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Hammer & Nail Extra Special Bitter

 (RETIRED)
Hammer & Nail Extra Special Bitter - Premium Bitter/ESB

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 Percentile 
81
overall
Formerly brewed at Hammer & Nail Brewers
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB

Watertown, Connecticut USA

bottling
unknown

on tap
unknown

distribution
unknown

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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
123.53/5.03.44/5.06.7%89.1English pint

Commercial Description:
The experience starts with a balance of maltiness and clean East Kent Goldings aroma. The balance soon gives way to an overall hop bitterness. Then the finish. This beer has a clean, dry taste that leaves you wanting more.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Cletus (5001), Connecticut, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/59/103/518/20
Nov 16, 2008  
Please note that on my older reviews I used a 100 point scale. To make up for any scoring discrepancies, all palate and apearance scored are assigned a neutralized 3/5.

09/01/02: This beer looks great in the glass. The bubbles cascade up and down the side revealing a nice clear body. The flavor on this is on the bitter side but has some nice sweetness underneath it all. This smells like a fresh stream that has some wildflowers growing near by. I definitely need to buy more of this.


 tiggmtl (4307), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/102/55/102/510/20
Dec 15, 2005  
Mildly fruity caramel aroma is somewhat stale. Clear copper coloured body is topped by a low white head that recedes to partial cover and ring. Fruity caramel flavour has mild finishing bitterness with some floral and lavender hops still apparent in the aftertaste. Medium light body with somewhat low carbonation. Seems like we got here too late. Bottle sampled at the Country Inn with beerbuzzmontreal, MartinT, Rastacouere and Yowie.


 MartinT (5030), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/103/513/20
Oct 22, 2005  
The Lure:
Some shy fruitiness amidst the caramel. Hops have left the aroma, but it’s overall unpleasant.

The Festivities:
Flowery hop bitterness rises behind the fatigued maltiness. Big bubbles do not affect the flavor display, but the subdued nature of it all recalls amber ales more than ESBs.

Transcendence:
Time is a quirky concept.


 Rastacouere (5551), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/103/53/102/58/20
Oct 18, 2005  
Diminishing white head covers the caramel coloured ale. Faint bready and caramel scents emanate from the mostly malty nose. Irregular flavors peak up here and there, disturbing the global balance, the peak of which being those awful plastic notes that kick in just before the soapy hops confirm your lack of desire for another sip. Not very hoppy at all and for that matter, not very tasty either. Light bodied, fair carbonation, rather astringent. Too old obviously.


 UnionMade (621), Connecticut, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/510/105/519/20
Oct 2, 2002    Updated: Jan 8, 2003
RERATE-- Found probably the last sixer of this great beer I"ll ever find, and I"d have to say it"s probably one of the best bitters brewed in the US, if not the world. Perfection for me. OLD--Not bad at all. The beer poured nicely, with a thick head that generated an awesome smell. The actual taste didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but it was very tasty and drinkable. This one is a little harder to find than the rest of the H&N styles, but I think it’s their second best, after their oatmeal stout. Pretty classic ESB, in all respects. A little rough around the edges, but quite enjoyable.


 legion242 (1572), Richardson, Texas, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/55/105/511/20
Jul 7, 2002  
Sunset orange; Medium dense head; The aroma is whacked- spearmint!. Mint and chocolate on the first sip- f-ed up man, but not offensive, just very, very strange. Became cloying at 1/2 mark. Nice bit of malt across the tongue.


 Merc (313), Pullman, Washington, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Apr 29, 2002  
Wow, never would have guessed the alcohol content at all. Malty, slightly perfumey aroma. Smooth palate. Pleasant slightly bitter finish (very slightly) to a pleasantly fruity beer.


 Gregory (357), Pullman, Washington, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Apr 27, 2002  
orange hazy color, sweet aroma very well balanced malt and hop flavors. It’s quite good, I would call this an English Pale, rather than an Englsih bitter. I don’t find it very bitter frankly. It’s tasty though.



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