Extra Special Bitter
Blue Point Brewing Company

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From:
Blue Point Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #2
ABV:
5%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,843
Avg:
4.23 | pDev: 8.04%
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
40
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 03, 2023
Added:
Oct 14, 2002
Wants:
  27
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Arrives a clear amber with a one finger head; decent retention and some shards of lacem

Smell: Toasted bread and toffee with an earthy, nutty touch; a bit fruity, as well

Taste: Toasted bread and toffee forward with an earthy, fruity character developing; moderate bitterness, through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A decent example of a style that seems to have disappeared from the craft repertoire
Oct 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Icemann383 from New York

Feb 21, 2018
Photo of moodenba
Reviewed by moodenba from New York

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Blue Point ESB was my everyday favorite a few years ago until they removed it from rotation (American IPAs seem to have crowded out a lot of craft beer traditionals). I was lucky enough to find the cask version ESB available at the tap room once or twice, and it was unforgettable.

Blue Point ESB (draft) is available again, and was tasted at the brewery tap room in Patchogue mid-May 2016, then a growler at home. The taster at the brewery was over carbonated, and the growler also was fizzy until it was half-full and settled down. A couple of weeks later another growler was much better tasting, likely due to appropriately reasonable
carbonation.

This beer has a deep amber color and a balanced flavor in a great British ale style. I hope Blue Point can find distribution for this beer.

01/27/2023 update: ESB resurrected by ABInbev for the 25th anniversary of Blue Point. Tasted on tap at the brewery pub. Cold 16 oz draft ESB at the pub. Good flavor with possibly a too abrupt hoppy character. I will need to get a growler to take home and see if reduced carbonation would improve the experience. I'll leave the rating, but would reduce it if this impression was confirmed.
May 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.75 by Loco_Joe from New York

Mar 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by t0rin0 from California

Aug 24, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by lupercmda from North Carolina

Aug 09, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by mfigueroa713 from Texas

Jul 14, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by kaelingirl from Massachusetts

Jun 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by MikeConklin from New York

Mar 22, 2012
 
Rated: 4.75 by cestlavie from New York

Feb 11, 2012
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: The beer is crystal clear mahogany in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high off white head that died down but left some lacing on the surface and a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of bready malts in the nose along with notes of butter, caramel and toffee plus hints of citrus hops.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and has a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very easy to drink and goes down effortlessly. It pairs especially well with food.
Sep 18, 2011
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Growler shared by Bobby. Thanks.

A: The pour is a slightly hazed amber color with a finger of white head.

S: A very interesting aroma. It's got a touch of juniper berries, herbal hops, and pine to go with a solid amount of bready hops and a touch of banana. Very mild yeast notes.

T: There is a good balance of bitterness and maltiness. Sweet bread and toffee malts with a light bitterness to go with the grassy and herbal hops. Some more juniper berry flavor.

M: Medium in body with a medium carbonation.

O: A more interesting ESB than I'm accustomed to. Not bad.
Aug 12, 2011
Photo of DrewSnyc667
Reviewed by DrewSnyc667 from Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap into a shaker pint

A - Deep copper, little head, decent lacing

S - A bit metallic, earthy malts, some roasted corn and caramel

T - Very malty, English hops bitter up the beer for a nice dry finish

M - Just a tad creamy, but not to heavy at all medium to light bodied

O - A great session ale, Would have no problem knocking back a few of these
Aug 06, 2011
Photo of david18
Reviewed by david18 from New York

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I had a sixteen ounce draft of this at the Amsterdam Ale House on Manhattan's Upper West Side. This was the perfect summer beer. Plenty of flavor, great balance, not too strong. Overall: great.

The appearance was a dark amber with a smallish head and very cloudy.

Aroma combined the bready malt with some english hops and toffee.

Flavor was mostly malt but not too heavy or cloying. Overall, a very balanced flavor.

This beer is a very easy drinker and one I hope to see more often.
Aug 03, 2011
Photo of dragonWhale
Reviewed by dragonWhale from New York

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
After a long hiatus, the ESB resurfaces! A fine beverage!

Clear red, a little lace, and overall sexiness. Some toast, some fruitiness, caramel, a little grassy hop.
A delicious beverage, smooth, slight bitterness followed by a lingering caramel bread. Finishes clean and a little sweet. Probably the finest beer from this brewery.
Jul 28, 2011
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Growler filled at Bierkraft courtesy of gory4d! Thanks for helping me try this longtime want. Served in a Surly pint glass.

A - Two-plus fingers of creamy white foam that settles to a thick cap, leaving behind small splotches of lace. Transparent caramel amber color.

S - Toasted malts, toffee, fruity English ale yeast, dry roasted nuts, earthy and slightly lemony hops, and perhaps an herbal note as well. It's spot on for the style.

T - Taste is predominantly toasted bread, nuts, a hint of yeast, light brown sugar and milk chocolate, and a pleasant herbaceous finish that imparts some moderate bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste. Perhaps a faint soapy note as well.

M - Feel is quite nice, with some light dry roast to the texture, lower cask-like carbonation. Surprisingly viscous and chewy medium body, with a dry finish and some surprising resinous hop character as well.

D - Absolutely crushable stuff. I was forced to open a growler on my own due to unusual circumstances, but I should have no problems finishing 64oz of this stuff over the course of any evening. If you put this on hand-pump in London no one would think it was made in the colonies.
Jul 28, 2011
Photo of albertjr21
Reviewed by albertjr21 from New York

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Into a pint glass on 7-24-11:

A: Settles a very clear gold color that borders on amber under a persistent dense creamy suds head.

S: Aroma is a mild yet noteworthy one with a crisp note of toasted sweet malt and light wild berry fruit ester.

M: Overall palate feel delivers a solid and steady flowery hop bitterness that gently finds its way around my taste buds on the back of a creamy biscuity malt balance. A relatively low abv really preserves the palate from alcohol related fatigue and I feel I am truly able to detect and appreciate the flavors offered here long after my first sip. Session brew anyone?

T: Toasted sweet biscuit malt harmonizes with waves of earthy, flowery, and maybe even some grapefruit accented citrus hops.
Jul 25, 2011
Photo of DefenCorps
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
So I managed to try this both on cask and out of the growler. Admittedly, the growler was consumed 15 minutes after it was filled, so this probably qualifies as an on-tap review, but oh well.

Pouring a burnished copper, this growler pour of the Blue Point ESB has a fantastic off-white head and with excellent retention and lacing.The nose is excellent. A blend of a fresh, herbal, green and grassy hop notes and a complex malt profile with oats, nuts, toffee and brown sugar, this smells wonderful. The moderate carbonation makes this pop a lot more, bringing to the forefront more of a fruity yeast character, especially with plums and fruit.
The palate opens mildly bitter with a pronounced hop character with an herbal hop character. Toffee, brown sugar and nuts with a strong toasted malt character. Really, this is a beautiful showcase for Marris Otter and all its nutty complexity. This beer is medium in body with moderate carbonation. The yeast is a little more active, with a moderate fruitiness. There's an oat-like fullness to the mouthfeel that is quite enjoyable. Fantastic balance and drinkability, I drank half a growler with no problems and could have gone for more. Highly recommended, this is one of those few English beers I enjoyed more on tap than out of a cask.
Jul 24, 2011
Photo of gory4d
Reviewed by gory4d from Texas

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a dark golden, almost russet. Not much of a head - just a few bubbles on top. No lacing. The smell is stone fruit, caramel, maybe tea, some hibiscus, rising bread. The taste is similar, but with an emphasis on the tannic and bready qualities, with a round bitter finish. It's very mildly carbonated, medium-bodied. Great even in this 100-degree heat. A marvelous beer, even better on cask.
Jul 23, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.91/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Huge thanks to cosmicevan for getting me a growler of this. Finally, the 2-plus-year wait is finally over. Currently the #1 ESB. Served in a Mikasa tulip at our Christmas in July tasting.

Pours a dark copper color with a great, great off-white head with loads of lacing on the way down. Nice cap and collar throughout. The nose brings some caramel and bready malt and actually a bit of light roastiness, which is a bit strange. Light nuttiness there as well along with some earthy and herbal hops.

The flavor takes down the malt a touch and focuses slightly more on the hops. Good blend of hop flavor and bready malt. Light toast as well. Medium body with good carbonation and a very nice bitterness in the finish. Not quite the best ESB that I've ever had -- that honor goes to FFF Lord Admiral Nelson -- but this is a good beer, albeit not one worth a several-year wait.
Jul 19, 2011
Extra Special Bitter from Blue Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 40 ratings