-
Stop lurking! Stay logged in to search, review beers, post in our forums, see less ads, and more. Thanks! — Todd
Sawtooth
Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Left Hand Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #71 - ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #23,987 - Avg:
- 3.72 | pDev: 12.63%
- Reviews:
- 721
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 17, 2022
- Added:
- Sep 16, 2001
- Wants:
- 90
- Gots:
- 380
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Notes:
Sessionable. Unpretentious. Left Hand's original flagship. Proof that a beer can be both complex and balanced. Malty chewiness slowly transitioning over to herbal, earthy hops with a dry finish. Brewed to be enjoyed with friends and to stimulate serendipity.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota
4/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can into a tulip.
Pours a slightly-hazy copper/amber, with a decent head, but not much retention. Good lacing and a nice skein of foam.
Malty, toasty, nutty, and mildly fruity aromas all waft mildly through the nose. Just a touch of earthy floral hop.
The flavors follow the nose and are very well balanced. Caramel, toasted, and slightly fruity malts on the tip of the tongue, but only slightly sweet. Crackery and mildly spicy yeast in mid stream, with a clean grain fullness and citrus peel. Mild earthy and floral hop bitterness brings it hope at the finish, with just a hint of alcohol warmth, and balances well with the slightly sweet malts.
The brew is nearly medium bodied, creamy, and only moderately carbonated, yet it finishes well. A very drinkable, repeatable brew.
Overall, an excellent take on the style, especially for an American brewer. The British are the masters of understatement, and this brew is appropriately understated in both its malt (not too sweet) and hops (not too bitter), providing an easy balance in the process. It all comes together rather well. It isn't an exciting brew, but it's an eminently flavorful, drinkable one.
Oct 05, 2019Pours a slightly-hazy copper/amber, with a decent head, but not much retention. Good lacing and a nice skein of foam.
Malty, toasty, nutty, and mildly fruity aromas all waft mildly through the nose. Just a touch of earthy floral hop.
The flavors follow the nose and are very well balanced. Caramel, toasted, and slightly fruity malts on the tip of the tongue, but only slightly sweet. Crackery and mildly spicy yeast in mid stream, with a clean grain fullness and citrus peel. Mild earthy and floral hop bitterness brings it hope at the finish, with just a hint of alcohol warmth, and balances well with the slightly sweet malts.
The brew is nearly medium bodied, creamy, and only moderately carbonated, yet it finishes well. A very drinkable, repeatable brew.
Overall, an excellent take on the style, especially for an American brewer. The British are the masters of understatement, and this brew is appropriately understated in both its malt (not too sweet) and hops (not too bitter), providing an easy balance in the process. It all comes together rather well. It isn't an exciting brew, but it's an eminently flavorful, drinkable one.
Rated by BritinCo from Colorado
4.17/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Smooth, lightly hopped.
Jan 04, 2019
Reviewed by Blondarm76 from California
4.18/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap this cannot be passed up...hands down one of my favorites anywhere. Deep copper with a nice thick tan head, it definitely resembles an authentic English Bitter (to me). Bready & malty (two of my favorite characteristics) but crisp and clean on the finish; keeps me coming back for more. Love this beer.
Dec 19, 2018
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
3.33/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.33/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Another of my favorite brewers and a pretty decent offering...
A dark caramel colored brew, it poured out a bumpy-looking foam with some decent lacing. Not much to the nose on this one, at least nothing that I would consider unique or even mention-able. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, carbonated, and a tad astringent. I do believe this is a solid ale - maybe a run-of-the-mill, but still good. Overall, it's another good offering from one of the brewers I always keep an eye out for.
Sep 02, 2018A dark caramel colored brew, it poured out a bumpy-looking foam with some decent lacing. Not much to the nose on this one, at least nothing that I would consider unique or even mention-able. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, carbonated, and a tad astringent. I do believe this is a solid ale - maybe a run-of-the-mill, but still good. Overall, it's another good offering from one of the brewers I always keep an eye out for.
Reviewed by EMH73 from New York
3.5/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear amber with a half inch off white head that settles to a thin ring pretty quickly and leaves nice lacing. Smell is pretty mild with lightly roasted malts and some hops. Tastes of lightly roasted malts, caramel, light hop presence and some earthy notes. Light to medium bodied for the style, moderate carbonation, mild bitterness and slightly dry finish.
Aug 12, 2018
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.53/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz. can. And yes, that can did come from the incredible woodychandler. Has a bronze color with a 1 inch head. Smell is of bready malts. Taste is malts, caramel, light hops at the finish, easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.
Apr 16, 2018Reviewed by bgillespie from New Jersey
3.28/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: Clear cooper/amber with a thin off white head.
Smell: Faint smell of malt
Taste: Light flavor, mostly malt, herbal taste
Mouthfeel: Light and crisp with good carbonation.
Overall: Not a bad beer, but light on flavor. A good session beer.
Feb 22, 2018Appearance: Clear cooper/amber with a thin off white head.
Smell: Faint smell of malt
Taste: Light flavor, mostly malt, herbal taste
Mouthfeel: Light and crisp with good carbonation.
Overall: Not a bad beer, but light on flavor. A good session beer.
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois
3.08/5 rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.08/5 rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a can, it's a clear amber orange with a white head with decent lacing. Aroma is malts and a little hops.
Flavor matches. Body is thin, nice carbonation. Overall just a so-so beer. One of a pick six. If I see it again, I'll leave it behind.
Jan 22, 2018Flavor matches. Body is thin, nice carbonation. Overall just a so-so beer. One of a pick six. If I see it again, I'll leave it behind.
Reviewed by Spydersweb from Colorado
3.49/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle poured into nonic glass.
The beer pours a nice amber with a tan head that remains for several minutes. Nice lacing left on the glass.
The smell is lightly roasted malts, very light English hops.
Taste is mild caramel, malt heavy with a little lingering hops bitterness. Overall a decent beer, but there are better ESBs on the market.
Jan 15, 2018The beer pours a nice amber with a tan head that remains for several minutes. Nice lacing left on the glass.
The smell is lightly roasted malts, very light English hops.
Taste is mild caramel, malt heavy with a little lingering hops bitterness. Overall a decent beer, but there are better ESBs on the market.
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California
3.81/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle poured into a Mountain Rambler Brewing Co pint glass
A: Pours copper amber with a frothy tan head that settles to a firm layer and laces nicely.
S: Toasty bready malt, slightly earthy, fruity notes, and toffee sweetness.
T: Toasty bready malt, fruity notes, blackberry and prune, slight earthy bitterness, and some toffee sweetness.
M: Medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: This bottle is less than fresh so I will look to try this one again in the future, but I'm enjoying what's there.
Jan 13, 2018A: Pours copper amber with a frothy tan head that settles to a firm layer and laces nicely.
S: Toasty bready malt, slightly earthy, fruity notes, and toffee sweetness.
T: Toasty bready malt, fruity notes, blackberry and prune, slight earthy bitterness, and some toffee sweetness.
M: Medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: This bottle is less than fresh so I will look to try this one again in the future, but I'm enjoying what's there.
Sawtooth from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
2197 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!