Samson
Maxim Brewery

 

A 550ml clear glass bottle with a BB of Sept 2011, so it's a little out of date. Picked up from a B&M store. The label mentions that this was originally brewed by the Vaux brewery to quench the thirst of steelworkers in Teeside.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A lovely ruby-chestnut hue with good carbonation and faint visible sediment. Yields a large creamy head of tan foam with good retention; this eventually subsides to a surface layer. The remaining dregs indicate bottle conditioning with live yeast. A subtle aroma of sweet caramel malt with hints of roasted grain, vanilla and yeast esters.

Tastes of sweet roasted malt with a mild, dry finish. Notes of caramel and yeast, with hints of burnt grain, coffee, chocolate and bittering hops. Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy and tingly, though perhaps a little thin. Dries the palate, leaving a malty aftertaste.

Pretty good - the malt character makes this an undemanding, easy-drinking ale. It has a morish quality that makes me want another. Lacks the refinement of Fuller's ESB, but a drinkable brew that is worthy of your consideration.