ESB
Fortnight Brewing Company

 

 

Only worth getting if on cask, in my opinion. Rich taste, a little bitter of course, creamy texture, and an oaky dry finish. On draught it's watery and tasteless.

Pours a clear deep amber producing 4 fingers of pale tan, frothy, pillow-like, somewhat lasting head that recedes to a nice billowy surface cap & collar leaving behind scattered webby wisps & motes of lacing. No effervescence rises from the bottom. Aroma is caramel sweet & biscuit malt, fruity with nutty toastiness, butterscotch, faint cocoa & thin floral hops. Taste is malt forward caramel, buttered biscuit & toast, nutty & fruity with a raisin hint backed up by earth, herbal & a hint resinous pine hops. The caramel sweetness & fruitiness begins to balance with the hop flavors after mid-sip. It finishes clean & malt forward but with a distinct hop presence before giving way to a roasted malt & a faintly bitter aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium pushing ever so slightly toward heavy bodied with moderate carbonation, silky with a thin oiliness, a light prickle in the latter half with an moderate astringency in the aftertaste.

 

 

Can of Fortnight ESB tasted in September, 2017. The description promises a traditional British ESB. Poured at 40F into a straight walled glass. Deep amber cloudy body; Substantial off-white head. Fresh beery aroma. Nice lacing as the beer is consumed. So far so good!

Flavor is something of a letdown. The primary impression is of a strong alcohol-based sharpness, where there should be a mellow balanced character. The moderate alcohol content (website states 5.5%) sholdn't result in the apparent sharp flavor. Their website promises traditional beers including cask options at their brewery. Sounds great. I hope some of their other options are more successful.

One of my favorite beers is the ESB from Blue Point. It is only available occasionally, and I may have encountered some variable quality recently, but I still get it when I can.

Pours a light ruby, copperish color with medium to low carbonation. Aroma is of old world hops, malt, english yeast and the taste is much of the same. Tastes a little sweet, probably too sweet for what I'd want here but over it's enjoyable. Tastes much like an ESB I made myself so bonus points for that.

Pours deep copper. Thick, medium, off white head lasts shortly.

Smells malt, light toasted, fruit, raisin, earthy.

Tastes Caramel and bready malt. Light toast, light fruit. Finishes dry with a bitter linger with light dark fruit that lasts for a little bit. Medium body and fizzy medium carbonation

 

Very good ESB!!! Pours a bright, clear copper color into a pint glass with a big, frothy off-white head (hard pour). Head retention is very good and there are thick patches of lacing on the glass. Aroma is earthy and floral hops and some caramel malt. Flavor is more of the same. Sweet caramel malt and a mild fruity presence balancing mildly bitter but flavorful earthy and floral hoppiness. Mouthfeel is crisp, dry and nicely bitter. A good example of this style. Well worth a try.

 

 

 

A clear copper colored brew with a light tan head that leaves a few specks of lacing. The aroma is caramel, bready yeast, mild fruitiness and a touch of hops. The taste is pleasantly sweet with caramel, fruity yeast and a nice pleasant bitterness. This is a nice malty english beer that I will drink again.