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Extra Special Bitter (ESB)
Propeller Brewing Co
- From:
- Propeller Brewing Co
- Nova Scotia, Canada
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #20 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #16,913 - Avg:
- 3.87 | pDev: 9.3%
- Reviews:
- 98
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 25, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 30, 2002
- Wants:
- 11
- Gots:
- 13
Bitter was originally a draught ale served very fresh under no pressure (gravity or hand pump dispensing only) at cellar temperatures. Lucky for you today its available everywhere!
Our ESB is a rich, full-bodied English-style bitter, brewed with carefully selected malts and hops. This copper coloured, English styled ale is our best seller. Smooth, Full bodied and All Natural, like all our beers.
Our most popular brew is not really a bitter beer, it's a better Bitter!
30 IBU
Our ESB is a rich, full-bodied English-style bitter, brewed with carefully selected malts and hops. This copper coloured, English styled ale is our best seller. Smooth, Full bodied and All Natural, like all our beers.
Our most popular brew is not really a bitter beer, it's a better Bitter!
30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
4.03/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
473 ml can served at cellar temperature into a pint glass. AN LCBO purchase for $3.15 CDN.
Appearance - Dark amber colored brew, some clarity and just a dark enough shade to make it hard to see through. Three fingers of light tan head rest on top and stay awhile leaving some sparse lacing at the edges of the glass.
Smell - Dark fruits of fall with pears and plums making way for a soft caramel aroma and some floral perfumey bits as well. A very understated leafy citrusy hop combo shines through mid sniff. Robust and diverse array of aromas.
Taste - Nice initial bitterness, subtle hints at fruity flavors and melds into a crackery and biscuit laden goodness afterwards.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, carbonation is slight, and a touch more sticky than other ESB's, somehow it pulls off being British better than most North American imposters.
Overall - Yeah this is some pretty darn good stuff, one of my more enjoyed ESB's of the last few years. Will have to pick up some of these. Good job East Coast friends.
Mar 26, 2019Appearance - Dark amber colored brew, some clarity and just a dark enough shade to make it hard to see through. Three fingers of light tan head rest on top and stay awhile leaving some sparse lacing at the edges of the glass.
Smell - Dark fruits of fall with pears and plums making way for a soft caramel aroma and some floral perfumey bits as well. A very understated leafy citrusy hop combo shines through mid sniff. Robust and diverse array of aromas.
Taste - Nice initial bitterness, subtle hints at fruity flavors and melds into a crackery and biscuit laden goodness afterwards.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, carbonation is slight, and a touch more sticky than other ESB's, somehow it pulls off being British better than most North American imposters.
Overall - Yeah this is some pretty darn good stuff, one of my more enjoyed ESB's of the last few years. Will have to pick up some of these. Good job East Coast friends.
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
March 19 2019
Mar 20, 2019Reviewed by ewpass from Canada (PE)
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear copper colour with a large rocky head with excellent lacing. Light caramel malt nose. Noticeably bitter to the taste, along with malt and some caramel. Somewhat thin but eminently smooth and quaffable.
Sep 13, 2017Reviewed by Jerseyislandbeer from Jersey
4.03/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A 650ml bottle which was a gift from friends who visited Nova Scotia. It pours a copper colour with a loose cream coloured head. Aroma has lots if bread with sweet grains, biscuit & toffee. Tastes of toffee, hay & straw with sweet grains, mild roast and a touch of biscuit leading to a very well balanced malt medium bitter finish.
Dec 17, 2016Reviewed by souvenirs from Canada (BC)
3.68/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A: Brown and clear with tan head
S: Nutty malt, just a bit of hops
T: Roasted malt flavours -- mostly coffee -- and grassy hops to finish.
F: Silky. Maybe a bit crisper than the style would suggest.
Dec 17, 2016S: Nutty malt, just a bit of hops
T: Roasted malt flavours -- mostly coffee -- and grassy hops to finish.
F: Silky. Maybe a bit crisper than the style would suggest.
Reviewed by Borbly from Canada ()
4.34/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a deep Amber body with a finger of soapy white head that dissipates to a milky film. The scent has faint amounts of cocoa and coffee with a malty sweetness. Hops are subdued. The taste starts with a coffee bitterness, with toffee and caramel in the middle finishing with floral hoppiness. Wicked beer, I really like the stuff
Aug 27, 2016Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia
3.77/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good ESB. Subtle but a lot going on with it. Another purchase at the Ingonish Nova Scotia NSLC store. Pours a light hazy amber with a lot of reddish light coming through. Medium size off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is toasted malt and aromatic floral hops. Taste is mildly malty with some fruit and a bit of toffee thrown in. A bit of bitterness at the end rounds things off with floral hops. Mouthfeel is light and slightly sweet, Mild bitterness provides some balance. This beer is true to style and makes for a pleasant drink.
Jul 14, 2016Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.79/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
On tap in Annapolis Royal, NS.
Deep copper body topped with a creamy, semi-durable bone colored head.
The aroma and flavor are both lightly spicy and slightly more hoppy than malty. Very mild bitterness.
Overall: very nice although not as bold a I'd like.
May 31, 2016Deep copper body topped with a creamy, semi-durable bone colored head.
The aroma and flavor are both lightly spicy and slightly more hoppy than malty. Very mild bitterness.
Overall: very nice although not as bold a I'd like.
Extra Special Bitter (ESB) from Propeller Brewing Co
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
163 ratings
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