Still Bitter
Tox Brewing Company

Deep copper color and clear. 3-finger head which settles in a lumpy fashion. Random, smaller spots show up continually as the beer is consumed.

Fresh, floral hop aroma initially. Subtly, there's a background dry caramel smell, giving the beer a nice balanced nose.

There's a faint yeast flavor at the front of the taste. While the caramel, toasted base is present, it is quickly overwhelmed by a solid bitter hop presence. The brew leans to the rich side with a neutral level of carbonation. The finish has a brief earthiness that wasn't present before. The aftertaste is relatively short but definitely full-flavored.

At first its not much to look at. Crack the can for a mild smell and pours a clear deep amber color with good carb and a small white head. But put it in your mouth and it's the perfect ESB. I could drink this by the case if they made this their stable/flagship beer. I prefer it to a lager or IPA in the summer, and it still has enough body to keep you warm in the winter. The perfect balance between being too sweet and too dry, almost both at the same time. Its hard to explain, its perfect for what it is.

 

Pours a very dark amber or very ruddy brown with two fingers of tan head. Decent retention and good lacing.

Coffee, toffee, milk chocolate and a hint of cherry in the nose, whip sawing between sweet and dry.

Some of the same malt characteristics carry to the taste. Definitely on the sweeter side, with milk chocolate, cherry and fig showing. There’s also a touch of diacetyl / butter that helps round out the edges and tempers the restrained bitterness in the finish.

Full, creamy feel with strong, tight zip to the carbonation.

A solid beer that’s very much to style. Maybe a bit fruity for my personal preference.

Pouring a lightly chilled 16 oz can into my .5L dimple mug. Picked up at the brewery yesterday and date stamped Oct 14 2022.
The beer pours a rich, clear amber color with a fluffy eggshell white head of about 1 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy edge layer soon after the pour. Looks nice when I hold it up to the light.
Aroma is toasted grain and whole wheat bread with faint hints of caramel. I also get a decent earthy hop note on the nose. Quite a balanced aroma in my opinion.
The first sip reveals a light to medium body with fine tingly carbonation. Very smooth texture and the beer drinks super easy.
Flavor is a bit of toffee note that I didnt get on the nose, then rolls to toasted grains and finishes with earthy almost rindy hops that linger after the swallow. very dry on the finish. No hint of ABV here and I find the flavor profile to be just as balanced as the nose.
Im enjoying this brew, which is a style I dont drink too often anymore, primarily since few places make em. But this one is tasty and works for me on a rainy evening in November. Worth a shot to change up the pace from my usual imperial stouts!