ESB
Ogden River Brewing

 

a classic and well made example of the style here, nice radiant shine, good clarity, deep copper maple sort of tone to it, nice lathery off white head resting on top, looks well refined and right on for the style. smells a little sweet up front, fresher on the malt side than these ever do from across the pond, and perhaps a little more hoppy than is traditional, a pine note running through the back half of it, not over the top, but more than the english usually drop in the style. the flavor has great balance, notes of honey and baked biscuit from the grain, some minerals and a little bready yeast element too, nice and earthy, and finally the hops, which are sort of wintery and woodsy to me, bitter enough to counter the grain sweetness, and also very fresh. i always say not enough esb in the american craft game, its something i am gravitated towards, and was stoked to see on their menu. great style diversity in here, and this one is very well executed. maybe just slightly americanized, but real good.