ESB
Kennebec Brewing Company, Inc.

Pours a three finger thick white head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color with some yeast at bottom of glass. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Hoppy/piney nose. Flavor is smooth, hoppy, occasional sweetness has a bitter finish. True to style but not my style. $3.50 for a 22oz bottle from Tully's Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Presentation: 22oz bottle in a classic conical pint glass

Poured with some thickness, yet smooth. Nice lite, sweet nose, faint citrus hops, very dull grapefruit and pine resin. With some air it takes on a faint mulled cider quality with just hints of mulling spice and warm apple cider. Head was a short 2 fingers of tight & mixed cream foam, slowly settling with a soft crackle to an 1/8" blanket of the same that laced somewhat. A rather pretty, warm, copper infused honey gold in color, murky & hazed, a few bubbles rise slowly through it and sediment is noticeably suspended.

Smooth, bittersweet, soft but not creamy, rather dry with a dull crunch and a cideresque feel. Lightly sweet with an just an echo of some far off citrus rind and crisp, tart apple (Granny Smith), the hop bitterness is like a dull blade - it cuts the mouthfeel but crudely, more butterknife than scalpel. The overall effect is confusing with a bland bitterness taking the point. The malts are faintly sweet at best but also have a burnt caramel quality that only adds to the bitterness.

It has the same bitter, sour quality on the palate as their Cream Ale (ringwood?), dry, with the malts flat, chalky, echoes of elementary school blackboard when you had to wash the board and that sensation filled your nostrils and entered your mouth and you could taste the multiplication tables you were rinsing away.

It does finish relatively clean, semisweet, filming & coated, albeit with the same math period qualities as mentioned before.

Honestly, this is a less sour version of their Cream Ale, otherwise they are the same. I did enjoy this a little more, but not by much. Try one if you want, but there are much, much better examples of an ESB to be found

I saw this on my trip through portland and had to try it. I love the creativity and range found in Maine's breweries. This beer is no different. Although I have not reviewed one for the site, my benchmark ESB is a Fullers. I thought this was a good example of an ESB but was missing a touch of the body and smoothness I consider to be a characteristic of the english style. Worth a try and one I would consider for a summer barbeque.

The new, larger Tully's carries KBC beers now. This is a pretty good beer. It's a cloudy amber color with a medium head and some nice lacing. Woodsy (pine) aroma, with a little malt. Average smell. Nice tangy hops taste, very enjoyable. This is a beer to have more than one of.

Dark-amber almost red body with a couple fingers of off-white head. Smells hoppy (piney) with some malt). Tastes hoppy, malty, and yeasty, in that order. Not as well balanced as one might expect. Not overwealming in taste though. Fairly drinkable. A little more hoppy and piney than I'd look for in an ESB, but an okay beer overall.

The beer pours a warm orangey amber, slightly hazy, topped with a rather thick almond head. Great retention, keeping a froth until well into the glass, where upon it dissipates into a thick collar and stays. Surprisingly, not much lace sticks to the glass, but the head won't quit. Impressive.
The aroma is pretty solid, with a pleasant maltiness exhibiting some toasty caramel odor. The hops are fairly mild, with a hay-like grassy herbal quality. Not my favorite, but it's ok. Pleasant esters, with a juicyfruit aroma and some pear. The aroma is fairly light, not wanting to leave the beer without some coaxing.
The flavor starts with some toasty malt, a bit thinnish, with some estery pear quickly breezing in. A hint of caramel flavor leading into the finish, where the hops take over with a hay-like, earthy flavor. Bitterness is only moderate, but the hop flavor just doesn't do it for me. The body is a bit thin, too light, with dense, moderate carbonation. Somewhat watery of a mouthfeel.
I'm not sure if this really qualifies as an ESB. It has more of an ordinary bitter character, with nothing very distinguishing. A bit undermalted. I don't particularly care for the hopping, either. A bit muddy and indistinct, even though it's overpowering. The beer has potential, it just needs more malt.

I have to say I had never heard of this company so I picked up a 22oz at a store in Portland.Pours a deep orange-like color with a real nice head that leaves some real nice lacing.Aroma is grassy and biscuity with light alcohol tones.A very rich tasting beer nutty and malty in start with a nice grassy taste in the finish.I think this a nice beer better than what some of the others who reviewed it.

This is one of the more unique extra special bitters around. The aroma is a bit grassy with little malt hint. The flavor is richly earthy with a grassy hop hint throughout. The aggressive bitterness punches through a powerful brew.

A great brew, whether or not an ESB. Dark chestnut-brown colour with a foamy/creamy head that quickly fades to a lace and small splotches. A dark, sweet and earthy malts -strong and sweet- with a very faint hop-flower. A very nutty, brown and sweet flavor. Velvety-smooth medium body with a soft carbonation.

An ESB? Maybe a nice brown. Either way, this brew is nutty and sweet with a wonderful body. Cheers!