Bus Stop Bitter
Away Days Brewing Company

Pour is handsome -- clean & clear. Thick head which leaves light lacing. Nice aroma of toasted grains. Taste is spot-on for a British ESB: dry taste, bracing but not harsh. Clean finish. Highly recommended.

 

 

(cask pour in a dimpled mug at The Beermongers in Portland, OR on 4 Jul 2024... reviewed from recollections)

golden-amber colored liquid nearing tawny; beautiful fuzzy foam sponge capping it... floral and faintly dried grass-y notes on the nose, with little fruited flourish; perhaps a little pancakey malt and earthy yeast in the background; delicate overall... on the palate, moderately dry, but with a flurry of subtle flavors filling in the sweety void; all the aforementioned aromas, along with some more colors of the grainbow, lending an apparent multigrain (or whole grain) character that enhanced its interest... altogether borders on an ale cousin to kellerbier; the brewery describes it as their 'classic British pub ale', and I would agree; in no way does this represent or resemble the bold, malt/bitter bastions of my image of ESB (2349)

 

Sampling a 16 oz can poured into my .5L dimple mug at cellar temperature. the can is datestamped from 1/17/2023. My can says 4.2% not the 4.5% listed.

the beer pours a clear copper color with a fizzy off white head of about 1.5 cm foaming up from the pour. This foam fades to absolutely nothing after a few minutes in the glass. Only a few very lazy streams of carbonation rise towards the surface.

Aroma is some light caramel and bread crust mixing. i also get a bit of earthy hop balance on the nose. No hints of ABV
First sip reveals a light body with very smooth texture and fine tingly carbonation. This beer drinks super easy and my mug is emptying very quickly into my belly.
Flavor is caramel and some bread note mixing and a bit of light fruity or floral note of sweetness. Finish has hints of earthy hops and is a little dry on the finish.
Never any hint of abv, a very drinkable and tasty beer. Not super complex, good with what it has and suitable for the style.
Glad to have tried this one.

lovely bitter here, true to style, tasty english yeast giving it much of its character, truly bready and organic seeming, fresh too which we dont always think of with english beer, and this comes through dry and easy, morning beer, hangover beer, anytime beer. mid golden color on this, good clarity, an inch of creamy and lasting white head, excited carbonation, perhaps a little higher than is common. the nose and taste have some nuttiness from the malt, a light crystal and maris otter thing, soft honey type sweetness to it, the fresh baked yeastiness, and light herbal hops to balance, simple and well refined. lots of minerality to it too, earthy in the absence of much residual sugar, and the hops seem like goldings or fuggles, traditional, although i cannot confirm that, if not, its a mighty close approximation and very minimally dosed. i liked this a lot, great to drink it at the source too, cool spot. light bodied and well carbonated, but not watery at all for its low abv. solid offering, got me over a big night and ready for a big day of brewery exploration, i was impressed with this place!

16oz can from Broken Top, Bend. Clear amber pour with a thin, white foamy head. Malty aroma and taste, toasted brown bread, light nutty notes. Well balanced.

 

 

Can from Market of Choice. Canned 22 Oct.

A clear copper with a dense, off-white head with excellent retention and good lacing, this looks solid. The nose is pure ESB. Toasted and mildly caramelized Maris Otter with caramel, toffee, a little burnt sugar, along with a firm, leafy EKG hop nose. A little earthy. The palate opens mildly sweet, appropriately so, with toffee,a little butterscotch, dark honey and burnt sugar, along with a firm bitterness, mildly mineral and earthy. Toffee and burnt sugar linger on the finish. Despite all the sweeter flavors, this is quite light on the body. The carbonation is a little too high, lending a prickly, seltzer-like feel to an otherwise excellent beer. Very good.