Your favorite ESB

I really like ESBs, locally there are a few I like Rockaway Brewing ESB, Montauk Driftwood Ale and Barrier Antagonist (unfortunately they haven't brewed it in awhile). I'd love to see more on the shelf for sure. Don't think I've even had Fuller's, I need to find one ASAP.

 

So their whole purpose was to create confusion by creating the name ESB? I do love it and our Old Chicago had a couple of kegs that I enjoyed to the best of my ability.

 

Bent Paddle 14* on cask in their taproom.

 

Three Floyd's Lord rear Admiral is the best I've had. There's a subtle raisin flavor that I like. House of Pendragon in Sanger, CA does another very good example of this style.

I really enjoy an ESB all year round. I enjoy them for their simplicity.

 

The Wise by Elysian is my favorite. I wish I could it in California.

 

Definitely a fan of ESB, and wish the style got more love and attention from US craft breweries. I would echo some of the other responses here and say bitch creek is a very good esb. But Fullers esb can't be beat, the benchmark for the style undoubtedly. In fact, I should pick some up this weekend.

 

ESB's are a great style, but so hard to find. I think the name Extra Special Bitter confuses people. I have yet to try a Fullers, I vastly prefer local beer. Arcadia Ales has an ESB called Thunder Road in their year round lineup that is pretty good, but I haven't seen it in stores this year. Saugatuck Brewing has their new Third Bear English Pub Ale, I think this may have been previously called Amber/ESB. It is pretty good, as I recall.

 

The Bent Paddle is my favorite ESB. I'll need to try the Parapet.

 

Only available seasonally, but Gritty McDuff's Christmas ale is a pretty tasty ESB.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/74/708/

 

Fuller's is my favorite of a favorite style ... the entire English pale ale family is a longtime friend.

My ratings for what it's worth:

Fuller's -- 4.82
Hobgoblin -- 4.35
Wells Bombardier -- 4.18
Real Ale Phoenixx -- 3.79
Community Public Ale -- 3.35
Redhook ESB -- 2.31

Real Also also made a Brewer's Cut ESB (3.84) that wasn't bad, and our local brewpub in College Station, Blackwater Draw, made a drink-worthy version (3.80).

Like many others have experienced, the English imports have been far and away superior to the American versions I've tried. But I'm always ready to try another one.

 

ESB has got to be my favorite style, and Fuller's is by far my favorite widely-available example. The price does suck, though. As for other alternatives, I have enjoyed Left Hand Sawtooth Nitro and Red Hook in the past. However I think the Left Hand is much closer to an American Amber, and the last time I had Red Hook it didn't taste anything like I remembered it. I'd like to try the original Sawtooth, and see if that is better. Also, Sam Adams Boston Ale is not an ESB, but really is close to the profile. And although they are probably considered milds, Goose Island Honker's Ale and Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan both really hit the English spot when I am craving it. Locally, The Mechanic by MadTree Brewing (fall seasonal) and ESB by Buckeye Lake were both excellent, but not bottled. I also heard great things about Druncle (6%), the higher ABV version of the very popular Rhinegeist Uncle (3.8%), but have never tried either one.

 

An absolute second on this one. Refined, vibrant, and unique. I only picked up one bomber (among many others) at the brewpub last October, and I wish I had picked up 6 of it.

 

Fullers is great and yea, I like Red Hook too. It's a style that I'd like to see more of.

 

Fuller's chose ESB to be the name of their beer. As I have already written, they tried to trademark it. ESB never was a style,just marketing talk.

 

I think Firestone Walker DBA is a pretty good one, even though no one really talks about it.

 

In order:
Black Mesa Double ESB
Black Mesa ESB
Core ESB
Tallgrass Oasis
Fullers ESB

Yes, I enjoy ESBs and I wish there were more of them.

 

I love Fuller's and Hobgoblin is good. But locally, I think Left Hand Sawtooth is my favorite. It's a great style and I wish more breweries would brew the traditional styles more instead of pineapple IPAs or whatever

 

Or "session" ipas and countless DIPAs.
But I heard 50% of the market is an IPA of some sort so I don't think we'll get more variety anytime soon

 

Well, British brewers traditionally make more than one pale ale and terms like Best Bitter and IPA are used to differentiate them. ESB is just a name for that particular beer, which is nothing out of the ordinary in the UK, style-wise. I bloody love it though.

 

Fuller's, definitely. But I do appreciate this fine swedish intrepretation. Still, Fuller's is better, less expensive, widely available and just as fresh. So that's the one I buy.