Burton Bridge Empire Ale

Brewed by Burton Bridge
Style: English Strong Ale
Burton-on-Trent, England

Dark orange mahogany color with a huge frothy ivory head. Aroma is mandarin oranges and moldy yeast. Strange horseblanket flavor with a dry yeasty tartness. This is pretty weird. Not bad but not really my cup of tea either.

Light in color. Seriously funky aroma (perhaps it’s the yeast, the oak aging or the sulfur content in the water) with hints of wood, horseblanket, salt and citrus fruits. It’s interesting to taste this, knowing that this is very similar to what the English troops received in India. Historical. The funkiness continues upon tasting. Nice, woody, funky tartness along with a well hopped profile (grapefruit, lemon) and a nice biscuit-like, slightly toasted, caramel malt flavor in the backround. Notes of vanilla are present as well. An interesting and enjoyable brew.

500mL into Duvel glass. Initially light gushing despite the bottle not having moved since months. A whole bed of sediments lie at the bottom of the glass. Head is at first huge, frothy, but slowly diminishes to an off-white cover. Color is a deep murky orange sand. Nice color really, seems to have reflects of red and brown + the sediments change the light reflection constantly. From the glass come powerful funky aromas, you could almost believe brett was thrown in and this becomes even more apparent as it warms. Big yeasty and fruity (ORANGE, mint tea, cantaloup, pineapple, mango) even woody character. Lingering earthiness, sand-like, almost smoky. Decent hop background. Citrusy on the tongue, tart with those generous drying out orange flavors. Funky (leather, hay) and delicious flavor development containing a warming kiss of alcohol as it warms. I’ve never had something this uniquely yeasty from england. Moderately high carbonation, round powdery medium-full body. Quite salty toward the end. The finish may be the only point that left me wanting more, while it’s long and fruity, whatever hops they used (styrian golding?) almost give it a cardboardy feel the way it combines with the yeasty and fruity acidity. Awesome. Ultimate proof that bottled english ales ought to be mandatory bottle-conditioned, hell this could be an english Saison.

Pours is a cloudy orange with a nice sized white head. Aroma is a faint hops smell. Flavor is a very sweet hop and light malts. Hops are light as well as any citrus flavor. It says heavily hopped on the bottle but i don’t get it. Not realy bad but not a cask IPA that I had in mind.

Very lively - a bit of a gusher. Consequently cloudy amber in colour. Bitter, mandarin orange peel aroma. Citric, orangey flavour. This had a bit of bottle age, so the hops had mellowed a little, but it’s still quite sharp. Not the most subtle of beers, but pretty good. Would have been even better with less excessive carbonation, which prickled away on the tongue throughout. Bottled.

light orange tinted brown with a white thin head. sweet bubble gum aroma that is yeasty. dry mouthfeel to this one. flavor is bitter with a light malt profile. more of a floral wet bark taste than citrus. lingering mild bitter at finish

Bottle. Smells like juicy fruit gum. Strong taste of....Strawberry? Yup. Sweeter than it should be.. Medium bitter finish. A weird damn beer.

Pours a cloudy golden hue with a frothy slight-off-white head. Aromas of alcohol, citrus and a slight metal smell. Mouthfeel is medium bodied-fizzy- Flavors of oranges, slight pine, moderately hopped with an old flavor. Not an IPA like the bottle says.