RateBeer

Free State Big Sea ESB


Percentile
64
overall

bottling
unknown

on tap
available

Local Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag |
RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
113.42/5.03.18/5.0-68.1English pint
Commercial Description:
E.S.B. stands for Extra Special Bitter. This is the strongest of the English Bitters. Our E.S.B. is brewed to about the strength of our Stout with a light amber color. We used Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malts and Victory malt to give this beer a firm malt foundation. The Hop level is towards the high end, nearly equaling that of the Copperhead. We have chosen to use English hops exclusively for this beer. UK Target hops are used for bittering and UK Fuggle hops for dry hopping.
Original Gravity 15.0 degrees Plato, IBU's 50.
This special batch of ESB was made to commemorate the works of poet Langston Hughes, whose autobiographical book "The Big Sea" was published in 1940.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 unclemattie (2414), Georgia, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/56/105/515/20
Sep 19, 2009  
Tap @ Free State. Deep amber color. Bready aroma. Flavor has a nice bread. Distant hop. Light and smooth. Lots of hops. Lingers on the palate. Nice citrus. Bold nutty cara malts.


 drowland (1407), Tallahassee, Florida, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/513/20
Aug 5, 2009  
Had on tap at the brewpub while visiting the university. I mainly remember it being a bit too dry.


 Indra (2028), Prairie Village, Kansas, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/103/512/20
Feb 19, 2009  
2007 vintage, draft at the brewery. Toasty, fruity and lightly roasty aroma, hints of cherry and grape Kool-Aid(!) as well as suggestions of tea, spice and floral sweetness. Medium-dark copper color with a slight, white head. Flavor profile is malty, toasty and bitter, with biscuity, bready, very faintly sweet malts and prominent spicy hop character and bitterness. Slight citrus on the finish, also drying considerably by the end. Some lingering red apple skin and earthiness. Thin on the palate and gently prickly, body is medium. A bit challenging, I have to say. Apparently this is the batch that won a 2007 GABF Bronze.


 KUEric (632), Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Jul 8, 2008  
Pint at the pub as they say. And guess what? Free state is good, nay great yet again. A nice light reddish colored beer under a simple head. The aroma was bready malts while the flavor had a slittly bitter finish. A great example of what an ESB should be like.


 tjthresh (1770), Greenfield, Indiana, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/515/20
Jun 21, 2008  
Pint at the brewpub with csbosox and holdenn. Pour was deep red with some fiery yellow and orange hues. Not served with head. Both the aroma and flavor are what I’d be looking for if I were sitting in a pub in the UK. really big biscuity and bready malt character with fairly restrained hops until you get the a strong bitter finish. Medium body with pretty average carbonation and a dry finish. Free State has really been on a roll for me lately.


 beastiefan2k (1601), Lawrence (formely NYC), Kansas, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/513/20
Jan 28, 2008    Updated: Feb 17, 2009
Pint pour @ brewpub. A clear amber beer with a sticky head. Aroma is astringent, spiky, light but icky sweet malts. Taste is similar with light cherry as well. Eh.

I had this again tonight, no astringency but just like a bland and blah ESB, there really isn’t another way to describe it.


 theisti (1665), Leawood, Kansas, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/514/20
Jan 28, 2008  
On tap at the brewpub. Pour is a clear brown-red with a thinnish off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt (pretty faint, this was served WAY too cold). Taste is some sharp sweetness, faint malt and a somewhat astringent finish. This one was just OK. Much better as it warmed. Would have probably preferred this one on cask.


 Gregis (1132), Shawnee, Kansas, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/103/514/20
Jan 27, 2008  
On tap at the brewpub. Pours a deep, clear, dark red-orange with a creamy, beige head. The nose is of biscuity, caramel malt and earthy hops. Medium-bodied and slick with a lightly dry finish, the flavor is a blend of caramel and dry bready/biscuity notes. This is a decent ESB, but I guess that I was expecting more, given that this won a medal at GABF, in October.



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2


About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Log In | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Feedback?
Copyright © 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC