Phoenix ESB
Goose Island Beer Co.

Pours a pretty clear orange/brown, small white head forms, lacing all over the glass. Smell is nice, lots of caramel, floral hops, dates, chocolate and coffee. Taste is roasted chocolate, caramel, crisp floral hops and a roasted grainy finish, lots of bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with medium carbonation, dry finish.

(Served in an American pint glass)

A-This beer had a warm light brown body with a light creamy tan head. Nice gentle carbonation.

S- The smell of biscuit malt and some pale malt was balanced with a spicy and bittern hop aroma.

T- The smooth taste of biscuit malt and some other lightly toasted malt flavors were quickly overtaken by a peppery slightly earthy hop flavor followed by a nice spicy hop bitterness.

M- This beer had a medium mouthfeel with a little bit of a fizz texture in the finish.

D- This was a interesting concept to use only UK Phoenix hops in this beer. It definitely had a spicy hop character without a big hop bitterness although it did have some bitterness.

Had on-cask @ the Goose Island Brewpub on Clybourn on 11/26/05..

The "Phoenix ESB" was their featured beer on-cask when I had lunch there with some friends on our last visit to Chicago. The alcohol by volume written on the chalkboard was 5.6%.

I'd estimate it was served from the cask at about 50-55 degrees. Dark brown color with a ruby hue to it. Head was fairly minimal but left nice patterns of lacing on the glass. Smell was quite hoppy but there was a pretty strong caramel malt base that went along with it. Taste was flavorful earthy, resinous hops..hints of pine and floral notes went pretty well with the toasted, caramel malt flavor. Mouthfeel was very creamy and smooth, despite the somewhat harsh, bittering finish. An ESB that didn't shy away from the hops at all, and it was quite drinkable as well. Glad I got to try it.