Black Rock
Great Basin Brewing Co.

Comes in an srm shade darker than amber, mild head that isn't more than half an inch. The aroma is extremely british, takes on some wet wood and tea notes. The hopping isn't apparent in the aroma.

Taste had the unsweetened tea, toffee and caramel vibe, the malt seemed a tad more than I would normally be looking for, hence the slightly darker appearance for style. Hops are muted, lacks the carbonation and snap of a good esb, but doesn't do anything particularly bad either.

 

 

Coppery amber color, maybe a little darker than your average traditional esb, thin 1/4" head on it, quickly evaporates unto the netherworld. Mild tea and toffee burton ale like aroma.

Taste, pretty bland, some run of the mill caramel and toffee flavors, very little in the way of hopping, mild undercurrent of sweetness. Can't really figure out what this beer is trying to be, lacks bitterness, depth, hops, complexity, just really amps up the burton like bland qualities overall, and the alcohol doesn't really make it fall into those boring sessionable beer setups either. I dunno, just don't see me having this one again. Cool name though.

A very nice appearance as this is a light amber ale with a very thick white head from the nitro that leaves thick (can I call it belgian lace) residue on the glass. I am reviewing the second glass of this ale served to me as they have a bad practice of serving beers in frozen glasses so I had my bartender refill my first glass. The aroma needs more hops, it is a little bit malty but not enough for an ESB and frankly not enough for a pale ale either. The flavor begins with a mild, goldings like bitterness followed by sweet carmelly malt and it finishes very clean with no lingering bitterness. A good attempt at an ESB but it needs more of a english pale malt flavor not just more carmel malt and a lot more hops all around. The mouthfeel is excellent as the nitro reminds me of a nice cask ale, smooth and clean with just a bit of bite as the brewer at the basin use a mix of nitro and CO2. A nice session ale though it needs more hops and a better malt flavor.

Copper color with a sticky white head that lacing in strands.

Smell is sweet malt with no real strong hops. Slight must finishes the nose with a hint of esters.

Taste is sweet, no real bitterness at all. Becomes nearly cloying when warming.

Not a bad beer, but not an ESB. Silver medal at the GABF? I could see it with some more hops, but not with how sweet this batch was.