After the talk about fancy-pants Belgians, I actually ended up drinking one of my local favorites, Summit ESB, on Thanksgiving. Naturally, I gave thanks to my cousin Pete that day for bringing it over. The ESB (extra special (or strong) bitter) style isn't something you see often, but it's a real treat in the right situation. The blend of super-smooth caramel malts with herbal and spicy hops make a great companion to turkey dinner, or a long night at your favorite pub.
Names in the beer would are often deceiving, whether the mean to be or not. Young's Double Chocolate Stout, while generally tasty, is barely chocolate and the double of nothing that I can imagine. So I feel I should mention that The Extra Special/Strong Bitter style is rarely more bitter than a pale ale and usually no stronger than six percent ABV. It's really just an amber ale with English yeast character - creamy, fruity flavors - and a bit of hops for balance. All in all, a great session beer.
Summit ESB
Summit Brewing Co.
Extra Special/Strong Bitter
B+ / 3.8
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4.5
I'm always never quite sure what I'll get from a new Summit offering. Sure, it'll at least be decent, but they've been known to very occasionally kick out some real good stuff. I'd say this falls in with their best.
A nice red color with white head. A rather unfortunate aroma at first, however, smells like adjunct was used to lighten the body. Later hops start to pull through. Interesting flavor, burnt caramel of scottish ale with a good bitter kick to balance it, this tastes like a winner. Body is a litter light, but this is very drinkable. Try it out, I like it better than the Summit EPA and IPA.
No comments:
Post a Comment