Well Built E.S.B.
Breckenridge Brewery & The Farm House

From old, undated notes. Poured from the bottle.

Clear dark ruby hue.

Tan head; nice lace.

Oak & caramel nose.

Sweet caramel & maple flavors. Hint of vanilla.

This has loads of flavor but isn't cloying. First ESB stunner for me.

 

First time I rated this was on draft at Hoppin' Frog. Revisiting now in July 2017 with only minor alterations.

Hmm...this 4 year old bottle pours as if it's infected. It has a massive, slowly growing but uniform beige head on top of a woody cola brown body. A shit ton of spongy foam lace hangs on, unsupported, in separate layers on the glass.

Smell has me a little worried as well, but not as much. I'm getting sweet whiskey, oak barrel, red grape, caramel, and prune. A hint of roasty, toasted graham arises as it warms.

Thankfully, it is not infected unlike the Breckenridge 25th Anny I had. I'm tasting root beer, raisin, prune, cocoa, light sweet whiskey and grape. A little wood and smooth, light sweet caramel develops as it warms.

Feel is thin and watery despite the massive meringue head it displays, but it does have a moderate carbonation, and a semi-dry chew until it warms, when it becomes wet.

This was better fresh, but still not bad. It's like it turned into a different beer that's almost intentionally a Dubbel or even a Quad.

 

 

 

Thick amber and brown, solid foam. High octane whiskey, some tobacco, malt. Amazing vanilla, some crusty malt. Exceptional beer.

 

 

 

 

 

01/09/14 On tap at Rattle n Hum, NYC. Thanks to Dave. This is one of the most phenomenal brews I've ever tasted. The immediate nose is buttered popcorn. Once done, you taste a browned butter flavor that borders butterscotch without the sweetness . So not what I was expecting...way...way better. If an outside the IPA thing is what you're looking for...look no further.