Big Daddy's ESB
Silver City Brewery & Taproom

 

 

 

pours a semi-clear orange with a thin white head, and some lacing.

smell of grain, malt, a touch of citrus, and some hops in the back.

taste is dry grain, slightly bitter, a touch of citrus, and a funky aftertaste, ends a little dry.

about the same as all of the silver city brews, just does not hit the mark.

Appearance: Arrives with a clear amber color and a modest head that fades to a ringlet;drapes lacing along the sides of the pint glass

Smell: Very fruity, with grapefruit dominating; some caramel underneath

Taste: After an initial caramel impression, the hops take over with a combination of earthy and grapefruity flavors, with the grapefruit dominating by mid-palate; very balanced after the swallow with a nice bitter finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Drinkable and refreshing; well-balanced

22oz bottle acquired in trade with riversideak (thanks!).

This one was filled all the way to the top of the bottle (and I mean the very top). Poured a medium and slightly hazy golden color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, caramel, toasty, and some pine. Tastes of toffee, citrus, lighter pine, and toasted grains.

Notes from 10/22/08

Probably my favorite offering from this fine brewery. Perfect clarity. Light orange body with medium carbonation.

This is a beer I would describe overall as "Snappy". The dry and large hop presence combine with the sharp carbonation to creat a "snap" that rivals any ESB I've ever had. Like a good restaurant that has a signature dish that cannot be topped this to me is their signature brew. Sessionable for sure.

If your looking for a traditional ESB than pass on this. This is a hoppy adventure that surpasses the mild bitterness of most.

22oz. obtained at the brewpub.

Deep copper color with a nice sticky head.

Smells like loads of NW hops. Grapefruit, lemon, pine, and floral aromas. Some caramel but the hops are pronounced much like Rogue's Brutal Bitter.

Starts off with caramel, toffee, hazelnut, and fresh baked bread. Very nice malt backbone. Finishes with citrusy/floral zing provided by the liberal dosing of Cascade hops. Not exactly what most would consider an ESB but who cares it tastes good.

Very smooth/silky mouthfeel with light carbonation; very ESB.

This brew could pass as an IPA in fact might even have more hop flavor packed into it than some East Coast or English IPAs. Whatever it is, it's good.

I’ve seen Big Daddy listed in three different places with three different ABVs (most recently 5.8%). Based upon this and my old tasting notes from 15 months previously, I’m inclined to believe that Silver City has modified their recipe for this ESB on one or more occasions. My most recent experience with Big Daddy was on draught at the brewpub and it tasted nothing like I remember the bottled version as being from spring ’05.

Big Daddy comes in clear mahogany with light frosted lace. It has a yeasted aroma and an initial outpouring of malt sweetness flavor. I found it a bit shy on bittering, but the taste had polish, making it a non-challenging, effortless beer to drink though not a notable standout.

The pour is pretty like Famke Janssen. Red-gold body, fuzzy head, and a decent bit of lacing. Nose is at once pine and hop oil. Don't get me wrong ... I think it smells fantastic, but probably too hoppy for an ESB. I don't get much action from the malt. The hops really steal the show. As far as taste goes, hops again dominate, with pine taking center stage. There's a smidge of grapefruit, a weird meaty leathery taste that normaly I hate but seems to work to this beer's advantage, and a bare bit of caramel. I like the way this tastes a lot .... but sadly, this isn't balanced enough for me. I love hops, but and ESB should have more malt than this displays in my humble opinion. Mouth is big and anything but bashful. It lays it on thick and doesn't apologize. I love it!
I wouldn't buy this in search of an ESB fix, but damn! This is a really tasty brew. I think it's delicious and I love the feeling of care that I taste in Silver City beers. Ignore my score, buy this beer if you like hops like I do!

Received a 1L swing-top from your source for great PNW beers...RoyalT.

Appearance: Opened with a loud "Pfft!"...mmm...fresh beer! Poured a cloudy deep orange color with a seriously thick and long-lasting off-white head that froths and boils and acts all boisterous while it completely covers my glass in lace.

Smell: Hefty dose of pine forest in here, gang. It almost completely dominates the whole aromatic process. However, there is a layer of caramel flowing underneath the hops cascade. Very nice.

Taste: This one is more of a American IPA crossed with an ESB. The bitterness comes through and is influenced by the hoppy character of this brew. Small dose of malt tries to balance this concoction, but falls short. Finishes rather dry, with a moderate "pucker" factor.

Mouthfeel & Drinkability: Way up there. This one is so easy to drink. I scoff at the 1 liter size of this bad boy and enjoyed every drop. Medium body and definitely on the dry side. Another winner from Silver City.

Notes: When I think of ESB, I think of Fuller's ESB. It's interesting to contrast the different profiles of this beer and Fuller's. They are very different, and very good in their own way. Kudos to Silver City for putting a unique twist on the style.

Appearance – Cloudy, dark, almost brownish, orange with a beautiful head that I had to control at the pour. It foamed up nicely, pitted as it went down slowly, and laced the hell out of my Ruination glass.

Smell – Man, is this strong! The bitter, piney hops hit the olfactory bulb like a freight train. There are some other hops and balancing malts in there somewhere, but they are hard to pick out.

Taste – This tastes much different than it smells. It mellows tremendously at the tongue, which is much appreciated. The neutral malt base comes our big, balancing the sharp but mild (by comparison) hop flavors. The floral hops rise to the occasion as well, making this one a nice ale.

Mouthfeel – Bitter, dry, and medium-bodied. This one is very refreshing and feels great in the mouth.

Drinkability – How fast can you chug a .26 gallon bottle of hoppy ESB? I’m about to find out.

Comments – Funny that someone else compared this to the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. They are not similar, but I gave them both the same rating. Hefeweizen & Pilsner may be out of reach for this brewery, but they have the hoppy American beers down pat.