E.S.B.
Mad Fox Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Mad Fox Brewing Company
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.68 | pDev: 18.21%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 27, 2016
Added:
Sep 07, 2010
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by smakawhat:
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

4.41/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured out of the cask into a nonic pint glass.

What can I say, pure perfection. Just the perfect clear amber body with golden hues on the edges. Head is creamy soft and one and a half thick with whipped up bubbles that will not quit. Stupidly creamy looking and lots of edged scattered lacing on the glass while drinking. The beer almost looks like it was poured on nitro. Truly exceptional.

Nose is fresh baked brown bread with warm soft malts, but there is a slightest tinge of alcohol which is kind of surprising.

Taste is creamy heaven. Malt creamed to death, with a silky texture and sugar soft brown bread. Sweetness comes after several sips, with spread light honey on bread.

In fact it is like drinking liquid bread overall. Flat out fantastic.
Oct 14, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by JLC60 from Maryland

Dec 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by delta490 from Virginia

Feb 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by Zonian1 from Ohio

Jun 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by Laulau from Virginia

May 29, 2014
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

3.21/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Had on tap. Mostly clear dirty gold body, white cap. Caramel, grassy hops, and biscuit, but all very faint in the nose, has to smell it forever to report even those. Taste has same elements but more present, mild for sure still though. Feel is mild verging on watery, not very crisp, and bright for style. Not for me
May 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Navalartichoke from Virginia

Sep 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Boone757 from Virginia

Sep 07, 2013
 
Rated: 2 by spoonhawk from Iowa

Jul 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by cfinch2 from Virginia

Mar 26, 2013
Photo of Nicked
Reviewed by Nicked from Maryland

4.01/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Wasn't prepared to enjoy this brew as much as I did!

A - Lovely copper, half an inch of creamy off-white head that peters out. Medium lacing.

S - Not much to comment on the smell , but wait for it...

T - Damn, son. Really tasty. On cask, this ale was mellow and delicious. Bready, toffee notes that lingers nicely on the palate. A refreshing brew that contrasts nicely with the palate crushers.

M - Buttery and thick. Complements the character nicely.

O - A great session ale. I could drink this all day.
Aug 26, 2012
Photo of kylehay2004
Reviewed by kylehay2004 from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Enjoyed at the brewey. Half finger head with good retention and lacing on clear copper with gold hues body. Herbal and wet dock hop aroma with breads biscuit and cracker notes. Flavor is also breads and cracker with light toffee character and more herbal and earthy hops. Nice degree of maltiness. Medium body an moderate to high carbonation. Nicely bittered and malted ESB. Very refreshing aactually.
Aug 05, 2012
 
Rated: 2.75 by mattie from Georgia

Jul 20, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by rofflesjr

Mar 02, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by Wahoos88 from Virginia

Nov 17, 2011
Photo of mdfb79
Reviewed by mdfb79 from New York

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap today at the brewpub.

a - Pours a somewhat amber color with one inch of white head and high carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bready malts, caramel malts, and biscuit.

t - Tastes of bread, slightly bitter hops, and caramel malts.

m - Light body and moderate carbonation.

d - A very solid ESB. Definitely felt like I could drink a few of these, and would order it again.
Jan 02, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a golden copper wihot much of any head or lacing. Nose bri.vs a y bit of caramel and hops, but is really faint. Taste bring s forward some good earthy, herbal bitterness and some caramel. Feel is medium with good carbonation. Drinks quite well, but the lack of nose is a bit disconcerting.
Oct 09, 2010
Photo of CrellMoset
Reviewed by CrellMoset from Virginia

3.71/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
E.S.B., 5.0% abv, on tap at Mad Fox brewpub, Falls Church, VA. Enjoyed on 09/05/10.

Appearance: A slightly hazy peach-hued body, with fine and slow but plentiful carbonation flowing gently skyward to the remains of a one finger taupe head, now a thin and consistent sheen. The lacing is really nice on this one, like freshly fallen snow when its unbeliebavly cold outside - bright, crisp looking, forming odd angles and patterns because its too cold for it to drip or fall in to a position where gravity could make sense of it.

Aroma: Caramel and biscuity notes mingle with fruity, grassy hops. Faint, perhaps because it was served too cold (which I'll hold against a brewpub more than a beer I review at a bar, say).

Taste: The hallmark of ESBs - balance - is in strong form here. Maltiness is strong, with hints of caramel and crystalline roast, along with sweeter biscuity notes. Faint brown sugar and toffee underlie the base. A mild bitterness, some grassy, leafy hop notes, and some hints of citrus provide that quintessential English balance.

Mouthfeel: A little uneven, with a moderate body - even for the style - and a lot of carbonation making for a fluffy and prickly mouth. Perhaps a little too much here.

Drinkability: Low in abv%, drinkable, and on the balanced side, I enjoyed this beer. Though it's not the best of the lineup I had that evening, it was well-made, stylistically accurate, and didn't have any glaring defects of which to speak.
Sep 07, 2010
E.S.B. from Mad Fox Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 18 ratings