Broad Ripple ESB Extra Special Bitter

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

Good malty finish. This is the best beer and micro brewery in Indiana.

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.

In short: A “cask-style” ESB. Authentic British feeling. Wonderfully refreshing.
How: Tap at brewpub
The look: Cloudy dark orange body with a medium off-white head
In long: Very soft body and even softer carbonation. Lightly caramelized malts, some tree bark and dry leaves, It felt so much like a cask beer that I even asked if it was from a cask (they have two cask pumps there) but no this was from the tap. Ok then, that extra-soft carbonation was extremely appropriate for the style. Quite fruity too with citrus fruits, red apples, berries, and more but no individual fruit flavour standing out. This is about as good as an ESB can get. All they need to do to make it truly authentic English ESB is to serve it on cask and accompany it with very bad food.

On tap at the brew pub. This beer pours a dark hazy brown allmost copper like with an good off-white head. The aroma is strong with hops and sweet malts. The flavor was just that and more. Hopey but off set with sweet malts and a hint of a tart fruit. It goes down smooth and creamy with a slight bitter finish. A very good Bitter beer.

Amber color poured into a full British pint at the pub. Whispy head, with a very smooth mouthfeel. Well balanced with a strong hop bitterness and some nice, fruity ale flavors. Great with the pub grub. When in Indy, this is a place to seek out.

(sample @ brewery) a hazy amber with some orange under a decent head and good lace. aroma is a very pleasing blend of earthy hops and toasty malts. flavory is dry and somewhat woody, followed by a nice bitterness. there is some sweetness in there too-excellent balance. avery nice beer, and very drinkable.

Thanks to Bob, Michelle, and mostly my baby Jana for the 12th annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival today! On tap @ the fest. Nose of dried fruit & flowers. The brew is clear copper. The quickly diminishing creamy off white head leaves light lace. The very floral flavor is well balanced and has a light acidity. The finish is long and bitter. The medium body is creamy & soft. The finish feels dry.

Objectively speaking: An unexpected absolutely authentic, kick-ass even cask-conditioned ESB. Spot-on and by far THE one beer I recommend trying at this pub. It begs for a pint.
I like: Tasty all around. Fully nuanced. Earthy, fruity (think apricot, peaches and the likes), but not overly juicy palate since a great toasty background keeps everything in check. It never tastes like 5.6% and drinks easily despite its medium or even full body. Very toasty and bready.
I dislike: I should have known ahead that this was the house specialty.