Extra Special
The Hop Studio
- From:
- The Hop Studio
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- +8 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 4.71%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 08, 2012
- Added:
- Oct 12, 2012
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England
3.43/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A 500ml bottle with a BB of June 2013. Picked up a little while back from Trembling Madness in York. Another beer from this new local brewery - all their other brews have been superb so I have high hopes. Hopped with Challenger, Northdown, Target and Wakatu.
Poured into a straight pint glass. Bottle conditioned. A very hazy marmalade-amber hue with light carbonation. It has the translucence of a weissbier. Yields a tiny head of white foam that lasts for a minute or so before reducing to a patchy surface layer. Aroma of sweet, grainy malt with hints of caramel, grass/hay, earthiness, yeast and subtle stewed hops.
Tastes of grainy malt with a dry finish. Notes of caramel, mild fruitiness, grass/hay, dry yeast and stewed hops. Possesses an earthiness and a slight nuttiness, accompanied by a faintly dry, sour quality. A twinge of solvent/alcohol in the background; with a very mild bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry, lightly tingly and full-bodied. A subtle astringency greets the palate, followed by an aftertaste of grainy malt and stewed hops.
Hmmmm - not entirely won over by this. It's maltier and less hoppy than their other beers, which I guess I don't love so much. However, it also has a slight 'off' character to it - hard to tell but it might be infected or just flawed. Neither the aroma or flavour are particularly great, though the body is OK. It's drinkable, and it does resemble an ESB with it's fruity malt notes, but still a bit of a let down. If you're going to try any of the Hop Studio beers, don't pick this one.
Dec 08, 2012Poured into a straight pint glass. Bottle conditioned. A very hazy marmalade-amber hue with light carbonation. It has the translucence of a weissbier. Yields a tiny head of white foam that lasts for a minute or so before reducing to a patchy surface layer. Aroma of sweet, grainy malt with hints of caramel, grass/hay, earthiness, yeast and subtle stewed hops.
Tastes of grainy malt with a dry finish. Notes of caramel, mild fruitiness, grass/hay, dry yeast and stewed hops. Possesses an earthiness and a slight nuttiness, accompanied by a faintly dry, sour quality. A twinge of solvent/alcohol in the background; with a very mild bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry, lightly tingly and full-bodied. A subtle astringency greets the palate, followed by an aftertaste of grainy malt and stewed hops.
Hmmmm - not entirely won over by this. It's maltier and less hoppy than their other beers, which I guess I don't love so much. However, it also has a slight 'off' character to it - hard to tell but it might be infected or just flawed. Neither the aroma or flavour are particularly great, though the body is OK. It's drinkable, and it does resemble an ESB with it's fruity malt notes, but still a bit of a let down. If you're going to try any of the Hop Studio beers, don't pick this one.
Reviewed by mick303 from Canada (ON)
3.78/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.78/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
500 mL bottle from Luvians, St. Andrews, BB(21/06/2013). Pours a fairly compact head, but shows some not bad retention, and leaves good lacing, colour is a auburn gold-brown, fairly hazy, with little carbonation.
Smell has some fresh grassy notes, hops are quite up front. Seems very fresh and doesn't show much in the way of malt.
Taste has initially a sour bitterness, eventually gives way to more creamy caramel-like malt character, slight roasty character. Bitterness is quite strong, though tempered quite well. A bit of complexity in the flavour profile, shows some light nutty, vanilla notes.
Mothfeel is quite light on carbonation, light bodied with a bit of a creamy character, quite smooth. Very sessionable and reasonably refreshing. Aftertaste is dry and expectantly crisp.
This is a very drinkable Bitter. Comes off a bit hop-forward. But very nice stuff. As it warms shows respectable balance, and this shows some good promise of future improvement. This didn't blow my socks off but it was a very pleasant bitter to enjoy and I appreciate the move to try to bring some more hop character to the table. Worth a try if you're a fan of the style.
Oct 12, 2012Smell has some fresh grassy notes, hops are quite up front. Seems very fresh and doesn't show much in the way of malt.
Taste has initially a sour bitterness, eventually gives way to more creamy caramel-like malt character, slight roasty character. Bitterness is quite strong, though tempered quite well. A bit of complexity in the flavour profile, shows some light nutty, vanilla notes.
Mothfeel is quite light on carbonation, light bodied with a bit of a creamy character, quite smooth. Very sessionable and reasonably refreshing. Aftertaste is dry and expectantly crisp.
This is a very drinkable Bitter. Comes off a bit hop-forward. But very nice stuff. As it warms shows respectable balance, and this shows some good promise of future improvement. This didn't blow my socks off but it was a very pleasant bitter to enjoy and I appreciate the move to try to bring some more hop character to the table. Worth a try if you're a fan of the style.
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