Love Language
Bluejacket Brewery

An excellent pub ale-esque offering with just the right amount of bitterness. I shall endeavor buy a four pack if this ever time I see it on the shelf. It's like a London Pride with more flavor, if that makes any sense.

On draught, an opaque and murky Mahogany colored pour with a substantial soft creamy beige head, that yields rings of lacing all the way down.
The nose is malty, with an indication of the hops flavor to come, and the dry hopping.
The flavor is of toasted caramel malt, with some enjoyable hints of tea, cocoa, dried fruit, and leather, and a dried leafy earthiness, a little tang on the back of the tongue.
All well complimented with a hops profile that well replicates an English Bitter, true to the style.
The finish is very enjoyable, nicely carbonated, a very well done English Bitter.

On cask at Churchkey in Washington, DC.

This one pours a semi-murky golden amber color, with a small head, and not much lacing.

This smells a bit like tea, with some biscuity and caramel malt aromas.

I love walking into a bar that has a traditional bitter on cask. This feels fairly spot on to me, with a warm and toasty hop character, and a really pleasant floral and tea-like hop character.

This is light bodied, but semi creamy, and super drinkable.

This was a really fun beer to come across, and feels really well done to me, although I’m not someone who has had a lot of bitters on cask.

 

 

Can, undated:
Pours a bit cloudy, but with a head that produces some really solid lacing. Definitely liking this one for its head more than its Arnold Plamer-like hazy body. Grain bread on the nose with maybe a hint of honey and a swath of orange marmalade. Taste reinforces the malt side the nose presented, perhaps even adding a bit of a pumpernickel swirl, oddly enough. Bitterness doesn't take long to join in, and has a little bit of punch to it. It's neutral to maybe having a bit of an earthy/dry leaf side to it. Not much of the marmalade coming through, but the honey bread makes a brief appearance nearer the end of the taste.

Poured from 16oz can (undated, though assumed fresh) into pint glass with one finger's worth of head. Slightly cloudy pale amber with orange hues. Aromas of baked bread and touch of honey. Creamy mouthfeel, fine carbonation - smooth, very reminiscent of cask and true to style. Slightly malty with dry bitter finish. My only critique is that I wish it was either a little lower in abv or had a little more body. Love seeing an American made ESB on the market that's true to style--will buy again if available.