Brewers' Cut ESB
Real Ale Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

A: Pours an odd amber/orange color. That is slightly murky. A two finger white head forms with good retention and lace left behind.
S: Kind of a muted nose at first. As this warms an almost apple cider like quality comes out. That quickly fades to light grains, more of a baked bread characteristic as this warms even more.
T: Light grains, toasted malts baked bread. Some sweetness, then fruity like esters. Apple cider like again, some fruity pears as well. A touch of earthy bitterness in the finish. Well balanced and very nice.
M/O: A light to medium body. Very effervescent and crisp. Smooth at the same time. Something I can easily come back to again and again.

All the qualities of a Bitter is here. A nice and nuanced malt character, some fruity esters. A well done version, that might not be the equal of some other bottled versions available on the shelf. Still something that is enjoyable and on point. Something I will be getting more of.

 

 

 

12 oz. bottle poured into tight nonic
(best before July 5, 2016)

L: slightly misty amber-orange, reddish gold but not quite dark enough to reach what I'd call "copper"; pushes up about a 2/5- to 1/2-inch head of offwhite/beige foam; clears up over time, brilliant up to the light even if it's not crystal clear; next to no sticking or lacing, keeps a pretty collar with a piece of skin concentrating mostly near the inner wall

S: malty orange ... sweet ... some grain, sour grain ... as it warms, big bready malt sweetness, so sweet it's super fruity, apricots, peaches, almost a sugary candy strawberry

T: loads of malt sweetness, a bit of that mushy old-malt-takeover flavor some of our craft blonde ales get, not exactly creamed corn but heading that way; aftertaste has an English pale-like bread malt flavor, and there's also a bit of oak-wood/smokey wood flavor and some earthy hops; as my palate adjusts, it's taking on more of an English pale ale fruitiness, peach/orange, but also the charred-wood flavor is really starting to shine on the finish and make this tasty

F: fantastic ... light, a little ale slickness, plenty of carbonation to fill it out

O: big, big points for Real Ale taking a crack at one of our most underrated styles ... the first few sips were underwhelming, but a couple of ounces into this thing, it really starts to open up and let some dirt-hop flavor mingle with the fruity malt and a light but noticeable oak wood/charred-wood flavor. it doesn't have that big bread-malt flavor of the real thing, but there's a little in there; a tamer version of Real Ale's Phoenixx but arguably more similar to the English styles

 

 

 

Clightly cloudy golden pour with a nice white head. Light grainy and floral aroma. Taste is well balanced between spicy hop bitterness and caramel/bread malt flavors. Finishes with a nice lingering mild bitter flavor. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.