonation is medium. This has a fairly big malty feel, especially for the style. There is a fair dose of hoppiness to balance things out towards the finish, but this drinks more like a brown ale than a pale ale.
O: This is a good ESB from Blue Mountain. It's a little fuzzy around the edges, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyability. Steel Wheels has a little of everything: maltiness, hoppiness, and estery character.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by OldSwampy from Virginia
4.1/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Color reddish copper, translucent, with a thin cream head. Nose pleasant edgy hops, hints of rock dust, over smooth malt aroma. Taste as promised by the smell: smooth, with slightly sweet, nutty malts interacting politely with the hops, all well integrated. Could be bigger, but is fine as is. Mouthfeel lean but firm with lightly creamy wrapper. All around, a nicely balanced and very enjoyable beer. I'll look forward to having another.
Can bottom stamped "BEST BY 5 / 7 / 16" poured into a glass.
Apr 29, 2016Can bottom stamped "BEST BY 5 / 7 / 16" poured into a glass.
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
3.43/5 rDev -9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours clear, dark brown, with 1/4 inch head. Taste is toasted bread, grain, toffee, and delicate oaking. Above average, toasty ESB. Glad I had this, but I do like other ESBs better
Nov 27, 2015Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a can into a shaker pint, the beer is a deep, ruby-tinted caramel coloring with a foamy, low profile, dense, off-white head. Aromas of roasted caramel, toffee, sweet cream, hints of char, and a subtle hops bitterness. Very balanced and aromatic. Flavors are roasted and smooth forward, with notes of toffee, caramel, and subtle smoke, with cream highlights, and an undertone of hops bitterness. Very balanced and dynamic. The body is light and smooth, with good lacing on the glass, and an underlying dry edge. Roasted sweet, sugary caramel aftertaste, into a smooth, slow, slightly cloying finish. This is a great ESB.
Jul 24, 2015Reviewed by Zaktcc from Maryland
4.4/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a pint glass. Canned prior to summer of '14 (date not listed on can - bought single)
A - Pours a dark cedar color which is fairly transparent. ! 1/2 finger head with good retention and some lacing.
S - Very pleasant aroma. A blend of sweetness and booze. Hints of coffee, caramel and even hints of bourbon or something are present. A great blend of aromas that is fairly complex to the nose.
T - Flavors line up right on par with the scents. Caramel malts are present, vague hints of coffee, vanilla preset as well. Like the scent, the taste is fairly complex but a great blend. Very enjoyable.
F - Medium bodied, with no notes of carbonation present. Very smooth with a crisp aftertaste.
O - Was not sure what to expect from this beer but I am highly impressed. I wonder if the aging had anything to do with the complexity of the aromas and flavors but an awesome beer overall.
Jun 14, 2015A - Pours a dark cedar color which is fairly transparent. ! 1/2 finger head with good retention and some lacing.
S - Very pleasant aroma. A blend of sweetness and booze. Hints of coffee, caramel and even hints of bourbon or something are present. A great blend of aromas that is fairly complex to the nose.
T - Flavors line up right on par with the scents. Caramel malts are present, vague hints of coffee, vanilla preset as well. Like the scent, the taste is fairly complex but a great blend. Very enjoyable.
F - Medium bodied, with no notes of carbonation present. Very smooth with a crisp aftertaste.
O - Was not sure what to expect from this beer but I am highly impressed. I wonder if the aging had anything to do with the complexity of the aromas and flavors but an awesome beer overall.
Steel Wheels ESB from Blue Mountain Brewery
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
148 ratings
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