Courtesy of Poonpillager. Pours copper with thin off white to tan head. The aroma is sweet and a bit odd too. The oddness seems to be cedar resin moving toward sap and going along with sweet malts. The taste is a bit sweet and malty to start becoming somewhat bitter with a big hoppy spiciness that moves into the cedar resin woody grassiness noticed in the nose. Interesting brew. Did crizay have his hand in the making of this?

As a side note, my bottle looked different than in the picture illustrated here (had an English looking fellow running). Anyhow, purchased 2/04 at the brew kettle (22 oz. bottle). Poured an amber/copper color with a lite off white head that lingered. Very clear and drinkable looking. The aroma was lite and what I would expect if I were brewing an ESB. Some downplayed sweet malt, lite pine and/or citrus peal hops. A bit metallic and crisp. The flavor was very lite (almost watery at first) with a slight metallic twinge (but in a good way if you can imagine it). However, this gives way to a lite and well balanced pine bitterness with mild malt caramel. I very much enjoyed this brew. I would call this a good example of an ESB and what I would brew on a regular basis as a session beer.

22 oz bottle: Medium amber w/ orangy highlights. Lasting medium sized off white head. Aromas of toasted malt, very little herbal hop, and some English yeasty esters. Hints of caramel as it warms. Well balanced, but not bitter at all. Toasted malt and caramel flavors, very little herbal hop, w/ a light green apple fruitiness. Finish is on the semi sweet side, aftertaste is lightly hop and toasty malt flavored. Lighter body, but not watery, medium carbonation. Lightly dry m/f. Overall a very drinkable session beer. A good quaffer, but nothing fantastic.

This is a bottle from the Brew Kettle labelled "Extra Bitter Special Bitter" without any reference to the Ringneck. Amber color with a frothy, off-white head. Hoppy nose with orange. Very fruity beer with cherry and orange notes. Light body and easy drinking. Not an especially solid bitter, but pleasant.