Blue Point Bruin Bitter

Growler filled fresh at the Blue Point tasting room. Pours a crystal clear slightly darkened gold with a thin-moderate linen white head that fades to a scummy film after two sips and leave a few broken lines of lace. Mild aroma of malt and just a hint of toasted bread. Flavor is mild malt with a bit of orange zest in the background. Some white bread toast emerges at the finish and lingers briefly beyond the swallow. Goes down easy on a warm day.

Tap. Light grain note for the malt, light to moderate grapefruit peel smell for the hops, and light dough for the yeast. Head is small, wispy, white with fair lacing and is almost fully diminishing. Color is clear amber. Flavor starts slightly sweet and lightly acidic, then finishes lightly acidic and moderately bitter at great length. Palate is light to medium, watery and has a soft carbonation with a dry finish. A pretty good ESB. Nothing outstanding but a real easy drinker.

Tap at the brewery tasting room - this is a solid brew, and a nice hybrid of english bitter and american pale ale - the hops are assertive and spicy, but not overpowering - they allow the malt and yeast room to generate flavors of buttered toast, light nutty sweetness, and moderate fruity esters through the middle - the hops merely bookend these flavors - medium-bodied, but quite sessionable - finishes crisp, but with some lingering bready maltiness - quite good.

Cask at 3rd Manhattan Cask Fest. Deep hazy copper coloured brew. The aroma is lightly toasty and crackery with a bit of brown sugar and a touch of light nuttiness. Soft earthy/spicy bitterness. Nice soft chewiness with a light estery fruitiness on the back. Nice floral dry-hopped notes on the back. Firm assertive bitterness with a touch of light resiny character. Solid brew.