Lucky Labrador Hell Raisin ESB

Date: September 19, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: hazy amber, frothy beige head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet malt aroma, nice earthyness
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of earthyness, nice bready character, light lingering bitterness
Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: ** /4

Tap @ Their Beer Hall... Poured an amber-burnt orange with a white head. Fruity plums and earthy malts on the nose. Mellow, softly carbonated palate. Cocoa malts up front with some spiced hops and a cracker-like grain finish with a touch of sweetness. Very smooth and easy to drink. A good session.

Draft @ the brewpub. Pours an amber color with a small off-white head. Has a malty fruity caramel aroma with some hoppy hints. Malty fruity hoppy caramel flavor. Has a malty caramel finish with some hoppy hints and a slightly bitter aftertaste.

On tap at the Lucky Labrador in Multnomah Village. Pours amber with a one inch off-white head and good amount of lacings. Aroma of floral hops. Taste is bitter hops, leather, resinous, some pine and a full malt backing. Medium dry bitter finish. This was a growler fill and about one third of the pour went to waste from the huge amount of foam. Carbonation is moderate. Good Northwest version of an ESB. Nice hops flavors. Nice drinker. No idea what the abv. would be.

Draft. An amber beer with a thin beige head. The aroma is sweet malty with ntoes of caramel and hops. The flavor is sweet and very hoppy giving it notes of grass and a very bitter finish. The mouthfeel is dry and the body thin, probably due to low final gravity.

On tap at Lucky Lab on Hawthorne--Poured a bright deep amber-copper body with notes of spicy, bitter and floral hops. Quite good. Sweetness paired well with biting hoppiness. Very well balanced for the PNW style.

Draft at the Quimby St. hall. Amber color with a substantial white head. Aroma of floral hop and caramel malt. Medium body with mild carbonation. Flavor is roasted caramel balanced by floral hop. It is an ESB.