The Angel and The Sword
The Civil Life Brewing Company

The Angel and The SwordThe Angel and The Sword
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
The Civil Life Brewing Company
 
Missouri, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #47
ABV:
4.6%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,130
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 12.43%
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
52
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 10, 2023
Added:
Apr 01, 2015
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  10
FOR THE PEOPLE:
ABV: 4.6%
IBU: 32
COLOUR: Clear golden amber with white foam
BJCP STYLE: Who knows? Maybe 23. Maybe 11C (Strong Bitter). It actually doesn't fit neatly into any one BJCP category. It's English Yeast, English Hops (East Kent Goldings and Fuggle) and our favorite malts from all over the world. It's a hybrid of sorts!
NOTABLE INGREDIENTS: Diverse US and UK malts, timeless Fuggles & Goldings hops, ale yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by cjgiant:
Photo of cjgiant
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia

3.71/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap:
In the glass, it is an amber/auburn brown. Looks a bit muddled, but on closer inspection it’s fairly clear. Medium collar doesn’t give much lacing.

Nose is mild, little more caramel than I’d expect. Little bit of yeast, maybe a light fruit note, but not much bitter indications.

Taste starts with a caramel malt and slightly semisweet berry-fruity (blackberry perhaps). A bit of dry brown bread comes to me in the middle. A bit of rolling tingle of carbonation shows through the about medium feel. This might mimic a light bit of spice to the grassy, barely metallic bitterness.

This is little more malty than I expected from an ESB, maybe little more towards a mild with the ABV. Wasn’t a bad beer, sort of an English amber/brown hybrid in some respects to me. Nearer the end, a little bitterness had built up, however.
Apr 04, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.02 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

May 10, 2023
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Had on cask. Mostly clear dark brown pour with a huge beige head, tons of trace lacing. Aromas of caramel malt, english yeast, leafy hops, mild darker grains and dirty dried dark berry, sneaky complex though unorthodox. Taste is simpler but still plenty tasty: caramel malt, dark bread, dry english yeast, mild leafy hops. Feel is lighter and maltier, slightly watery, but yeast and hop finish while mild is pleasing together
Apr 30, 2023
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Mahogany colored with a somewhat murky complexion. There’s a fingernail of brown around the rim and covering a quarter of the top. The aroma is of biscuity malt and toffee. I’m tasting sweet bready malt and toffee. The mouth is light and refreshing.
Sep 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Jul 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.92 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Jun 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.86 by Scottsbeer from Florida

Sep 02, 2021
Photo of Aemely
Rated by Aemely from Missouri

4.17/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I know zero things about the ESB category. I just know I'm a big fan of Civil Life's Angel and the Sword! A tasty, drinkable English-style ale.
Jul 18, 2021
Photo of Jmsandberg17
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri

3.94/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz can. Head is a thick off-white layer that doesn't stick around long. Smells of toasty malts and herbal hops. Beautiful golden amber color. Taste is richly malty and caramel-y that is neatly finished with a noticeable but not overpowering bitterness. Feel is a little thin, but smooth and not too poor. Overall a pretty good beer. Not sure if ESB is the right designation for it, though. Seems to be a hybrid of styles.
Mar 17, 2021
Photo of tmm786
Reviewed by tmm786 from Tennessee

4.04/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is an excellent beer. Kind of a hybrid of styles, but super well made English style beer. Civil Life hasn't disappointed me yet. Easy to drink and pairs well with food.
Feb 22, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by andyjeigh from Oklahoma

Jan 01, 2021
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.81/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This brew, from an aluminum can, has a clear amber color. Not much of a head. The aroma has caramel, some grain, and a small trace of ripe fruit. Balanced, if not a little dry. Medium body. Drinkable and enjoyable, but not exceptional.
Feb 22, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Livyatan1996 from Missouri

Jan 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Dec 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Sep 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.74 by robotic_being from Illinois

Jul 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by oline73 from Maryland

Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by JLaw55 from Missouri

Aug 20, 2017
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
hard to critique a beer thats so true to the english tradition but also kind of distinct. i love these guys, and its great to see their beer in cans now. this is a cool one, loosely an esb, but for me a little richer in the malts and a little more sturdy with the hops. great grassy bitterness to the finish, a toasted lightly nutty malt density, and a surprisingly low alcohol content. the english yeast is bready and frothy in here, drying this out pretty well by the end and adding a lot of flavor, while the hops give it more of a freshness vibe than i am used to in english style beer, more than just bitterness. fuller bodied for how light in strength it is, this is a little filling with the caramel malts in here, but its also bubbly and frothy and foamy, even almost creamy, very satisfying and lively, a real beer drinkers session beer. they have done a great job crafting this recipe to be reminiscent of some of the english classics but also decidedly distinct in its own right. always happy to be drinking beer from the civil life!
Aug 16, 2017
The Angel and The Sword from The Civil Life Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 52 ratings