ESB
Southampton Publick House

Reviewed from notes. The appearance was a copper color with a quarter finger’s worth of white foamy head. Quick fade, and no lace. The aroma had some freshly cut grass, light wood and some biscuit-like malts. Light earthy/leathery side notes. The flavor wants to be sweet but has that sneaky sort of earthy/herbal/biscuit malty dryness flowing over some cereal/earthy/barnyard leafiness. Aftertaste is all about the malts with a quick snappy sort of earthy finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Sturdy carbonation and decent ABV. Overall, tis good. I’d have again with some fish and chips.

Another recipe revival from Evan. Served on tap at the brew pub.

7/5/2013

Poured amber with a slightly off white head. The aroma is dominated by sweet malt and spicy hops. The taste begins with a pleasant caramel sweetness that is followed by mild spicy/fruity hop character. A long, but moderate bitterness on the finish. Nicely carbonated with a light mouthfeel. I'm not partial to ESBs, however I really enjoyed this interpretation on the style.

Following the grand experience with the double white I decided to accompany my meal - the Taccozette con Stracotto @ Otto - with a stronger beer. So the ESB was the choice.

Pour hues between a blue-blackish feel and a reddish one. not so clear on that regards. head was very small, anticipated for the style, but the lacing wasn't lacking so i just let it pass.

Smell is dominantly hoppy but some malty notes serve to "balance" it out somewhat. not abundand though, and a skunky feel dominates. not bad.

Taste was slightly down-letting since i thought it was going upscale from appearance to smell to taste- but this one was a bit too subtle for what was expected. maybe i'm skewed already by the typical american extremity, but both a very shy sweet malty start and a robust but discrete bitter end weren't expected and seemed like it ran out of gas a bit. that being said, it was nonetheless sufficienty carbonated. and medium bodied.

Nice sessionable beer and a fine meal companion, but when it comes to further tasting i'll keep trying what SH has to offer me other than the ESB.

On tap at the Southampton Brew Pub.

Poured a medium amberish color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of toasted malts, light caramel, and tea hoppiness. Tastes follow suit. I liked this pint and enjoyed it even more since I was waiting for their RIS to go on sale!

Notes from 2/16/08

Got this growler as an extra, yes you read it correctly, an extra growler from plaid75.

64 oz. poured into a few nonics, shared with friends and family.

Pours a clear light copper hue with a fluffy one finger off-white head. A decent amount of webbing left on the sides. Smell consisted of caramel malt, a bit of pine hops, and a bready aroma. A fair amount of nutty scents are detected in the nose as well. Flavor up front is a bit metallic with a good amount of caramel malt. Taste also has a hint of wood and nut. Aftertaste lingers of bread and grains with some earthy hops. Nice feel in the mouth. Light to medium bodied with a full carbonation, very fitting for the style. Very nice American representaion of a British style. I'd take Blue Point's ESB over this, but both are definitely top notch beers.

Poured a medium amber hue with a one finger white pillowy head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a sharp toasted grain and a healthy spicy hop.

The taste consisted of a robust toasted grain with a touch of caramel sweetness. The hops balanced out the flavor well added a welcomed spice. There was an excellent toasty finish.

The mouthfeel was average for the style with a nice residual dryness.

Overall a superior ESB. An excellent representation of the style.

Growler from Shoreline poured into a chalice. Full, white head atop a dark copper body. Sticky but non-descriptive rings.

To the nose, fresh breadlike aroma with a slight sweetness. The malts are prevalent but not severe. A little floral bouquet to be found.

In the mouth, smooth and creamy malt sweetness. The fresh bread taste is strongest - followed by a needed burst of hop character.

The feel is full and covers the mouth. Nice carbonation makes it light enough. It finishes very clean and dry - with soily organic quality.

Musings: Very nice ESB. Highly drinkable and tasty.

A clean dark amber beer. Has a big foamy off white head and a nice lace. There is a rich malty aroma with a nice fresh hoppy background. The flavor starts out with a malty sweetness. That flows evenly into a easy going dry hop finish. Would like to have more of an assertive hop character in the taste.

Light brown body with an amber hue. Nice tan head. Pretty good retention. Biscuity malt aroma. Noticeable hop aroma as well which is pretty good for an ESB, I'd say. Big bready flavor throughout. Yeasty notes. A weird sourness which wasn't very good though. I'm wondering if it were the lines or something but having gotten this at a VERY respectable pub (David Copperfields, NYC), I don't know what to think except that its supposed to taste like this! Creamy mouthfeel. Only drawback is that odd sour-like flavor.

10oz sample from Half-Time

Pours out a deeper shade of copper with a thin white head

Smell consisted of a lot of biscuity aromas. Nice malt depth also. Ever so slight hint of hops ride on top of everything.

Taste had quite a bit of the biscuit punch on it. Malts also start out in the beginning, with light dose of hops coming out in the middle. Good creamy texture, it also feels very clean.

Mouthfeel was light to medium with a good control on carbonation. Finished just a tad on the dry side.

Excellent. I could put this right up there with Fuller's ESB, which is saying a lot about this one.