AleSmith Anvil ESB

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
San Diego, California USA

Bottle. Hazy redish/brownish body, with a medium light brown head. Aroma is barley, caramel, malt and nuts. Flavor is hops yeast and malt. It´s a bit dry, and I get some iron in the aftertaste.

Pours a deep ruby, very sparkling when held up to light, with a small tan head. Aroma has a lot of caramel and malt, a little dark fruit too. Sweeter aroma than expected. Pretty full flavor; I can see why this is near the top of its class; Nice thick, sticky malts, with just the right amount of hop bitterness. Very creamy flavor/finish. Nutty to boot. Palate is full, hearty. I can dig it. Overall, very good minus.

22oz bomber picked up somewhere in California by Eric, thanks man. Pours a deep brown/red color with hone hell of a powerful beige head. The aroma is strong orange/fruity hops, light malts as well. The flavor is similarly dominated by a powerful citrus.orange hop flavor. Light caramel sweetness and rich malts. A great mouthfeel. Overall, the quality I expect- and always get- from AleSmith.

22 oz bottle purchased at Chris’ Liquors in San Diego, California. Pour is hazed burgundy with an off white 1 inch head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, with floral orange citrus hoppiness. Grainy and assertive. Taste is toasty caramel malt, though less sweet than expected from the nose. The floral hops and orange citrus, with bitter pine hops lead to dry crisp finish. Palate is medium, grainy - real drinkable. Nice.

Bottle (in NZ). Pours a darkish brown with a tight off-white head. Roasted malt on the nose, slightly nutty, and hints of fruit. A lighter palate than I was expecting, the richer flavours not coming through to quite late in the swallow. The malt is very smooth for an ESB and not at all sweet. The finish has a touch of sweeter fruit and spice, with just a little bit of bitterness. One of the better ESBs I have had the pleasure of supping - not malt not as chewy as in many English versions.

Amber pour with foamy white head. Aroma of roasted malt and fresh hops. Perfectly balanced taste of malt, citrus, some spices, and a very smooth mildly hoppy finish. The hint of dark fruit and spice distinguish this one from other ESBs. Really good, and quite drinkable - neck and neck with Rogue’s Brutal Bitter for me.

22 oz bottle courtesy of a trade with rustychiles. Thanks a bunch, Rusty. For everything! Pours a lightly hazed dark amber with orangish flourishes. Big offwhite head that laces well, sticks around prominently. Aromas are more of citrusy lemon hop feel, good grapefruit, some florals, light caramel malts. Definitely a hop stealer for ESBs. Initial throws a decent body with toasty malts, nut, caramel, and biscuit, light toffee moving into a West Coast hop presence, grapefruit comes on strong with lemon following it up. Florals, but really the citrus hops steal the show, the toasty and caramel malts balance well, and make this a thinner brew, but still quite sessionable and flavorful. Finishes with light citrus and bitterness on the finish, with some mellow sweetness, balanced well. Overall, a great ESB. Cheers.

This was my first ESB. Very light hop citrusy smell and some light roasted malts smell. Flavor was lightly toasted to slightly burnt malt flavor with bitterness. Mouth feel was light. I thought this was a pretty darn good beer, but the style is not my favorite thus far.