Burton Bridge Empire Ale

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

Pours hazy burnt orange with a one-finger white head. A good bit of sediment in the bottom. Very unexpected aroma of banana, apple, earth, and a touch of cinnamon. Little malt character, rather dominated by yeast and hops. Light biscuity malt flavor which quickly yields to earthy, herbal hops and a certain Orval-like flavor I can’t quite put my finger on. The hint of banana and subtle carbonation make this very British, but the yeastiness adds a touch of Belgium.

Very interesting historic IPA. Pours a mid gold with a tight white head. Aroma features a heady mix of yeasty fruit notibly apple perhaps some white grape, and alcohol. Palate starts with sweet malt, more apple some warmth then a resounding bitterness. Estery warm ale.

Lightly hazy golden. Unmistakable brett aroma. Earthy hop and yeasty aroma, cinnamon-like hint just like I get from Orval at times. Big and full bodied, yet rather dry. Solid bitterness, with some earthy/flowery goldings character late. Just a hint of horsey brett intertwined with with a long hoppy finish. Very good, and rather beguiling. This could be one of those that bears revisiting as much as Orval.

Pours an amber color with a white head. Aroma is of floral hops, caramel malts, and some citrus hops. Flavor is mostly floral hops with caramel malts, spices, and a hint of citrus hops. Finishes dry with a little bit of an alcohol warming but not too much. Overall this really isn’t too bad.

Bottled. Hazy dark golden colour with a rich white foam. Grassy hops in the aroma with touches of mild lemon, red apples and bread. Medium to full bodied with notes of orange-peels, white bread, rubber, grass and lemon. Grassy bitter finish with sweet undertones of pale malts and oranges.

The Dan Journal #111. Tasted 9/25/07. 500ml bottle. Murky apply hued. Gnarley eyeball of white head. Swwet cinnamon and mild hop aromas. Medium to full bodied with big beer burn. Caramel sticky and cloying. Drt finish. Tingling tart brew. Rather lively with smooth yet apparent bitterness. Nice.

Bottle - 500ml. Hazy amber/chestnut body with low carbonation and a thin off-white creamy head. Well balanced malty/hoppy aroma with fruity (pineapple and grapefruit) notes. Alcohol is very well hidden. Its sharp hoppy taste carries these same fruity hints, in addition to some plummy and vineous ones, and ends with a long bitter and warming finish. Very interesting Ale.

500ml Bottle: Pours a clear orange amber with effervesence, white and off-white foamy bubbles make the head on this brew, aroma of pale and toasted malt, some malt sweetness and fruit fragrances - like cantelope and orange, real faint caramel fragrances, alcohol fragrance hints to, has a flavor of malt sweet and fruit, pale malt, some citrus and alcohol on the tongue, there is hop bite in this brew, hop bitterness and citrus did battle against Mr. Malty and his pardner Malty Sweetness but Mr. Malty and his pardner were a little bigger and overwhelming, I thought I was drinking a weak Barley Wine or a strong IPA that had been aged for a while, this is definately a Winter Warmer, lots of alcohol warmth on the palate, medium mouth feel, the alcohol did not overwhelm the flavor as it warmed which is a good thing.