Karl Strauss Extra Special Bitter

Tap @ Hamilton’s. Pretty much your standard ESB. Pours a clear light amber color with a small off white head. Nose of light citrus, spice, and toasted malts. Crisp finish, not bad.

Tap at Carlsbad. Pours a translucent golden amber with a medium creamy white head that laced. Aroma of nice floral and citrus notes, bready, caramel and nuts. Flavor of lemon, hops, caramel, bready and light toffee notes.

Tap, downtown. Amber in color. Fairly malty flavored, with a bit of English hoppiness.

draft - Pours orange/amber with a one finger head and a sweet malt aroma mixed with light hops. The flavor is heavy caramel malt with some fruity bitterness on the side. This medium bodied beer is a solid ESB.

On tap at karl strauss San Diego. Poured amber with a good amount of head. Nice bitter flavor with a good finish.

Mild sweet toffee aroma. Metallic somewhat, but not much else in terms of aroma. Pours burnt orange with a beige head. There are definitley hops prevalent in the flavor. Some grapefruit and tropical fruit. Caramel and toffee are there too. Finishes dry and resiny. It sweetens as it warms up, but still finishes dry. A nice hoppy ESB.

On tap at Karl Strauss. Golden yellow with no head. Malt, candy, and citrus aroma. Candy sweet taste with a hint of ftruit, and a bitter/swet finish.

Draft sample at downtown SD location. Poured clear dark amber hue with medium frothy head that diminshed slowly with good lacing. Medium aroma of hops and malt. Medium body. Well balanced flavor of malt, hops and citrus with a small bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Good drinkable brew.