Lowest Lord ESB
Denizens Brewing Riverdale Park Production House & Taproom
- From:
- Denizens Brewing Riverdale Park Production House & Taproom
- Maryland, United States
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #102 - ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #30,151 - Avg:
- 3.72 | pDev: 6.72%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 13, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 07, 2014
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
3.77/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can into a snifter. Pours deep red orange with a fluffy white head. Smells of caramelized grain with slight fruit flavors. Tastes of caramelized grain with a little bit of citrus bite. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a good beer.
Dec 13, 2020
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia
3.65/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.65/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy amber color with a generous head and slight lacing
Aroma has malt hints
The taste follows the nose with a bitter malt flavor
A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
A decent ESB
Oct 17, 2020Aroma has malt hints
The taste follows the nose with a bitter malt flavor
A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
A decent ESB
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland
4.09/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cool name and can art. Big billowing white head and sturdy lace atop a handsome copper color. Nose has the promised biscuit note, along with earthy and medicinal hops. Really organic flavor that hits in stages. A little untypically bitter, this is not pine and citrus and isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I really appreciate the withering old world skill on display here. This is a nice example of a style that American brewers sometimes struggle with. Glad I picked up a sixer.
Sep 02, 2020
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
3.56/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Huge, rocky, off white head over an amber body that left decent lacing. Aroma of herbs, light toast and a hint of leather. Mild bitter taste off set by floral, slightly spicy hops. Caramel malts peek through in the aftertaste. Dry, bitter lingering finish.
Aug 30, 2020
Reviewed by Michaelcbyrnes from Russian Federation
3.64/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.64/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Copper red
Nice floral aroma
Malty and slightly bitter nice English ale yeast esters on the finish
Little dry but still very good
Overall a solid English style beer. Would be interesting to have it from a beer pump.
May 03, 2020Nice floral aroma
Malty and slightly bitter nice English ale yeast esters on the finish
Little dry but still very good
Overall a solid English style beer. Would be interesting to have it from a beer pump.
Reviewed by DanO1066 from Maryland
3.64/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.64/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Picked up a sixer fm Eddie's of Mount Vernon here in Baltimore ("canned" 07/01/19). Should have taken a closer look at the cans before the purchase - might have noticed the "Tasting Notes: Floral, herbal & toffee biscuit". As it was I was surprised by the floral & herbal components on both the nose & tongue. Fortunately, after the inital 'shock' (with each new can) this ale grew on me. Not my favorite ESB, but alright.
Jan 19, 2020
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
3.77/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours amber and clear with an off white head. Head retention is very good.
Smell: There is a malty aroma that is biscuity with some floral, herbal, and lemon elements.
Taste: It has some biscuit and toffee flavors with a floral element. In the background there is a slight bit of honey and lemon.
Feel: It has a medium body that is slightly slick. It has a moderately bitter finish.
Overall, the malts and the hops work well together providing a unique flavor and finish to the beer.
Nov 23, 2019Smell: There is a malty aroma that is biscuity with some floral, herbal, and lemon elements.
Taste: It has some biscuit and toffee flavors with a floral element. In the background there is a slight bit of honey and lemon.
Feel: It has a medium body that is slightly slick. It has a moderately bitter finish.
Overall, the malts and the hops work well together providing a unique flavor and finish to the beer.
Reviewed by mpyle from Maryland
3.83/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a beautiful amber color, very bright and clear. Medium sized white head, creamy and lingering.
Bit of caramel sweet and some earthy hop notes
Nice mix of malt and hop flavors up front, very much like an APA with a different hop character. Hop bitterness is quite assertive, and the finish has an earthy bitterness. Flavor profile maybe a little too far to the hop side for an ESB? Or maybe I'm used to drinking less fresh versions from the UK where the hops have faded?
Medium body and carbonation. Borderline astringent with drying on the tongue - almost like it is a bit oxidized.
I think I've liked this beer better on draft at Denizens. This sample was canned. Made a good first impression, but the lingering bitterness was a bit much for my palate.
Boosted some scores based on a July 2020 retasting. Hops still assertive, but overall much more pleasant than I remember it being.
Jun 13, 2018Bit of caramel sweet and some earthy hop notes
Nice mix of malt and hop flavors up front, very much like an APA with a different hop character. Hop bitterness is quite assertive, and the finish has an earthy bitterness. Flavor profile maybe a little too far to the hop side for an ESB? Or maybe I'm used to drinking less fresh versions from the UK where the hops have faded?
Medium body and carbonation. Borderline astringent with drying on the tongue - almost like it is a bit oxidized.
I think I've liked this beer better on draft at Denizens. This sample was canned. Made a good first impression, but the lingering bitterness was a bit much for my palate.
Boosted some scores based on a July 2020 retasting. Hops still assertive, but overall much more pleasant than I remember it being.
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia
3.69/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.69/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap:
Dull copper color, clear enough to see the shooting stars of carbonation rising. Head covers about 2/3 of the surface with a medium thin veil and a thick rim of small bubbles.
Nose is a bit of fresh earth and wet dry grass in general (though not strong in this setting). There's a light citrus floral note I get with a swirl.
Taste starts with a bit of dry medium bread (or maybe poorly seasoned graham cracker, in a way) and a little note of metal that I sometimes get with hoppy English ales. It can seem a tad grassy as the flavor moves on. Generally earthy bitterness follows, but in balance initially. A lighter bitter note actually peaks out in the end, one of maybe fresh pine wood.
Fairly light, easily flowing ale with decent carbonation.
This beer seems reliant on the bitter flavors more than the malts. The malt notes seem in the right vein, but at a weaker than I'd like strength.
Jan 25, 2017Dull copper color, clear enough to see the shooting stars of carbonation rising. Head covers about 2/3 of the surface with a medium thin veil and a thick rim of small bubbles.
Nose is a bit of fresh earth and wet dry grass in general (though not strong in this setting). There's a light citrus floral note I get with a swirl.
Taste starts with a bit of dry medium bread (or maybe poorly seasoned graham cracker, in a way) and a little note of metal that I sometimes get with hoppy English ales. It can seem a tad grassy as the flavor moves on. Generally earthy bitterness follows, but in balance initially. A lighter bitter note actually peaks out in the end, one of maybe fresh pine wood.
Fairly light, easily flowing ale with decent carbonation.
This beer seems reliant on the bitter flavors more than the malts. The malt notes seem in the right vein, but at a weaker than I'd like strength.
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