Past & Present: ESB
Other Half Brewing - Center Street
- From:
- Other Half Brewing - Center Street
- New York, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #73 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #24,711 - Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 6.82%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2025
- Added:
- Feb 26, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
An exploration of the past, rooted in the present. A stronger version of the classic English Bitter. Our take on this classic style is brewed with a mix of Maris Otter, brown malt, and crystal malts from Thomas Fawcett in Castleford, UK which has been in production over 200 years. We finish it off with just enough of the classic English Fuggle hop to let you know it's there, but keep it balanced.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.74/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Very unusual offering for the OH. Amber color, big, white head. Malt, toffees, and earthy hops in the aroma. Malty taste, herbal bitterness at the end.
Apr 26, 2025
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
3.63/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.63/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
great malty bitter taste - don't get to drink many esb nice for a change
May 14, 2021
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.76/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Burnt orange accents to the light brown body with a cream cap. Smells more traditional with nutty malts, burnt caramel, toast and herbal hops. Taste is way too hoppy to really enjoy, just overwhelms the style trying to make it an ipa, citrus, and light earthy and leafy tones remain. Feel is too hoppy but not as obnoxiously so as the taste, but the body is so thin and bright otherwise. Was excited for an new esb, but it was an ipa esb in disguise
Apr 22, 2021
Reviewed by BubbleBobble from New York
3.45/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a hazy light reddish brown, solid 1" head that settles to a thick ring with nice streaks of lacing. Nose is subtle dark fruits, roasted malt, grassy noble hops - overall pretty pleasant and balanced. Taste is really quite subtle - there's a good amount of tea-like spice, sweet malt, and toffee flavors, even a touch of tobacco - but not as deep and complex as I was expecting from the aroma. Mouthfeel is pleasant but a bit light. Decent, but not too memorable.
Apr 04, 2021
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York
4.49/5 rDev +17.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +17.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Decanted from a 16 oz (473 ml) can into a conical pint glass; canned 02/25/2021.
A: Pours a hazy, amber color with a one to two finger, white head, more than rim retention, and decent rings of lacing.
S: Floral (chrysanthemum) and mineral (more iron than salt) initially. Aromas of caramel and toffee persist.
T: Semisweet to sweet. Flavors of caramel, honey, toffee, and hard to characterize fruit (?pear). Bitterness nicely balanced.
M: Medium bodied with solidly retained effervescence. Smooth and very easy drinking.
O: An interpretation of ESB appropriate for an American palate. Liked it so much, I went out an bought more.
Mar 27, 2021A: Pours a hazy, amber color with a one to two finger, white head, more than rim retention, and decent rings of lacing.
S: Floral (chrysanthemum) and mineral (more iron than salt) initially. Aromas of caramel and toffee persist.
T: Semisweet to sweet. Flavors of caramel, honey, toffee, and hard to characterize fruit (?pear). Bitterness nicely balanced.
M: Medium bodied with solidly retained effervescence. Smooth and very easy drinking.
O: An interpretation of ESB appropriate for an American palate. Liked it so much, I went out an bought more.
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware
3.68/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can poured into a mug
A- A hazy brownish amber with a small off-white head.
S- Herbal, some tea, touch of caramel malts, slightly toasted bread, touch of lemons.
T- Herbal tea, some caramel malts, touch of toasted bread, hints of lemon.
M- Smooth, medium body, carbonation is a little on the high side.
O- A solid ESB and enjoyable enough, but it could have lower carbonation and more malty. It does get better and more balanced as the carbonation decreases.
Mar 23, 2021A- A hazy brownish amber with a small off-white head.
S- Herbal, some tea, touch of caramel malts, slightly toasted bread, touch of lemons.
T- Herbal tea, some caramel malts, touch of toasted bread, hints of lemon.
M- Smooth, medium body, carbonation is a little on the high side.
O- A solid ESB and enjoyable enough, but it could have lower carbonation and more malty. It does get better and more balanced as the carbonation decreases.
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