Steel Wheels ESB
Blue Mountain Brewery

Steel Wheels ESBSteel Wheels ESB
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
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:
148
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:
Photo of 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
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, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.65 by Quafftastic from Virginia

Oct 02, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jason_cs from Florida

Jan 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.98 by SonOfKyuss from Virginia

Aug 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.76 by 6thstreetbrewpub from District of Columbia

Jun 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.38 by VirginiaBeerMan from Virginia

May 23, 2016
Photo of OldSwampy
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
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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by robebo44 from Virginia

Apr 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by chuckgietzen from Michigan

Jan 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.87 by Herze from Virginia

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by zuter from Pennsylvania

Dec 15, 2015
Photo of tigg924
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
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, 2015
 
Rated: 3.57 by julielynndubee from Virginia

Sep 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.91 by BanditoJunkie from New Jersey

Sep 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.66 by entenduintransit from Tennessee

Aug 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by Drknight from Virginia

Jul 25, 2015
Photo of GarthDanielson
Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia

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, 2015
 
Rated: 3.39 by Bisco42 from Ohio

Jul 14, 2015
Photo of Zaktcc
Reviewed 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
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, 2015
 
Rated: 4.02 by Sebas from North Carolina

Apr 30, 2015
Steel Wheels ESB from Blue Mountain Brewery
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 148 ratings