Lord Rear Admiral
3 Floyds Brewing Co.

Lord Rear AdmiralLord Rear Admiral
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From:
3 Floyds Brewing Co.
 
Indiana, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
6.4%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.13 | pDev: 8.47%
Reviews:
191
Ratings:
677
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 13, 2022
Added:
Apr 02, 2007
Wants:
  177
Gots:
  138
Three Floyds version of an ESB, this deep amber ale has a complex malt sweetness and pronounced apricot hoppiness. Named after Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.

55 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DrKarl:
Photo of DrKarl
Rated by DrKarl from Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

May 09, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.67 by beerrat from Virginia

Mar 13, 2022
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Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

3.94/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours an effervescent/hazed amber with a thumb+ sand colored head. Not a lot of head retention or lacing

S: Breadyness, fruittyness late

T: Dry biscuitty malt, leafy & woody hops up front. Woody bitterness, a little caramel, plus leafy hops as this warms, some pear notes on the edges that builds once this gets near room temperature. Finishes a little dry with fruittyness & some leafy hop bitterness

MF: Medium body, delicate carbonation, good balance

A good stab at the style, but lacks the malt depth of let's say a Fuller's ESB on cask
Jan 26, 2020
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This mighty fine ESB pours a muddled
lightly cloudy orange tinged brown color with a nice head of white foam that settles
to a thick ring, thin dusty layer, and sports light lacing. Nose of light fruit notes
of cantaloupe and light tropical notes of mango amongst herbal hop and
sweet caramel elements. Flavors nail the style with a light melon and
caramel malt with herbal hops, light pine, and mild citrus notes of
pineapple, mango, and lemon zest....unique to be certain. Excellent mouth
feel; medium light body, smooth, medium carbonation that is lively, and a
moderately bitter hop tinged finish that is moderately dry.

Overall, SOLID!

Cheers
Dec 14, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled in 8/2011. Pours slightly hazy deep golden/orange/amber/light copper color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lasts. Nice dense spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big orange, red grapefruit, lemon, golden raisin, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red apple, wood, cedar, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light toffee/roast/nutty, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malts, fruity yeast, and earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of big orange, red grapefruit, lemon, golden raisin, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red apple, wood, cedar, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light toffee/roast/nutty, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, floral, woody, minty, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of orange, red grapefruit, lemon, golden raisin, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red apple, wood, cedar, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light toffee/roast/nutty, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts, fruity yeast, and earthy hop flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance; and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, fairly sticky, and lightly resinous mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.5%. Overall this is an excellent ESB. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts, fruity yeast, and earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish; great soft feel and not aggressive. Great balance of nicely rich dark/bready English malts, fruity English yeast, and earthy English hop flavors. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive well made style example as expected. A lot more dark malt/melanoidin qualities from the age; but held up extremely well for the style/ABV. No complaints.
Nov 13, 2019
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Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.42/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap. Might be the best ESB I have ever had. The mostly clear amber brown body catches the light well, beige bubble head is pronounced. Smell has toffee, caramel, dark fruits, a touch of booze and apricot, and floral hops. Taste melds all of this together with the more mild english malting that subtle amongst the other flavors but has plenty of character, the finish gives away the american influence with some citrus hops, but I dug it. Well rounded and medium bodied, good artful bitterness in the feel.
Aug 24, 2019
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle. Poured out a clear, amber color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It smelled of biscuity malt, toasted caramel and floral notes. Sweet toffee and caramel with a earthy bite.
Aug 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.23 by emerge077 from Illinois

Jun 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.7 by AZirk from Indiana

Jun 09, 2019
 
Rated: 4.02 by Cpmitchno1 from Virginia

May 22, 2019
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Welcome to my New Hoosier Daddy Beer Sunday (Week 738)! I know that I should kick things off with a CAN from IndiCANa, but @AyatollahGold threw a monkey wrench into my monkey business.

From the Bottle: "Three Floyds version of an ESB, this deep amber ale has a complex malt sweetness and pronounced apricot hoppiness. Named after Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson."

I am named after my grandfathers so I Pop!ped the cap as an homage to my late PapPaps. A slow, gentle C-Line pour seemed to be the standing order of the day. The Lord Rear Admiral came aboard with a flourish, puffing out his medaled chest to form just under two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with decent retention that quickly deflated when I demanded that the Petty Officer of the Watch (POOW) see his ID. His color looked to be Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) with NE-quality clarity, so I had him escorted to his stateroom by my watch section's messenger. Good lad! I nosed around in the Admiral's effects, finding him to have a preference for apricot-scented cologne. Hmm. I summoned up a sample of the grog that the Admiral was carrying on his person when he came aboard (good eye on the part of the POOW) & swirled it on my tongue for greatest effect, taking copious notes in the Deck Log as I did so. This is the sort of thing that must be recorded for posterity. I found it to have only a medium mouthfeel at best, Surely, the Admiral could afford better … Did the man spill some of his cologne into his beer?!? I tasted a preponderance of apricot, which I found to be preposterous! I must ponder this. The Pirates of Penzance must have gained access to his stash! I needed another sip to be sure ... Yes, definitely apricot as the predominant taste. Duly noted! By now, I seemed to have drained away well more than half of her majesty's Admiral's beer, so I saw no harm in finishing the remainder. It could all be easily explained away as evaporation or that the messenger stumbled & dropped it or … Well, be that as it may, finish was semi-dry, quite pleasant, with a lingering taste of apricots. Say, who summoned the duty Master-At-Arms? It wasn't me! Hey, don't lay hands on me! Who do you think you are?!? Why am I being clapped in irons?!? I'll have you know that ADM Nelson is a close friend of mine …
Apr 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by uncleotis from Illinois

Apr 12, 2019
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Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana

4.42/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - From the bottle, the beer poured a dark copper color with a white head.

Smell - The beer had a gentle pine nose with a definite maltiness.

Taste - The fron had a light citrus profile with a malty bitterness. There was a definite bread/biscuit quality. Apricot was definitely present. The dry piney finish left me thirsty for more.

Mouthfeel - Carbonation was somewhat low with a smooth feel.

Overall - I am sad that I just found this beer. It is such a great session beer.
Apr 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.92 by eppie82 from Illinois

Apr 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by cryptichead from Illinois

Mar 24, 2019
Photo of TheGent
Reviewed by TheGent from New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Three Floyds Lloyd Rear Admiral

Extra Special Bitter

Look: This beer pours a murky, but translucent dark amber / copper color. A two finger off white her settles to a thin layer across the top of beer while leaving some lacing in its wake. I’ve not had a ton of ESB, but I’ve had some a lot, such as Fullers. That beer is bright, this one is not. Overall, an attractive color with nice head retention. An enticing looking beer.

Smell: The aroma is sweet crushed grains, bready caramel malt profile. Some earthy tea notes and a pleasant fresh apricot fruitiness. Some dried apricot sweetness and hints of vanilla. A touch spicy.

Flavor: This is a beautiful beer. Upfront a bready sweetness with some vanilla, dried apricot and candied orange sweetness as well. Transitions beautifully to a dry earthy and lightly citrusy hop profile of pine and lemon.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and pillowy soft mouthfeel with a low level of carbonation.

Overall: This is an excellent beer that offers some nice malt sweetness and hop flavors. It’s balanced in that regard. This is basically my ideal drinking beer. I would love to drink this on cask. I just love the Bitters.
Mar 18, 2019
Photo of Quackershnoc
Reviewed by Quackershnoc from Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: burnt orange murky brownish color; hazy; pillowy white head that films over the top

Aroma: nice grain bill; caramel sweetness; bready; citrus and other fruits; light hop notes

Taste: starts with hints of lemon zest and some hoppiness; moves into a strong malt backbone; bread and caramel; hops come through on the back end with a really strong return to lemon; a bitterbite right at the very end carries through the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: medium-light body; a little fizzy

Overall Impression: this is a great offering of an ESB; exactly what you think of for the style; good flavors; nice and smooth; very drinkable
Mar 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.33 by npendres from Wisconsin

Mar 13, 2019
Photo of GrumpyGas
Reviewed by GrumpyGas from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle poured into a pint glass shows a cloudy orangish-dull-copper colored body and a 1/4" head of white foam sits atop before falling to a whispy cap and leaving just a random haze on the glass.

Aroma is beer! Bready, slightly citrusy, and malty. Flavors of same are well combined for a pleasing, easy drinking malt forward, but not sweet, beer with a clean apricot in the finish.

Mouthfeel is a solid medium, and just short of creamy.

Overall a great version of an underappreciated style, in the States anyway.
Mar 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.49 by bigstar87 from Wisconsin

Mar 09, 2019
Lord Rear Admiral from 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 677 ratings