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Bay State ESB
Boston Beer Works - Canal Street
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Boston Beer Works - Canal Street
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.68 | pDev: 16.03%
- Reviews:
- 16
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 07, 2014
- Added:
- May 18, 1999
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Maximusmaximus:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.94/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Dark gold with a bit of haze. Small head but it leaves some spotty lace.
Earthy and malty. Light hop nose.
Lots of semisweet caramel. There's a touch bitterness in the swallow. Full bodied and below average carbonation--a good combination for this style. An easy to drink ESB with some definitive malt sugars in the aftertaste.
Sep 02, 2013Earthy and malty. Light hop nose.
Lots of semisweet caramel. There's a touch bitterness in the swallow. Full bodied and below average carbonation--a good combination for this style. An easy to drink ESB with some definitive malt sugars in the aftertaste.
Reviewed by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts
3.6/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
A-Pours a darker copper color with a slight head. Head doesn't lace much. Seems to be fairly transparent.
S-Floral hops with a perfect balance from the malt. The aroma is of the typical ESB variety. Bittersweet and pretty attractive. The intensity of the nose is lacking but the components are there.
T-Like the nose, very standard as far as the style goes. Florals combine with that memorable malty combination. Lightly nutty. Flower petals and light bitterness. Great balance. Not as coercive as I would like but it is decently tasty.
M-Light bodied. Crisp. Great feel. Feels more like a %4 ABV instead of a %6. Goes down nicely.
O/D-One of the better beers I had at the Beer Works. Again, not very intense or memorable but it was a nice little glass.
Apr 05, 2012S-Floral hops with a perfect balance from the malt. The aroma is of the typical ESB variety. Bittersweet and pretty attractive. The intensity of the nose is lacking but the components are there.
T-Like the nose, very standard as far as the style goes. Florals combine with that memorable malty combination. Lightly nutty. Flower petals and light bitterness. Great balance. Not as coercive as I would like but it is decently tasty.
M-Light bodied. Crisp. Great feel. Feels more like a %4 ABV instead of a %6. Goes down nicely.
O/D-One of the better beers I had at the Beer Works. Again, not very intense or memorable but it was a nice little glass.
Reviewed by donkeyrunner from Massachusetts
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Missed my train and meandered over to Beer Works...
Translucent, dark auburn color with a bone marrow colored head. Lace is heavy up top and diminishes down bottom like a foamy jelly fish stuck to my glass. The bartender called me chief. I hate that.
Marmalade fruity esters and leafy hop spice. Toasty. Few scant whiffs of chocolate malt - I wonder if a pinch was used to darken up this beer?
Taste is toast and fruity esters. Swampy bitter lingers with the finish as does a moderate dryness. Full body sparkles with hop resin. Balanced.
May 12, 2011Translucent, dark auburn color with a bone marrow colored head. Lace is heavy up top and diminishes down bottom like a foamy jelly fish stuck to my glass. The bartender called me chief. I hate that.
Marmalade fruity esters and leafy hop spice. Toasty. Few scant whiffs of chocolate malt - I wonder if a pinch was used to darken up this beer?
Taste is toast and fruity esters. Swampy bitter lingers with the finish as does a moderate dryness. Full body sparkles with hop resin. Balanced.
Reviewed by odietrying from Massachusetts
2.61/5 rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.61/5 rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Served on 4oz. sample glass.
A: Dark copper, clear, thin head and lacing.
S: Strong floral notes; I can already taste the bitterness, not my forte.
T: Namesake, very bitter in the back, and it lingers. Not very sweet, I would have preferred a sweeter malt.
M: Smooth mouthfeel, but under-carbonated.
D: Too bitter for my tastes; wouldn't want another.
Oct 17, 2008A: Dark copper, clear, thin head and lacing.
S: Strong floral notes; I can already taste the bitterness, not my forte.
T: Namesake, very bitter in the back, and it lingers. Not very sweet, I would have preferred a sweeter malt.
M: Smooth mouthfeel, but under-carbonated.
D: Too bitter for my tastes; wouldn't want another.
Reviewed by dananabanana from Massachusetts
3.38/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Dark red-brown. Foam was pure white. Lacing is a fine coat.
S: Malty, sort of sweet. Indistinct.
T: Bitter hops in the back of the throat. Malt flavor dissipates quickly. Grainy taste develops later.
M: Chewy. Oddly refreshing.
D: Good, solid beer to start the night with. The balance is a little off, though.
Oct 16, 2008S: Malty, sort of sweet. Indistinct.
T: Bitter hops in the back of the throat. Malt flavor dissipates quickly. Grainy taste develops later.
M: Chewy. Oddly refreshing.
D: Good, solid beer to start the night with. The balance is a little off, though.
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania
3.65/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very murky amber reddish brown. Nose is a very florally soft sweet. Slight wood character, from the cask no doubt. Flavor is pretty complex. Seems to be a bit of vanilla at the start. At least I got that on the first wave of taste. It quickly moves to a woody, earthy profile. Unfortunately I have to give the flavor a lower score because I feel like the only influence is the cask. Where is the beer's character? It just ends up being a woody mess almost. Cask beers can be nice, but this one seems to lack balance.
Dec 31, 2007Reviewed by argock from Virginia
1.89/5 rDev -48.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
1.89/5 rDev -48.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Served on-tap
Looked promising with a pleasing copper color and thick, sudsy head. It was foreshadowing...
Something was wrong with this batch (or the glassware) because it smelled and tasted like soap. No sweetness or hoppy bite -- just soap.
Obviously when something tastes like soap, drinkability is hurt to some degree.
Dec 13, 2007Looked promising with a pleasing copper color and thick, sudsy head. It was foreshadowing...
Something was wrong with this batch (or the glassware) because it smelled and tasted like soap. No sweetness or hoppy bite -- just soap.
Obviously when something tastes like soap, drinkability is hurt to some degree.
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia
4.5/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Tasted On-Tap 09/30/05 at the Boston Beer Works - Fenway in Boston, MA.
Brown in color with a decent beige head. A nicely done ESB with a fairly high hop aroma and flavor for the style. Hops seem to have an American almost citrusy hop character. Medium bodied and smooth. A nice hoppy ESB. One of the best Beer Works brews.
Per BBW website: Bay State E.S.B.
1997 GABF Extra Special Bitter
Pale brown and malty, this ale is an Extra Special Bitter, our version of a strong English bitter. Our E.S.B. is brewed with English malts and is dry hopped with Kent Golding hops, imparting a pronounced hop finish.
Season: all Color: light brown Alc./Vol: 6.0%
Oct 10, 2005Brown in color with a decent beige head. A nicely done ESB with a fairly high hop aroma and flavor for the style. Hops seem to have an American almost citrusy hop character. Medium bodied and smooth. A nice hoppy ESB. One of the best Beer Works brews.
Per BBW website: Bay State E.S.B.
1997 GABF Extra Special Bitter
Pale brown and malty, this ale is an Extra Special Bitter, our version of a strong English bitter. Our E.S.B. is brewed with English malts and is dry hopped with Kent Golding hops, imparting a pronounced hop finish.
Season: all Color: light brown Alc./Vol: 6.0%
Reviewed by MuddyFeet from North Carolina
3.52/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a deep amber, bit the light pierces it way too easily around the edges. Thin bubbly head that dissolved completely. Nose was flowery hops with jsut a touch of citrus. The hop in the flavor were really the best part. Bittering enough to give some bice bite, but providing enough citrus tones to make the beer sweet. Malts provided a nice carmaelly, bicuity flavor. Mouthfeel was watery (norm for Beer Works) and was too light and thin for the style in my opinion.
Aug 15, 2005
Bay State ESB from Boston Beer Works - Canal Street
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
27 ratings
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