Blimey English-Style Pale Ale (2010-2012)
Three Heads Brewing

Blimey English-Style Pale Ale (2010-2012)Blimey English-Style Pale Ale (2010-2012)
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From:
Three Heads Brewing
 
New York, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
6%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 10.43%
Reviews:
35
Ratings:
53
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 25, 2015
Added:
Dec 05, 2010
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  5
The beer English breweries would brew if they played football the right way. This Extra Special Ale takes a classic style and gives it an American twist. Enjoy the complex malt profile and layers of sublime English hops. One taste will have you saying "Blimey!"

60 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 3.75 by BvilleBrewGuy from New York

Jan 25, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by Martelljw2 from New York

Jan 07, 2015
 
Photo of Ladyfortuna
Reviewed by Ladyfortuna from New York

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Other reviews have said this beer is retired; either it has been brought back, or an old case was miraculously found and stocked at my local Wegmans (I honestly can't find a 'sell by' date so I don't know for sure, but I may try to find out from the store).

I will echo others in that this beer has an initial 'earthy' taste. I'm not even sure I've had that experience before today, but that's the first thing that hits me. It is followed by a slightly sweeter caramel impression, and I can definitely agree with the biscuit flavor. It is sweetest at the end. This bottle didn't have much at all in the way of a head, but if it is older, that could explain it. Still, I prefer IPAs over most other brews at this point, and while being sweeter than most this line is pretty tasty.

If they've brought it back, I say check it out. If I'm just lucky and they dug up one of the last cases, well, I can't say I regret trying it out.
Dec 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Brendog9 from Massachusetts

Sep 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by outoffocus from Pennsylvania

Aug 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Shawnspl from Rhode Island

Jul 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by brewdude1982 from North Carolina

Jun 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by jkball01 from Kentucky

Jun 09, 2013
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

3.62/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Three Heads will never be one of my favorite breweries, but this was always one of their better beers. The malt profile was very decent, slightly fruity, and very bready. The hop character is classic Three Heads- astringent and too bitter. The only thing saving this one is the malt character.
Jun 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Jenray from Texas

May 14, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by MarkJBurch from Pennsylvania

May 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by chefduff2 from New York

Apr 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Mar 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by DmanGTR from New York

Jan 31, 2013
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Found this in the back of my fridge as I was cleaning it. I hope it's still good.

Pours a light fizzy head of about 1/2 finger that fades semi slowly with a bit of lacing, over mostly clear coppery colored beer.

Nose light earthy hops, some herbal grassy and just a touch citrus and pine. Also some biscuit and caramel malts, little toasty reddish, and a hint of a fruity yeast addition.

Taste starts with bitterness, earthy hops, a bit herbal and some grassy spicy, with a touch citrus, Then malts, a bit of caramel and toffee, biscuit, chewy with a hint sweet syrupy flavor, and a little tobacco. Light fruity flavors again as well. Finish is fairly bitter, earthy herbal chewy hops, little candy flavors, fairly dry, long bitterness that almost borders astringent on the finish.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb.

Overall not bad, English pale is one of my least favorite styles due to the big herbal hop flavor and grassiness, but this one had enough caramel and biscuit malt, with sweetness, bitterness, and overall flavor to be decent. Maybe the hops faded enough for me to like it more, but it wasn't bad.
Sep 14, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by thebouch01 from Pennsylvania

May 06, 2012
Photo of trxxpaxxs
Reviewed by trxxpaxxs from New York

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours a deep amber with about a finger and a half of off-white foam. There is a ton of lacing left on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is sweet malt, slight flowers, and a touch of biscuit like goodness. The malt is really pronounced, but there is a great bread quality that keeps this beer in check.

T: The initial blast is sweet malt and floral essences. I get some warm bread in the middle that shifts back into the sweet realm.

M: Medium bodied beer. Nothing outstanding about this beer. There is a bit of drying in the finish.

O: This is a good beer. The bottle I opened today is a bit past it's prime, but it is still really pretty good. I remember this beer when it was fresh as being lighter, crisper, like eating a grands buttermilk biscuit. Some of that had faded, but it's still solid. It's a real shame to see this beer be retired. I thought it was one of their better beers.
May 01, 2012
Photo of tempest
Reviewed by tempest from New York

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Retired? Picked up a bomber at Brilbeck's in Syracuse for $6. There's a sweet almost cake-like character to the malt. It's slightly caramel, with a little biscuit and blends in with the smooth, sweet-tasting-but-not-feeling yeast character. As the beer warms, the hops really come forward with smooth lemon-grapefruit that accents the candy yeast esters.

I was expecting a maltier beer, but I dig the bigger hops and esters. It's not a perfectly authentic example of an ESB, but it's well within the bounds of the style, and quite tasty. Check it out if you can.
Feb 18, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by GrindFatherBob from New York

Jan 29, 2012
Blimey English-Style Pale Ale (2010-2012) from Three Heads Brewing
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 53 ratings