Beer Works Bay State ESB

Cask at GBBF. Cloudy amber with a small white head. Aroma of citrus, malt and a yeasty note. Dry malty flavour with good hop character and a bitter finish.

Cask at GBBF 09 ....murky brown ... big fruity hop ... little yeast nose ... bitter back bone ... juicy grapefruit ... dry orange.

Another one with confusion in the label. It was good not so graspy but dirnkable.

Draft at the brewpub. Poured a clear dark orange/brown color. The head was off white with good retention. Attractive aroma of dark fruit, light pine, toffee, and molasses. Medium bodied and slightly sweet with mild bitterness. I tasted dark fruits, subdued toffee, and a hint of roasted malt. Well balanced ESB with some personality.

On tap at the Fenway location. Not quite what I expected honestly. Pours a dark, copper nearly brown with a creamy white, heavily lacing head. Aroma was very floral, perfume like, sweet smelling. I asked the bartender what type of hops they used for this beer and the bartender said Cascade, all cascade. That threw me off even more. Flavor was nice, candy sweet, floral, sticky fruits, tropical fruits. Finish is more sweet than bitter making this truly a head scratcher. Very drinkable as it is, I’d definitely order it again, but far from what I expect from an ESB in every respect.

A deep clear orangey brown ale with a thin lacing off white head. Faint malt and light British hops. In mouth, a nice bitter beer with British hops, sustained, a bit too astringent, again, maybe due to lack of malt. On tap at Fenway brewpub, Oct. 12 2008.

Draft, Logan Airport. Copper to bronze in color. Smaller off-white head. Toasted malt and hint of spice in the aroma. Toasted malt and light cocoa flavors. Dry and uneventful finish. Some caramel and a bit of floor malt that suggest some english roots. Still, really just an amber in ESB disguise.

vegetable taste throughout this brew that otherwise has acceptable flavors of fruit and caramel. moderately strong flavors this dark brew is refreshing with a powerful foamy head produced as it was released from the keg. moderate in body it is a pretty good all around ale.