Green Man ESB | Green Man Brewery
Brewed by:
Green Man Brewery
North Carolina, United States
greenmanbrewery.com
Style: English Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
A malty amber ale boasting rich toasted and caramel flavors, Green Man ESB is one of our award-winning signature brews. Our blend of authentic British malts and hops creates a nutty aroma, full body, and a sweet finish. Prepare yourself for a truly exceptional interpretation of a traditional English style.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 02-02-2006
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 417 | Reviews: 83
4.3/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.71/5 rDev +27.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
One of the first ESBs I've had and man, this style is really growing on me. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sweetwater branded pint glass. Appearance is pretty, if pretty run of the mill (amber colored, with a white head that fades to a small amount fairly quickly). Aroma however is extremely interesting. There's some earthiness/herbs from the British hops, and the malt background contributes a lot of caramel and raiseny notes. As for flavor, this beer is extremely, EXTREMELY pleasant. It's almost like a caramel covered piece of toast or a treacle tart with some burnt bitterness. Dark fruit and raisins also start to become apparent midway through the finish. The finish is a little sweet for the style, but still well balanced. The mouthfeel is fairly light, and carbonation is present, but not too zippy. All in all this was an extremely nice beer to drink, and I will definitely revisit this one if I see it again.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
One of the first ESBs I've had and man, this style is really growing on me. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sweetwater branded pint glass. Appearance is pretty, if pretty run of the mill (amber colored, with a white head that fades to a small amount fairly quickly). Aroma however is extremely interesting. There's some earthiness/herbs from the British hops, and the malt background contributes a lot of caramel and raiseny notes. As for flavor, this beer is extremely, EXTREMELY pleasant. It's almost like a caramel covered piece of toast or a treacle tart with some burnt bitterness. Dark fruit and raisins also start to become apparent midway through the finish. The finish is a little sweet for the style, but still well balanced. The mouthfeel is fairly light, and carbonation is present, but not too zippy. All in all this was an extremely nice beer to drink, and I will definitely revisit this one if I see it again.
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3.78/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
My first experiences with an ESB, so here we go. Looks slightly hazy in the glass, a light rusty orange color. Pours a generous head that settles down into a lingering cap. Smells to me of caramelly, raisiny malt with pleasant herbal hops. Mouthfeel crisp but silky. There's the dark fruit/raisin hints again in the taste, as well as that caramel malt and some citrusy hop flavor. Maybe a little sweet on the finish for my taste but not bad - definitely a food friendly beer, probably good with fried foods like the classic fish and chips.
545 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
My first experiences with an ESB, so here we go. Looks slightly hazy in the glass, a light rusty orange color. Pours a generous head that settles down into a lingering cap. Smells to me of caramelly, raisiny malt with pleasant herbal hops. Mouthfeel crisp but silky. There's the dark fruit/raisin hints again in the taste, as well as that caramel malt and some citrusy hop flavor. Maybe a little sweet on the finish for my taste but not bad - definitely a food friendly beer, probably good with fried foods like the classic fish and chips.
545 characters
4.21/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.42/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.71/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 4/20/2016. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, plum, pear, apple, herbal, grass, light toffee, and yeast/toasted earthiness. A bit too fruity/yeasty aromas, but not overwhelming. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of toffee, plum, pear, apple, herbal, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Very mild herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light toffee/fruit, herbal, grass, and yeast toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance; and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is a very good ESB. All around nice robustness and balance of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Nicely rich English malt complexity; with mild hop balance, and restrained English yeast fruitiness. A very enjoyable offering. Very well made for the style.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 4/20/2016. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, plum, pear, apple, herbal, grass, light toffee, and yeast/toasted earthiness. A bit too fruity/yeasty aromas, but not overwhelming. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of toffee, plum, pear, apple, herbal, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Very mild herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light toffee/fruit, herbal, grass, and yeast toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance; and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is a very good ESB. All around nice robustness and balance of dark/bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Nicely rich English malt complexity; with mild hop balance, and restrained English yeast fruitiness. A very enjoyable offering. Very well made for the style.
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3.96/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got a Growler of this at the Lincoln Fill Station, less than a mile from the house. A new experience!
Pours a slightly less than clear amber with an abundant of white or tan head that proved to have pretty good retention.
AROMA: Toasty malts, sweet.
TASTE: Follows the aroma. mostly malts. Some caramel, creamy, smooth. Not recognizing much in the hop area.
This was nevertheless a very tasty beer that I enjoyed quite a bit.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got a Growler of this at the Lincoln Fill Station, less than a mile from the house. A new experience!
Pours a slightly less than clear amber with an abundant of white or tan head that proved to have pretty good retention.
AROMA: Toasty malts, sweet.
TASTE: Follows the aroma. mostly malts. Some caramel, creamy, smooth. Not recognizing much in the hop area.
This was nevertheless a very tasty beer that I enjoyed quite a bit.
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3.37/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.82/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
aroma a earthy hops bread and slightly metallic fragrance. a low to medium hops taste with a malt balance and a lasting dry finish and a surprising carbonation, overall a very enjoyable beer even though a departure from the esb style.
234 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
aroma a earthy hops bread and slightly metallic fragrance. a low to medium hops taste with a malt balance and a lasting dry finish and a surprising carbonation, overall a very enjoyable beer even though a departure from the esb style.
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3.5/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
On tap at Das Biergarten. Amber body. Smells of bready malt and caramel. Faint grassy hop. Tastes of aggressive toasty malt and a little bit of caramel. Nicely bitter with some spicy hops. Medium body. Dry and a touch too crisp. I say that as if I'm some sort of authority of the line between amber ales and ESBs. Ha.
317 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
On tap at Das Biergarten. Amber body. Smells of bready malt and caramel. Faint grassy hop. Tastes of aggressive toasty malt and a little bit of caramel. Nicely bitter with some spicy hops. Medium body. Dry and a touch too crisp. I say that as if I'm some sort of authority of the line between amber ales and ESBs. Ha.
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3.5/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.69/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.52/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.63/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
5/5 rDev +35.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Green Man ESB 12 oz. bottle poured into New Belgium 2017 Goblet...this time.
Beautiful dark amber, light brown. 1 finger head dissipates to thing ring and puddle of foam in center....
Fine fine FINE caramel and toffee roast malt heaven! 40-45F on real beer temps, or you will miss half the flavors.
Taste follows the nose, plus with a balance that completes this choice ale perfectly.
Nice mouthfeel and carbonation is spot on....
Dry pleasant finish and just a prime example of a fine handcrafted LOCAL beer.
If you like dark, rich, top shelf brew, it is a must have.
This is one of my go to bottles for the amber range. Nothing negative to say about it, except it is never on sale.
Perfect score!
Can't wait to visit Green Mansion in a few weeks!
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Green Man ESB 12 oz. bottle poured into New Belgium 2017 Goblet...this time.
Beautiful dark amber, light brown. 1 finger head dissipates to thing ring and puddle of foam in center....
Fine fine FINE caramel and toffee roast malt heaven! 40-45F on real beer temps, or you will miss half the flavors.
Taste follows the nose, plus with a balance that completes this choice ale perfectly.
Nice mouthfeel and carbonation is spot on....
Dry pleasant finish and just a prime example of a fine handcrafted LOCAL beer.
If you like dark, rich, top shelf brew, it is a must have.
This is one of my go to bottles for the amber range. Nothing negative to say about it, except it is never on sale.
Perfect score!
Can't wait to visit Green Mansion in a few weeks!
756 characters
4.13/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.54/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.94/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a slightly cloudy dark copper color with a nice lace of head. Smell has nice toasty malt aromas. Taste is just a tad bitter, but is fairly well balanced with the toasted malts. Overall a above average ESB.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a slightly cloudy dark copper color with a nice lace of head. Smell has nice toasty malt aromas. Taste is just a tad bitter, but is fairly well balanced with the toasted malts. Overall a above average ESB.
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Green Man ESB from Green Man Brewery
Beer rating:
3.69 out of
5 with
417 ratings
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