The Tower
Bull & Bush Brewery

Poured from a 500mL bottle simply marked that it was bottled in 2022.

On the pour at first the carbonation looks quite light but by the end a 2 finger head forms that slowly recedes to about a finger over a couple minutes. The body is a dark amber to reddish brownwoth a very light haze and light lazy carbonation. No lacing.

Aroma is quite light, but largely dominated by ale yeast commingling with earthy hops, with a light grainy crackery aroma on the back of it. The hops and a general beeriness stand out in this one's aroma. As it warms more esters come through and the malts become sweeter becoming more balanced with some caramel vanilla notes but there still isn't a lot of smell and it's dominated by the yeast.

The flavor is much more balanced and brings more of a punch. On the sip you're met with a nice hoppy bitter front that quickly drops off and leaves a nice almost roasted malty quality with some nutty vibes. The hops never completely disappear, and a nice rounded welcome bitterness lingers with the malt flavor as everything slowly fades before the next sip. Hoppy on the front but bready malty and almost soft like a mild on the back with a slight hoppy reminder this is a bitter. Good flavor with lots of English yeast vibes as well.

Feel is surprisingly crisp for being a hoppy and malty ale, but it's easy to put down with a nice carbonation bite accompanied by a creaminess as well that makes it quite a versatile beer. Easy to drink and it brings hops and a big dose of malts without being heavy. Does linger on the palate a bit but not in an unwelcome way.

Overall a very good ESB with very nice balance, but aroma is lacking a bit. Nothing is off but the smell doesn't betray the malty goodness that the flavor brings. Definitely worth a try if you're curious and a very good ESB with no true flaws.

Straight 4.5s.

Super rich, dense, oily and vibrant orange/amber ale looking.

Smell is just popping with caramel maltyness and low key bittering hops. No dry hopping in your face here just very low key mellow old school smelling.

Taste im loving. Absolutely refreshing to drink older European styles that showcase the array of flavors without going to extremes with the beers we know today. Its got loads of caramel sweetness balanced but lightly floral, earthy hops. Just super crushable and easy drinking.

Feel im particularly impressed with. This beer was sent via mail and had a leak. I expected it to be flat but it still hiss and carbed up on the pour. It is on the lower end of carb and the mouthfeel is SUPER oily, dense and chewy for a 6.5% beer. It leaves your mouth feeling like a dank resinous oils that a huge huge DIPA does (without the extreme bitterness alongside).

Overall just exquisite. I can't get enough of these old school styles.

Had on tap. Orangey brown body, sudsy off-white cap and lacing. Aromas of malt with caramel accents, toast, herbal hops and citrus. Taste adds an element of honey and diacetyl almost imitating crystal malt sweetness, citrus more lemon centric, hops balance really well. Feel is medium bodied, hop bitters do their job well all the while the malt smoothness is omnipresent. Nice ESB for any time of year

Pours a mostly clear dark brownish-copper with a touch of haze; you can almost, but not quite, read through it. Head production and retention are excellent; nice lacing.

Very aromatic and hop-forward aroma, with notes of citrus, tannins, tea, flowers, leather, honey, and toffee.

Flavor follows, but with much more sweet malt than the nose implied. Caramel, brown sugar, pecan, and honey up front; strong tannins and a pungent bitterness in the middle; tea, lemon, and honey on the finish. Light toast throughout, including a very mild char on the aftertaste.

Very flavorful ESB. I don't particularly love the middle, as the bitterness comes across a bit earthy and pungent, but overall this seems true to style, and is a very enjoyable beer overall.

L: opaque burnt orange
S: citrus, cookie
T: marmalade, dark toast, hint of anise
F: firm carbonation, coating

 

 

 

16.9 oz. Bottle
DTL: 5/14/14
ABV: 16.5%

Guessing this bottle might have 2 yrs. on it.

Poured into a Squatters true pint glass a cloudy brownish color, nice carbonation, with a pretty thick/creamy one-finger off-white head, which leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, slightly yeasty, with some nice nuttyness. The taste is pretty good, malty, slight yeast note, nutty. Medium body, with a pretty nice bitter/dry finish. Overall, even if this brew has 2 years on it, it's still pretty tasty, but would like to get a fresher bottle some day. My first from this brewery, I believe I saw 3 other's by them, definitely will check them out.

 

Slightly hazy, brown-amber color, Thick head, nearly 2-fingers of lacy, hoppy-looking foam heads, good lacing. Smell is a good blend of toasted graininess and pleasant hop fruitiness. Flavor, too, is all about balance. A nice hops kiss rounds off the slightly caramel maltiness, a nice lasting coating on the palette. Balanced, balanced, balanced.

Across the board, quite good. Easy drinking beer.

I really love a good ESB, or at least what I think an ESB is. I've been drinking what I am used to for years and it's not this. Knowing Bull & Bush, maybe this is more true to form than what I'm used to. Unfortunately I like what I'm used to more than this. Tower is less of that light biscuit taste and more of that deep malt taste.

Not sure if this will help, but it's my review of expecting something different.

 

 

 

 

 

Love their ESB, so tasty

 

Revisited October 06th, 2021

Dark, clear, copper colored body; somewhat sparse carbonation yet a very thick, foamy bone-white head, creamy on top; Excellent toasted grain and caramel smell; mildly spicy. The taste flows along the lines of the smell; malty with a rustic sweetness; caramel with a oh-so slight bit of diacetyl presence; slight to moderate hop bitterness. Medium-heavy mouthfeel; smooth with a nice residual sugar feel; mild warmth throughout.

I found the aroma to be more prominent this time around. All the other factors remain much the same from seven years ago.

Poured at 49 °F; bottling info: BTL: 6/1/21

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Original October 04th, 2014 ratings and composite score: 4.25 3.5 4.25 3.75 4.0 3.97

Dark honey-colored body with a very thick, long lasting, frothy head. Caramel and lightly charred brown sugar aroma. The flavor follows the aroma with a more pronounced presence of toffee and nuts; solid hop bitterness lingering beneath all the malt sweetness; some buttery diacetyl notes. Medium-heavy body; smooth with a low-key level of carbonation.

A palate pleasing malt-forward ale with a warm, nutty sweetness and an even-keeled hop bitterness to balance things out.

Inside the bottle cap: North Eolus 14,039

 

 

From a 500 ml bottle (bottled March 24, 2014) into a nonic.

A-A normal pour produces about one and one-half fingers of light tan head. Retention is pretty good and a sticky wave of lacing clings to the glass. The color is burnished, brassy brown. It is mostly clear and pretty dark.

S-The aroma is pretty intense for an ESB. I pick up quite a bit of zesty, almost orange-scented hops. The malts are medium-light roasted, nutty, and earthy. Sweetness is moderate to above-average. The whole thing is a little harsh, but interesting.

T-Like the smell, the taste is pretty intense. The zesty hops are still very apparent on the palate with a slight citrus twang. The malts are moderately sweet with a nutty, earthy, cocoa note. There is a bit of fruity alcohol as the beer nears room temp.

M-The heft is moderate to above average with a consistent carbonation that provides a nice lift on the palate.

O-This is a pretty aggressive ESB. The hop flavors are assertive and the malts pick up when the initial hop flavor dies down. The whole package is a little rough around the edges and not necessarily what I would reach for when I think "ESB." That being said, this beer has a great mouthfeel and packs a ton of flavor.

 

 

 

Warm brown brew with a dirty finish. Pours a handsome dark amber in the tall glass with a modest foam. Pleasantly sudsy mouthfeel. I can't make out much of an aroma.

Warm and malty, lots of roasted grainy flavor. Dark scorched sugar notes. An acidic, astringent note takes the edge off the sugar. Leafy, dank hops in the background. Woody notes and there's that bitterish, dirt flavor.

I really didn't like this much the first glassful, but a second pour later seemed to be at least drinkable. Overall, though, it's kind of murky and watery. Weird sweet aftertaste. From the 500 ml bottle purchased at Mayfair Liquors in Denver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tasted On: 07-09-2012
Freshness: Unknown
Packaging: Draft
Glassware: Shaker pint
Purchased: On tap at the Bull & Bush

A: Dark amber in color, with a decent sized head. Both lacing and retention seem good.

S: Breadiness from the malts, combined with earthy and spicy hop aromas.

T: Very nicely balanced beer, with the hops and malts playing back and forth.

M: Body and carbonation are moderate, with a slightly dry finish that is bitter, but not heavy handed in the hops.

O: Very delicious ESB that paired well with the fish and chips. I'd have it again.