E.S. CHI
Marin Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not an advocate for ancient Chinese medicine, but I happen to be willing to try almost any beer at least once. An interesting name and concept makes the purchase more likely to occur, as does a $3.99 sticker for the 22 ounce bottle. On to the beer:

This ale is dark orange colored, a lot like an ESB. Visible bubbles. On top sits a head with solid retention. The aroma, at first, brings a lot of earth to the nose. There's some diacetyl too. Just when you think that the herbs are subtle, bang! Out comes a bomb of assorted herbs, smelling most resemblant to a super strong green tea. It almost smells like ointment it's so powerful.

The flavor is very herbal, much like the aroma. The taste of toxic plants concerned me if I was going to live after my glass, yet somehow it finds a way to come out in a good way. There's earth and toasted malt tasted, along with a metallic note. Despite the chaos, it just manages to be tolerable. Helping its cause is a light medium body with gentle carbonation.

E.S. Chi is much different from other herb inspiried beers. This one is powerful and has a distinct bite. If that's your thing, go for it. Otherwise, I'd find a real doctor and ask for a pint of ESB after the visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewing to help this one get a score.

Pours a dark amber orange with a white with yellow tint head. Clear and nice looking.

Nose is light orange spice and mild fruit esters; simple but pleasant.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, lightly creamy and mouth coating and rich in texture. Nice mouthfeel.

Flavors are a mixed bag of winter spice, exotic spice, light oranges and fruit and an end palate of bitter. Pleasant and layered flavor profile and somewhat unique and complex. I can see this as "a food beer" especially with seafood and asian cuisine.

Finish is a pleasant bitter orange skin.

 

 

 

 

On tap at Far Bar in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a slightly hazy dark orange with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is pretty mild and is of malt and a blend of unidentifiable herbs and spices. Taste is much the same but the spices come out better in the flavor. There is a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that tastes better than it smells and is pretty interesting with all of the herbs and whatnot used in the brewing.

Pours a hazy copper that forms a nice frothy white head of two fingers. Sub par retention leaving almost no stick on the glass. Hmmm...

Smells rather nice especially when warm, I get a thick bready malt slathered with honey, cocoa nibs and an odd spice note like cinnamon or nutmeg. Oolong tea and herbal hops on the back end.

Biscuit malt with alot of caramel and honey sweetness, like an amber ale cinnamon spice and ginger carries through just a bit as the drink turns with some herbaceous hop character, bitterness seems to come more from the Chinese herbs and oolong tea leaving a chalky and lingering bitterness.

Under carbonated and rather thin. The bitterness is rather weak and releases a chalky and dry finish. Mouthfeel doesn't do the herbaceous character of this beer any favors.

Comes off as an average amber ale. I like the idea of adding Chinese herbal ingredients but I can't say that it added anything to this beer that a couple of traditional brewing spices and the right hops couldn't replicate.