“It is, quite simply, a wonderful beer. It is exceedingly pale (21-22 units colour), with just a hint of colour in its cheeks from the dash of crystal malt. It has a massive orange fruit aroma from the challengers, balanced by biscuity malt. Juicy malt and tart hops vie for attention in the mouth while the finish is tart and hoppy but well balanced by creamy malt. The bitterness rating is a substantial 36-38. The tangy fruit lingers on the back of the tongue until it develops a hint of orange liqueur.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Clear bold amber with a short white head which quickly retracts. Not a lot of lace is left in its wake.

Aroma: Slightly muted notes of semi sweet honey malts, light musky florals, peppery spice, somewhat earthy hops and cereal grains. It all started off a little shy but as we go it starts to come out of its shell. How ironic that we’re talking about a beer in that fashion!

Flavour: Very much like the aroma…soft and almost watered down notes of caramel and honey mix with earthy and floral hops. A flutter of herbal spice here and there as well. Some toast and cereal grains coming through as it finishes rather vague and bland. Not a great deal of length to it either.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky, maybe just a tad lean but it is only 4.2% ABV. Flat-ish Co2, moderately bodied. A bit meh.

Overall: It’s all a bit meh to be honest. It’s very weak and insipid at times. The upside is that it does hit the traditional English ale features but it’s just too shy for our liking. Won’t be wasting our time on this one again.

“Riggwelter takes its name from a local Yorkshire Dales farming term which has Nordic roots; “rygg” meaning back, and “velte” meaning to overturn. A sheep is said to be rigged or ‘riggwelted’ when it has rolled onto its back and is unable to get back up without assistance. What better name for a strong beer from the Black Sheep Brewery in Yorkshire, eh?!”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Gorgeous deep crimson pour with two fingers of finely beaded foam resting atop. Excellent retention and healthy lace clinging to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We already love it as we can smell it as it sits idle on the table. Below the nostrils it offers an intense array of sweet malts and floral and fruity hops. Oodles of caramel, toffee, dark fruits like raisin, dates and plum, light florals, variants of orange citrus like blossom, marmalade and flambèed. Getting this scent of burnt butter and mushrooms? Kinda nice though.

Flavour: She’s actually richer and more complex on the palate. It almost reaches Dark Ale level with its heavy caramel, toffee and lightly roasted malts. Still plenty of dark fruit sweetness but the burnt toast, coffee and cocoa through the mid adds another dimension to this already brilliant beer. Then throw this almost funky English yeast in the mix and we have one smashing beer.

Mouthfeel: Chewy and gelatinous yet still quite crisp and perfectly balanced. Medium body, flat-ish Co2. 5.7% ABV is nicely disguised.

Overall: We’re absolutely loving our English ales lately. They’re such an underappreciated style and when they’re done this well you just have to appreciate it. Superb.

“A well-balanced, genuine Yorkshire Bitter, with a full measure of maltiness and hoppy aroma – Boltmaker is first choice for the discerning drinker – on both sides of the Pennines. Formerly known as Best Bitter, Boltmaker has won many awards over the years but most recently it was awarded the CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2014 and Champion Beer of Britain – Bitter category in 2016.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Bold amber with full transparency. It forms a thumb of khaki head which hangs around. Nice webbed lace as we imbibe.

Aroma: Smells absolutely amazing. Malty sweet but nicely balanced by the spicy and herbal old world hops. It really is the malt show though…packed full of caramel, toffee, nuts, toast/doughy bread and sweet dark fruits i.e raisin, prunes/dates and fig. A faint hint of marmalade in there too. Top shelf stuff.

Flavour: English ale at its finest. The palate is swamped with sweet malts ranging from caramel, butterscotch, dried dark fruits and nuts but it’s kept in check by a fine hop bitterness along with orange peel, spice and earthy herbals. Beautifully balanced finish with lingering notes of wheatmeal biscuits and toast.

Mouthfeel: Nice and full yet still light on…the bitterness certainly helping there. Moderate Co2. Only 4.2% ABV so well in to session territory.

Overall: An absolute corker of a beer. The epitome of English ale – easy drinking, sweet but balanced and highly palatable. Brilliant.

“The 2020 release of our much-loved Vintage Ale had to be special to recognise the 20th brew of one of our most famous ales. The Coopers brewing team has revelled in the challenge of making an authentic Vintage Ale with that special twist we have become accustomed to. A special ‘Leabrook’ barley from the Adelaide Hills was chosen to create the Pale malt for this brew and, when combined with crystal and wheat malt, provides a smooth mouthfeel and a fine creamy head.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Kinda muddy light brown with toffee highlights. It manages a short beige head which slowly peels off. Nice wavy lace clings to the sides of the glass.

Aroma: A proper malt bomb but that’s exactly what we were expecting. The fact that it’s still pretty green means it’s displaying a fair bit of earthy and floral hop but the lovely nutty, toasty and toffee-laden malts take centre stage. The classic Cooper’s yeast in all of its estery glory plays a big part too. Solid!

Flavour: It’s definitely a bit more bitter than we expected… probably due to its freshness again but the earthy, floral and grassy hops certainly provide a heady dryness that counteracts the toasty malts. Burnt toffee, cocoa, carob and toast finish with a nice dry grassiness in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Chewy and well rounded with a defined bitterness in the swallow. Medium-full body with low-ish Co2. 7.5% ABV is slightly noticeable.

Overall: Probably not our most favoured vintage.. which works with the sort of year we’ve all had anyway, so it’s fitting right?? Not bad.

“A smooth, well balanced and fruity beer. 1909 Pale Ale is the Tenth beer in our celebrated Past Masters series, which sees long-lost recipes revived from our famous brew books. Every single afternoon since 1845, the Fuller’s brewing team has diligently written out the ingredients of the day’s brews – and the Past Masters series is a great example of why we do it.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Golden amber with a fluffy two finger head. Good retention and lots of spotty lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Initially we pick up a certain tangy orange note which reminds us of Jaffa. It morphs in to marmalade and then eventually apricot/rockmelon. It has a bit of a syrupy note which we’re not totally fond of. It’s quite yeasty too, providing estery pear/apple, butterscotch and banana. Very chewy and doughy malt profile filling it out.

Flavour: The yeast esters are even more pronounced here – banana, apple/pear, tangy orange, chewy caramels and butterscotch. Again the syrupy sweetness is a little cloying. Doughy malts providing a hint of toasty-ness as it finishes a little sticky and sweet with hints of candied orange and banana.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light for its size. – 8.7% ABV. A little chewy and gelatinous, flat-ish Co2.

Overall: It has traits of our very own Cooper’s Vintage Ale (which personally we think is better than this). Love the acknowledgement to the history of this brewery but the actual beer itself doesn’t really float our boat.

“A simple malt grist of maris otter pale malt and a small amount of crystal malt is bittered and aromatized by a complex addition of a unique blend of hops. English, Czech and American hops mingle throughout the boil to give a heady flowery aroma, and a tantalising peachy flavour, offset by a refreshing degree of bitterness. Despite its complexity this beer is clean and thirst quenching.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Amber with a soft orange tint. It produced two fingers of finely beaded foam and retains nicely. Webbed lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: So satisfyingly English. In this day and age of crazy hopped out juicy oat cream hazy IPA’s it’s very refreshing to take in such a traditional aroma profile. Super earthy, lots of orange citrus/marmalade, a touch of candied lemon, black pepper, mixed berries, mildew, basil and mild lychee or watermelon. Love it! Love a good English bitter.

Flavour: Again, the earthy-ness is the integral part. Surrounding it is the semi sweet orange citrus and berries and the subtle spicy herbs i.e basil, coriander and rocket there in the background. The classic toasty/bready malt counteracts it all beautifully. Citrus comes back in to the fold before it wraps up with a grassy/herbaceous finish which endures.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth and inoffensive. Slightly dry post swallow. Medium body and Co2. Only 4.5% ABV so it’s certainly in session territory.

Overall: Just a lovely English pale. Conventional and impeccably balanced yet chock full of flavour and aroma. Our first entry for this British brewery and we’re impressed.

“This mahogany coloured beer has a caramel malt bouquet accompanied by the light aroma of hops. The caramel malt taste sails wonderfully into the mouth alongside a fruity taste brought about by a trio of hops.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Pours a lovely copper to deep amber with a short off white cap. It gradually breaks up and settles at the rim. Reasonable lace chasing it down.

Aroma: A heavenly mix of sweet caramel, buttered bread and toffee meets the olfactory’s. Really earthy hop profile with hints of marmalade and sweet orange citrus. Lots of biscuity sweetness beginning to opening up along with subtle touches of black tea, dried apricot and honey. Absolutely on point!

Flavour: Similar to the nose but with a slightly more pronounced hop bitterness. Caramels, buttery toast, toffee and honey are balanced by slightly bitter orange peel and marmalade. It hits a nice toasty note midway and continues in to a dry finish full of mild roast , toffee and earthy/spicy hops.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, kinda creamy with moderate bitterness kicking in post swallow. Medium body and Co2. 5.2% ABV is well placed.

Overall: DDC is one of the first craft breweries we ever fell in love with (going back some years now!). Their consistency and quality is their best trait. Just take this ESB as a prime example…they brew one better than the Poms! World class.

“A straw coloured English Best Bitter brewed in the English Black Country style. Smooth and sessionable sitting at 4.0% ABV – perfect for an Autumn evening. Named after ‘Old Bar’ – a beautiful coastal town to the north of Forster where the brewery is located.”

Glassware: English Pint

Appearance: Almost 100% clear golden complexion with a short yet well retained cap on top. Healthy lacing as we go.

Aroma: Classic Euro-centric spicy and herbal hops with additions of light florals, mild lemony citrus, cut grass, earthy/woody notes and semi sweet malts. Not a whole lot else really…it’s just super crisp, almost Pilsner-esque daytime neck oil.

Flavour: Follows the nose with Noble hops for days – peppery spice, grassy herbals, florals and slightly earthy accents fuse with the subtle honeyed malts. Very delicate citrus across the mid palate leading in to an ultra clean finish which offers some grassy and spicy tones on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Again very Pilsner-esque – light, crisp and clean with super soft bitterness and fine carbonation. 4% ABV definitely has it in session territory.

Overall: Even though we’ve tried many of CBC’s beers before this is actually our first review. It’s very basic but essentially it’s true to style and bloody easy to put back. Not going to break down any doors but it’s a fairly decent drop.

 

“A super smooth English Ale with a deep amber colour and aromas of biscuit, coffee and caramel. This style of beer is actually not especially bitter at all. Cool fermentation provides a clean finish which, alongside subtle hop bitterness. Perfectly balances the rich malt driven palate.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Deep amber with excellent clarity. It builds a finely beaded finger of head which persists and decorates the sides of the glass nicely.

Aroma: It offers a rich and sweet caramel malt profile which leads in to somewhat buttery and bready undertones. Really holding true to its English roots with its toasty, nutty, toffee and moreish butterscotch supported by more faint notes of gentle roast, biscuits and light florals. Certainly one of the better Aussie ESB aromas.

Flavour: Transitions nicely – really hitting that malt sweetness with perfection. It’s mostly caramel-driven but well layered with mild roasty notes, butterscotch, biscuit, nuts and a very delicate roast. Some floral hop character in there, again, staying true to its origins and playing 2nd fiddle. Finishes light, toasty and slightly dry with excellent length.

Mouthfeel: There’s a lifted co2 and AbV (5.6%) but otherwise it’s medium weight and low on bitterness (26 IBU) with a kind of creamy texture.

Overall: Really solid ESB…almost in Fuller’s territory. We recall trying this years ago at the brewery and being very impressed so we’re glad to see that hasn’t changed. This here is the real deal, without a doubt one of Australia’s best interpretations of an ESB

“Young’s Special London Ale is the UK’s No.1 bottle conditioned ale. It is an unpasteurised, living beer, matured in the bottle for a fuller, more complex, multi-dimensional, fresher taste. Without artificial carbonation, the only fizz is the natural effervescence created by fermentation.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Relatively clear amber colour with a healthy two finger head forming on top. It slowly retracts and dispenses a fine lace as it subsides.

Aroma: Big malty notes erupting out of the glass. Oodles of caramel, toffee, bread crusts, hay and toast. Solid hop bill as well, it almost results in an English IPA with its zesty orange citrus, floral notes and soft spicy characters. Some dried stonefruit coming through as it settles. Surprisingly good, really good actually.

Flavour: Delicious malt profile that provides sweet caramel, toast and honey. Like the aroma there is a sturdy hop presence bringing stonefruit, marmalade, apricot and earthy spice. It hits a slight dryness midway then surges in to a long, sweet and kind of spicy finish with a hint of grassy hop in the tail.

Mouth feel: Texture is drying but also smooth as silk. Moderate co2 with medium body. Very well hidden ABV (6.4%).

Overall: We are really surprised by this. Here we are thinking this would be a straight forward traditional ESB but it’s far from it, she’s crammed full of malt sweetness and spiked with a big hop profile. Teetering on the edge between an ESB and an English IPA. Impressive.

“The Real Ale is our take on a traditional Best Bitter. In other words, where British style meets Australian tastes. We start with a 50/50 blend of English and Australian malts then add three of our favourite varieties of Aussie hops; Topaz, Galaxy and Ella. This gives a New World kick to an Old World classic. Thanks to some lingering sweet toffee and caramel flavours, the Real Ale packs loads of flavour into a 4% beer. So much so that we were invited to the UK for the 2014 International Real Ale Festival and were incredibly honoured to see this beer pick up the Gold medal, matching it with some big hitters from the home of Best Bitters.”

Served in an English pint. Slightly hazy deep amber complexion with a short head topping it off. Good retention though, allowing a wavy lace to stick to the glass as we imbibe.
Quite a simple aroma, but very effective. It obviously focusses on the sweet bready malt with caramel meeting the floral and earthy hops. Some jammy characters in here, marmalade and apricot come forward with a nice toasty note working in. Something candy-ish in here that we just can’t put our finger on. Toffee apple maybe? Either way it’s a nice touch.
Super smooth in the mouth. Creamy texture, mild Co2 and a very gentle bitterness. Just 4% ABV as well so session ability is what it seems the brewers are going for here.
The flavour backs up with a big impression of white bread, caramel, earthy hop and light florals. Somewhat of a nutty middle makes way for a super smooth finish which reveals biscuity malt, subtle herbs and dough on the back end.
We can now see how this ale picked up a gold medal in the UK real ale festival, it’s about as traditional as you can get. Wouldn’t be surprised if we saw this pouring right next to a tap of London Pride in any classic English pub.

“It’s an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) made by Dan (the barman) and a beer that captures the essence of the man himself. Some sweetness (from the malt), a touch fruity (from the yeast esters) but mostly dry and bitter. To be any more like Dan this ESB would need to have tattoos and stay away from social media.”

Served in an English pint. Amber in appearance with a modest finger of head that takes its time to dissipate to a ring. It laced extremely well for the lack of head.
Very interesting aroma. There’s one certain element that lifts out and smacks us in the face and that is peanuts. Almost every variation of the nut is here. Be it husk, salted or crushed. It’s very prominent. The downfall would be that it almost prevents anything else from coming through. Alas, we do pick up suggestions of toasty malt, dried apricot, white bread and spicy hops, albeit conservatively. A little unbalanced but certainly appealing.
The mouth feel is dry and somewhat frothy in texture. The body is on the fuller side of medium while the 34 IBU carves out an assertive bitterness upfront. Good Co2.
The flavour combines a mix of nutty, bready and sweet malts with a touch of tangy orange citrus initially. Hints of light floral hops jag in and transition through the mid. Quite earthy as it moves forward towards a toasty/nutty finish which offers good length.
Our first crack at this breweries range. Quite a solid offering for the most part but a little lacking in others. The aroma was nice but unbalanced and the mouth feel and flavour although enjoyable, just didn’t hit home for us. Maybe a bit of a tough review but we’ll definitely be keen on trying the rest of their range.

“We have used the traditional English hop Fuggle with the addition of some European Noble hops to give this classic style a nice spicy twist. Caramel malt sweetness is beautifully balanced by the hops to create a full flavoured easy drinking ale.”

Served in an English pint. We’re met with a deep rusted amber hue with a thumb of beige head over the top. Steady reduction, eventually settling to a fine layer of loose bubble that leaves a blotchy lace as it ebbs.
We know, we have an unhealthy obsession with Bacchus right now but with aromas like this you can not blame us! This simply hits its mark…and then some. A big impression of caramel malt wafts out while earthy hops pair up with the characteristic spicy floral notes of European Noble. Subtle apricot and white bread hinge on the lightly toasted malt backing as a soft syrupy honey fills it out. Brilliant.
All the aromas you could possible want in an ESB are here.
Nice effortless progression over the tongue with a bit of weight coming in from the body. Soft, squeaky texture with a carefully lifted Co2. 35 IBU.
That superb balance between the caramel malt sweetness and floral spicy hop carries in to the flavour with a steady push from the earthy Fuggles. Lovely bitterness through the middle as it sails in to a dry finish that offers a moreish buttery toffee sweetness on the rear. Heaven.
The best thing about this drop, in our opinion, is that you wouldn’t need to be a big ESB fan to enjoy it. It’s impeccably balanced, approachable, versatile and slightly hoppier than your traditional style. It’s interpretations like this that lead us to believe that they’re better on tap rather than the hand pump. Top shelf.

“English bitters typically fall into three varieties: Mild, Bitter and Extra Special Bitter or ESB. They all share the same affinity for malt and hops, but vary in strength and flavour. We love English style beers and thought we’d better develop a beer good enough to be served from a genuine hand pump. We don’t use conventional hop varieties for our ESB, but we reckon they play an awesome part in creating a malt forward style ale with a rounded hop flavour. Marmalade, orange and spice balanced wonderfully with a sweet toffee malt base. Best served at cellar temperature (12C) to get the most out of the English yeast we use.”

Served in an English pint. She pours a deep amber complexion with a short diminishing head. It eventually collapses to a wispy overlay with minimal lace left in its wake.
The aroma offers up hallmark caramel scents, albeit conservatively, along with an initial dusty character that thankfully disappears after a few minutes. Subtle wafts of candy, jaffa, orange citrus and nutmeg not only give the aroma a slightly unique edge but really helps to fill it all out. We had grave fears for this aroma but it has somehow pulled an ace from its sleeve.
In the mouth it’s a little thin and slippery. The Co2 is moderate as is the body. The 35 IBU develops late to add much needed life to the texture. Too watery for our liking though.
The front palate does see a nice little fusion between the sweet caramel malts and the very subtle citrusy hops but it’s short lived as the mild bitterness kicks in to gear midway. There isn’t a great deal of variation to follow as the sweet caramel malts return for the mild finish.
Yeah, not really convinced here. The sweet caramel flavours aren’t supported by a big enough body. The texture is a bit thin and the aroma had us guessing for a bit there. The foundations of the beer are here it just seems to lack the intensity and depth required to be a good ESB.

“Anvil ESB is our interpretation of a traditional British-style pub ale. Deep amber in color, a toasty character from British malts and a touch of kettle caramelization blend seamlessly with a mild English hop profile. Its delicate balance of flavors will keep you coming back pint after pint, making it a complex creation we’re proud to call our flagship beer.”

Served in an English pint. The appearance offers a deep amber that reveals a candy red hue when held to the light. A short pancake head is generated but it reduces to a halo with minimal lace.
The nose provides that perfect balance of caramel sweetness against the biscuity malt backing. Loads of chewy butterscotch, toffee, spice and apricot give it that firm bottom end for the light floral hops and savoury nutty characters to work off of. They’ve certainly nailed the traditional component while simultaneously handing it a bit of that American flare. Brilliant way to start off.
The mouth feel is super smooth, almost silky with a mild bitterness forming at the back end. The body is nice and plump with a moderate Co2 level. The 5.5% ABV is obviously higher than your traditional ESB but it’s well masked and again reflects the American temperament in this beer.
We get a really swift progression of flavour starting off with that gorgeous caramel sweetness that transitions in to the kind of buttery/biscuity mid palate. Flashes of herbal hops annex as the bitterness is introduced, leading to a mildly dry, nutty and somewhat earthy finish that endures well on the rear.
Excellent drop. Trust the master brewers of Alesmith to do it again. The succinct precision on show here is world class, its tough to imagine any one not loving this. Solid offering.

 

“Redhook’s flagship beer got its start as a winter seasonal recipe in the mid 80’s. In the early years, Extra Special Bitter earned a reputation as ‘banana beer’ and has been brewed continuously since 1987. ESB’s caramel malt sweetness and subtle spice and fruit hop flavors, quickly defined the style, becoming Seattle’s definitive craft beer and inspiring a new wave of craft beers across the country.”

Served in an English pint. The honey complexion is capped off by a loosely held finger of foam that rapidly diminishes to an island of micro-bubble. As to be expected there’s no lacing in sight. We get a bold, lifted caramel scent on the nose initially. Lots of honey, lots of toffee, bready/doughy malts, earthy hops and maybe some light florals running through as well. All pretty commonplace aromas for an ESB. We get the feeling the brewers are going for a more traditional ESB here, in that case we can’t really fault the aroma. Pretty safe but it hits its mark well. In the mouth it’s super smooth and silky in texture. The 28 IBU offers very little in bitterness while the 5.8% ABV is nicely contained. Mild-medium in body. Not a great deal happening but it would be a go to session beer if you love knocking back numerous malt forward bevvies. The flavour is like a mirror image of the aroma – big on caramel sweetness, honeyed malts, toffee and toast. We do detect hints of floral hops laced through along with buttery biscuits and a faint nutty character in the finish. She has a nice lingering dryness on the back palate too. It’s a bit of a strange one. Every time we’re about to say something negative it ends up being more of a positive. It kind of has that “oldy but a goldy” feel to it. Similar to how Coopers hold their respect among craft beer drinkers here in Australia, it would escape a lot of scrutiny in the States. Either way, it’s a decent traditional interpretation of an ESB that hits its mark on all fronts. Not bad.

“This classic Pub Ale has been an annual favorite at our pubs for years, and now it’s heading down the road…in bottles. Inspired by a love for outside play (and the big truck driven by one of the beer’s original brewers), Big Rig balances a smooth, silky maltiness with crisp, floral notes and just the right bitterness from Crystal hops. Good time to drink? Anytime and anywhere, preferably with a side of sweet baby back ribs.”

Served in an English pint. The bright amber pour offers surprisingly good clarity. Over the top a frothy two finger head forms which gradually collapsed to a fine film with a smattering of random lace left clinging to the glass. The nose is sweet, doughy and malt-forward with an emphasis on caramel and butterscotch. The American influence isn’t far behind though as floral and herbaceous hop notes hit the olfactory’s almost simultaneously. Because it’s pretty much simultaneous the balance of sweet malt and floral hops marry together harmoniously, handing it an earthy pot-pourri like character. Not bad at all. In the mouth it’s well rounded and silky smooth with a substantial bitterness (46 IBU). She weighs in at 6% ABV, which certainly isn’t high for new world ESB’s but is for the more traditional English versions, and is quite well hidden in this particular brew. Lovely balance between the hops and malts upfront. There’s no doubt the chewy caramel and bready malts edge ahead but the combination of slightly citrusy hops and vibrant bitterness adds flare and extra character as it flows across the mid. Subtle hints of orange and pine assert themselves before leading in to a dry, bitter finish that provides reasonable length on the back palate. Midway through this beer we noticed the best by date was 19/7/16, we’re drinking this on 12/8/16 so it would be interesting to see how this ESB fares when drunk fresh. The hops are still active and flavoursome so we are only left to imagine. Still, nothing detracts from the taste and aroma so it’s just another solid offering from Deschutes.

“The latest #tinnage 004 is Dog’s Bollocks, a malty English pale and the first nitro beer in a can from Mornington Peninsula Brewery. Using nitrogen rather than CO2 to carbonate the beer produces a smoother thicker mouthfeel and less perceived bitterness as nitrogen is mostly insoluble.The NITRO pour. Exactly the opposite of the angled, slow CO2 pour. Just open the can and pour it as quickly as possible.”

Served in an English pint. As this is nitro we literally up-end it and watch on as the amber body gradually develops its frothy two finger head. Retention is excellent as it appears to hold at least a finger with some random patches of lace being left behind. The nose is very bready, very grainy and earthy with a delicate fruity sweetness in support. Floral hops come through as does a chewy toffee note that blends in well with a kind of peppery spice. There’s a certain aroma we can’t quite put our finger on as well – it’s a little dry and dusty, similar to wood shavings. Anyway, it’s certainly a traditional ESB aroma. In the mouth it’s a little flat with a thin-ish texture. Body is mild-medium. We were hoping the nitro was going to provide a bit more of a fuller/creamier body but not to be. Much like the aroma the taste is malty with bread crusts, earthy/spicy hops and a slight toffee/caramel sweetness. A gentle but noticeable bitterness forms through the mid along with suggestions of biscuity malt and nuts. A peppery spice is then followed by a dry and toasty finish that does seem to taper off a little on the back end. What really helped was the fact that it thickened up once it warmed, providing more of that typical creamy texture in the mouth. Beforehand it had a kind of hand pump flatness to it, although it’s common in most ESB, was not expected from nitro. Flavour-wise it’s traditional and hits its mark. All up it’s nothing more than your run of the mill ESB.