Atlantic SOB Special Old Bitter Ale

Brewed by Atlantic Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Bar Harbor, Maine USA

Beautiful color reminds me of birchbeer with a light tan head. Stewed plum, fresh apricot, and hops make up the nose. Medium on the palate with good carbonation on the lighter side making it fairly crisp. The interesting thing about this brew is that the fruit hits your palate at the same time as the hops, which I make out as very subtle black cherry. Not that complex but it lives up to its name as a dry bitter ale, very drinkable.

Poured a copper color with good head and above average lacing. Aroma was average malts and bitter hops. Flavor was malty toffee which i don’t pick up normally was a burt flavor i didn’t like. Some diacetyl which i hate.

Pours an amber copper type color with a nice initial head, very good lacing. The aroma was roasted malts, bitter hops (resinous?). The flavor was roasted burnt malts, caramel, toffee, even some coffee? (almost porter like in flavor in some aspects). Lots of astringency to this one, maybe a touch of diacetyl. The mouthfeel was bitter astringent, light acidity.

Pours a transparent copper orange with a large, frothy, full-lacing light tan head. Aroma of big citric earthy English hops with some mild slightly toasted malty notes. Body starts lightly sweet crystal maltiness quickly drying out and revealing some flavoring hops, but mostly overrun with bittering hops toward a crisp, but lingering, overly bitter finish. Needs more balance to be in the upper echelon of ESBs.

Bottle. Poured brown color with a moderate off-white head that diminished slowly with good lacing. Medium roasted malt aroma. Medium body. Medium roasted malty flavor with a medium pleasing bitter finish. Very enjoyable drinkable brew.

This pours a clear copper body with a large ecru head that coats the glass in sticky sheets of lace. The aroma is pome fruit, sweet malt, and an earthy, floral hoppiness. The commercial description lead me to believe that the drink would be more bitter, but it’s still a pleasurable balancing act between the fruity malt and the flowery bitterness. A solid sessionable ale.

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(22oz bottle) Crystal clear copper body topped by medium beige head that diminishes rapidly. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, woody/earthy. Taste is medium sweet, earthy, wood, caramel/bread. Smooth medium body. Nice bitterness, and a good (American) session beer.

Pleasant surprise. Hazy golden brown ale with a large foamy tan head ... looks like a pint of "best bitter" in a British pub. Lovely lacing as I work through the glass. British floral hoppy nose, plenty of malts. Taste is semi-sweet malts, with a great finish of bitter British hops.