Crossing The Atlantic On A Tricycle
Fieldwork Brewing Co.

From Good Times Oakland, no dating on the bottle.

Pours mahogany, looks thick, small head of foam that sticks around, some good lacing.

The smell is malty, fruity with notes of plums, molasses, some nuttiness.

The taste is caramel malt, molasses, fruity with the plums, has a nice nutty character. It has a low level of bitterness and the ample alcohol is noticeable.

Full bodied, quite warming, I would drink this again.

It's English style beyond a doubt.

I love a 'regular' English style ESB (abv ~5). I also really like English Barleywine (over more a hoppy American style barleywine).

This drinks considerably closer to an English Barleywine than it does an ESB. And I'm delighted with that. It's balanced and the alcohol presence is magically smooth

Mouthfeel is very satisfying. Sweetness is well short of 'cloying'. A wonderful late evening sipper.

Well. I never thought I'd see this. Who would take a mild style designed for pub socialising with a safe journey home and, then, turn it into a monster that has three times the normal ABV? Not me.

Does Crossing work? Surprisingly, it nearly does. Crossing's Looks are different, yet close and interesting. Smells surprisingly do not betray the 13% ABV lurking, but also are not as sweet as the style typically is. Tastes are balanced, although the alcoholic finish does finally betray the style. While harsh from fumes, I still consider this better than medium-mouthed.

This EXTRA ESB proves I live under a rock. This is my first from Fieldwork, yet in their 10 years I've been to the Bay Area nine times and spent the last summer here... and this is my first Fieldwork. So I went on their website and.... I'm hit with a rock. This ten year old brewery has 9 taprooms (who has more at such a young age?), has over 700 brews on BA , specialises in Non-Alcoholic brews and, then, produces this monster ABV in a low-ABV style. I cannot grasp all this. Since I am overwhelmed by their accomplishments, I give them very good Overall Hugs. And I look forward to my samples to come.

Crossing the Atlantic on a Tricycle from Fieldwork Brewing. 500 mL bottle received from @2beerdogs in a recent LIF. Reviewed 06/09/25, review 3579. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated bottle. Stored at home at 40 degrees F. Served at 52.7 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 57.2 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Pale Amber (SRM 9), clear.
Body – Amber Brown (SRM 18), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, entire volume glows red-amber and is a bit hazy.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.5 cm, aggressive center pour). Cream, high density, fizzy with short retention, leaving a 0.2 cm crown and a thin partial cap. Highly active carbonation keeps renewing the crown.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4 – Initially malty with raisins – this fades as the brew warms. No hops, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4 – Begins slightly sweet with raisin as the dominating flavor. Moderate alcohol (13 % ABV, according to the label) taste. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Marked gastric burning.
Palate – 3 – Medium: Approaching syrupy: Aggressive carbonation.
Style: Loosely follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated container) Uncredited label artist. Initial blast of ketones which fortunately are not present in later swallows. Carbonation is initially too aggressive for an ESB – otherwise flavor is passable but not special.

 

Amber to bourbon in color with a very slight head that surrenders to a thin film. No lacing.
Aromas are forward with a smooth malt sweetness, a hint of toast, and fruity esters. Some caramel notes chime in timidly as well with a warm feel.
Flavor is really spot on. It's an ESB, but with more depth, variety, and overall warmth, but not in an overly boozy way. Some raisin, some earthy buckwheat. Wow.
Mouthfeel is not chewy, still within the style of a traditional bitter or ESB. Not at all hefty.
Overall, a super fun surprise.

 

2025-02-08
500ml bottle served in a tumbler. Bought it at the brewery in Sacramento yesterday. Don't see a date on it.

Pours with a soda-like rush of head that dissipates quickly and leaves a dark amber, ruby-tinted clear liquid with no traces of head or lacing at all. Smell is big, rich, raisins and booze, nutty and a little bit of rye spice.

Taste is sweet, oaky, nutty, lots of toffee. Cola or horehound, golden raisins, a bit of musty cellar. Earthy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is smooth, moderately thick, still. Overall, it's interesting, somewhere in between American and English barleywine vaguely in the direction of ESB.