Big Matt's ESB
5 Seasons Westside

 

A - A small, white head tops off a slightly hazy, copper colored body. The head fades away quickly but leaves good lace.

S - Malty with lots of toasted grain and some weak, musty hops.

T - Hops and toasted malt dominate up front. More malt appears in the middle with a hint of toffee. Nice earthy hop flavor in the finish with rounded bitterness.

M - Medium body, moderately low carbonation, and a slightly dry finish.

D - Very nice overall and easy to drink. Good hop flavor and a balance that ends up as just slightly more bitter than malty.

On-tap at the brewpub. I believe this was dry-hopped with Chinook.

Pours a cloudy copper color with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of lightly toasted and earthy malts with light amounts of floral and citrus hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Grainy malt flavors up front are joined by slightly herbal citrus hop flavors midway through the sip. The malt flavors take back over and carry through to a solidly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I had no problem finishing the glass and could have another.

Overall this is a very solid ESB and one that I could certainly revisit again. Worth a shot.

Cask through a Randall at 5SW.

Pours a cloudy orangish amber with a small bubbly head that recedes quickly to a bubbly ring.

The aroma was dominated by toasted bread with hints of grassy hops and some pale malts.

The taste has a light lemony citrus kick up front but gives way to the crisp bready backbone. The taste has an overall buttery character to it but finishes fairly dry.

The mouthfeel is super smooth with very low carbonation.

This is a solid ESB from the guys at 5SW and an excellent example of a sessionable cask ale.

I had a version of this in late July that was on-cask, dry-hopped with Willamette hops. I got the last glass, so it was a bit murkier than it probably should have been. Poured a very cloudy orangey nut brown in color, with a short head but very nice lacing. Smelled very nutty and bready, with slight overtones of chocolate and roasted nuts. The taste has more chocolate notes and was very bready. Earthy hop notes, some light citrus, and a remarkable impression of toast- the breakfast kind. The mouthfeel is smooth, and slightly thick for the style. Most unusual beer, and the dry-hopping took this is unexpected directions.

Appearance: Arrived at my side table a cloudy, orange-amber body with a smallish, frothy, white head.

Smell: Biscuity malts with lightly sweetish touches of toffee candy and earthy, herbal, citrusy hops.

Taste: Good, wholesome pale malts, lightly biscuity and with hints of sweet toffee. The hops present an earthy herbaceousness, but, for the most part, they're fairly lemony. Medium-plus bitterness. The back end is dry and bitter and finishes the same.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: An acceptable, easily drinkable ESB from Matt at 5 Seasons Westside. Paired nicely with the alligator eggrolls, particularly the dipping sauce which had a nice spicy bite to it.