Super Snapper VSB
Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
7%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 4.68%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
5
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 28, 2013
Added:
Aug 14, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Photo of SportsandJorts
Reviewed by SportsandJorts from Virginia

4.11/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: a very deep almost blood red color. slightly hazy but mostly clear. small tannish head that leaves nothing behind

Smell: hop strong, citrus mainly with some piney. caramelly malts.

Taste: follows the nose but kicks it up in complexity. citrus and pine hops, caramel malts, a nice toastiness from the toasted malts. and occasionally some pilsner malts come through

Mouthfeel: pretty strong lingering bitterness, but overall a nice medium body

Overall: a solid beer. nice complexity, although i looked for the toasty malts to play a stronger role in the picture. i'd like to try this beers little sister and see how they compare
Apr 28, 2013
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the Arbor Brew Pub.

Poured a medium and hazy amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of floral, light roast, citrus and some pine. Tastes of floral, grapefruit, oranges, and some caramel. Lacing left on the glass.

Notes from 5/6/06
Nov 20, 2008
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Wow this wasnt on tap at the brewpub in the spring what a great find here on tap in Buffalo.Poured a deep deep amber with a thinner but well retained slight off white head leaving a few rings of lace behind as it settled.Aromas of brown sugar and earth mainly the sweetnes is there but kept in check by a nice earthy profile.Flavors start out an the sweetish dark fruit and brown sugar side but it melds nicley into the dryer more earthy finsih.A bigger double ESB with bigger malty tones the hops come more in a backup role.still a nice ale and a very good find in Buffalo.
Oct 31, 2006
Photo of Shovelbum
Reviewed by Shovelbum from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Arrived with a perfect pour. A creamy tan head over a dark amber-brown body. The head left great lace and had decent retention. Standard Snapper aromas of floral hops and caramel malt. A big spicy and citric hop bitterness, but some sweet caramel malt flavor is present in the background. Warming alcohol presence is noticeable, but not overwhelming. Medium to full bodied. Light carbonation. A slight crisp bitterness throughout and lingers on in the aftertaste.

This is a big beer—consider it the Red Snapper on hop-based steroids. I must agree with Nomad that it loses some of the Red Snapper’s balance, but this is still a great ale.
Dec 02, 2005
Photo of nomad
Reviewed by nomad from Kansas

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This beer is in honor of Arbor Brewing's 10th Anniversary, and is a super-sized version of their very popular Red Snapper Special Bitter.

Pours a deep red color, purply-brownly blood from afar but actually a sturdy crimson when held up to the light. Tight and even foamy head is lightly retained due to lack of carbonation, though leaving fair amounts of lace on the glass.

Smell is light wafts of grapefruit and pungent leafy hops, Cascade in the least. With warmth comes strong cocoa scents and a muted caramel tone. Not inviting or otherwise attractive as the cocoa and hops don't mix well. At all.

Taste is full with Cascade dry-hopped flavor and bitterness, not overly fruity but gripping in bitterness. The bitter this ale is based on uses some roast barley to achieve the deep red color and to provide some grainy complexity, but here in a doubled-up grain bill the roast barley is too much, contributing an ever-increasing drying cocoa sensation. Eventually the smooth malty core of softly sweet biscuits gets wiped out by this not-quite-coffee flavor that is jarring in juxtaposition with the hops. Mouthfeel is full and soft, almost cask-like, and the carbonation is low per style.

Interesting but in doubling (or so) the ingredients of a fine session beer the original balance is thrown off.
Aug 14, 2005
Super Snapper VSB from Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom
Beer rating: 3.85 out of 5 with 5 ratings