Sessions ESB
South County Brewing Co.
- From:
- South County Brewing Co.
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.63 | pDev: 11.57%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Mar 02, 2017
- Added:
- Dec 16, 2011
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Our ESB (Extra Special Bitter) is an homage to the old world traditons of flavorful beer and conversation. Before the age of the internet one would often vist the local pub to share in the latest dealings of the day. Brewed with choice hand-turned floor male and noble hops, session-ability… ergo… sensibility, is the main focus of this beer. Malty with a crisp finish and a touch of bitter balance with notes of tea, berry, lemon & herb.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
3.98/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I am sure that you may be getting as tired of hearing about the Bottle Backlog here at Chez Woody as I am about having to eradicate it, but each new beer brings me closer to closure.
From the bottle: "Developed and brewed using the finest ingredients."
Given its age, I went with a gentle pour following the Pop! of the cap. It required no effort on my part to create a finger of dense, rocky, foamy, tawny head with great retention. Color was solid Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9) with NE-quality clarity and loads of CO2 bubbles in evidence. Nose had a malty sweetness, somewhere between (or combining) honey and biscuit and/or bread, reminding me of my late maternal grandmother's home-baked biscuits. Mouthfeel was medium, but prickly from all of the carbonation. The honey sweetness was prevalent, underlain by the breadiness of the malt, plus I got a Noble hops-like grassiness. Finish had a semi-dry grassy bitterness which was pleasant enough, but not enough to warrant a steady diet.
Mar 02, 2017From the bottle: "Developed and brewed using the finest ingredients."
Given its age, I went with a gentle pour following the Pop! of the cap. It required no effort on my part to create a finger of dense, rocky, foamy, tawny head with great retention. Color was solid Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9) with NE-quality clarity and loads of CO2 bubbles in evidence. Nose had a malty sweetness, somewhere between (or combining) honey and biscuit and/or bread, reminding me of my late maternal grandmother's home-baked biscuits. Mouthfeel was medium, but prickly from all of the carbonation. The honey sweetness was prevalent, underlain by the breadiness of the malt, plus I got a Noble hops-like grassiness. Finish had a semi-dry grassy bitterness which was pleasant enough, but not enough to warrant a steady diet.
Reviewed by cyguyjg from Pennsylvania
4.06/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.06/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a 12 oz. bottle pours to a huge, off-white, tight, frothy head that endures. Copper in color. Slightly cloudy. Perhaps a bit more carbonation than I would expect from this style. Lower ABV helps keep the taste smooth until the hops make their presence known at the finish. A good representation of an ESB. I would drink it again.
Nov 23, 2015
Reviewed by breardon1776 from New York
4.2/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Golden, dark gold color (wow that's redundant). Not much head or lacing. Can taste the butters without bitterness. a slight citrus flavor hue. A little toffee and caramel. Excellent flavor and texture. Nice surprise. A good beer to put in rotation but not have a whole sixer. Drank with some skirt steak, pasta salad and broccoli slaw.
Sep 07, 2015
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.9/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap. Murky light brown with a bubble collar. Caramel malt with biscuit, gentle herbs, and raisin. Taste has a hit of black pepper near the finish with the herbal hops, up until that point mild caramel malts. Feels smooth with a decently crisp finish, bright than expected. Solid all around
Aug 27, 2015
Reviewed by gestyr from Pennsylvania
3.59/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 22oz bomber into an English-style pint glass.
A: Pours a nice, clear orange-amber with a white head that fades out to a covering layer fairly quickly.
S: Malt and caramel with notes of dark fruit and then a slight hops aroma.
T: The taste follows the smell. Malt and caramel followed by a light hops flavor and balanced by a bitterness. No carbonation sting.
M: Medium bodied and smooth. No carbonation bite, no alcohol bite.
O: A good representation of this style. Balanced and very drinkable. At 6.3% ABV, I would not call it a session ale but I will buy this again.
Jul 31, 2013A: Pours a nice, clear orange-amber with a white head that fades out to a covering layer fairly quickly.
S: Malt and caramel with notes of dark fruit and then a slight hops aroma.
T: The taste follows the smell. Malt and caramel followed by a light hops flavor and balanced by a bitterness. No carbonation sting.
M: Medium bodied and smooth. No carbonation bite, no alcohol bite.
O: A good representation of this style. Balanced and very drinkable. At 6.3% ABV, I would not call it a session ale but I will buy this again.
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