Broad Ripple ESB Extra Special Bitter

Brewed by Broad Ripple Brewing Co.
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Indianapolis, Indiana USA

On tap.
Pours a dark hazy copper with a tightly packed off-white head that leaves webs of lace on the sides of the glass. One of the nicest ESB pours I’ve seen. Aroma is somewhat faint but hints at the sharp hops and sweet malts that lie ahead in the sip. And sure enough, that’s what the sip reveals, though the hops take the driver’s seat as the malt, while there, takes a back seat and simply serves to temper the hops a bit. Solid, smooth creamy palate. Yep, this is quite an ESB.

The pint glass was filled with a hazy light chestnut ale capped by a short-lived head. The aroma is a rich malt with apples and a mild earthiness. The fruity malt sweetness is a good support for the herbal earthy bitterness of the hops that take over the flavor and last long into the finish. Pretty nice.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Ripple Brew Pub, Indianapolis, IN<font size=-1>

Draft sampler at Broad Ripple. So, this one’s had a long life for a brewpub offering. And it seems to have been refined over the years to a smooth offering today. Slightly hazy brown body. Despite being served on CO₂, it’s got a light, cask-type mouthfeel. Seems to be more hops than usual for this style, in fact I get a bit of Northwestern hop notes, but just enough to make this one interesting. A touch of fruitiness or "stale beer" rounds out the glass.

On Tap: A good beer, but not great. A nice deep dark amber reddish color with medium to minimal head that lingered until finally dissappearing roughly half way through my half pint. Malty indeed, although more hops than a typical ESB. Still just something unequal or not meshing well with the flavors in my opinion.

Maybe the perfect everyday drinking ale. One of the best examples of balance I have found. Malty, bready aroma, moderate hop flavor married to rich malt flavor, underpinned by typical fruity esters. Appropriate light carbonation for a bitter. THE best ESB I have ever had. The Fullers ESB I have tried several times, allowing for travel deterioration,is always good, but not this complex or appealing. I would love to see how this would fare in the Great British Beer Festival - it’s that good. Find this place today please.

Draft sampler at Broad Ripple. Dark amber hue with medium head that diminshed slowly. Medium aroma of hops and malt. Medium body. Well balanced flavor of malt, hops and citrus with a small bitter finish.

From a growler filled two hours earlier, by John Hill, owner of the Broad Ripple Brew Pub. Nice clear shiny gloden amber beer. Peachy tea aroma is nice with the light malt sweetness. Flavor is fruity and has a nice grapefruit bitterness. A little carmel malt ballances this nicely. It’s got a medium body and a slightly bitter finish.

Red copper ale with light malt and hops aroma. Matly and nutty beer wit a nice smooth hops in finish. Medium bodied. July 30 04.