Redhook ESB

Poured from bottle into tall glass. Clear amber-orange with thin head that leaves some light lacing. Smell is faint but detected caramel, biscuit, fruit, light hops. Clean malty taste, with a mixture of bread, fruit and slightly sweet caramel balanced by a light hop bitterness, that somewhat carries over to the aftertaste. Moderate to high carbonation (a true ESB would be lower), medium body, slightly dry finish. Easy to kick back with this one. Nothing special, but it has become a trailblazer for the craft beer movement and you have to respect it for that.

Truly a good strong bitter, hazy amber color, bit of a malty-caramel taste, foamy head, been drinking this for years, great beer for when you’re in the mood to really drink beer.

Poured an amber red color, bittersweet aroma, medium bodied mouth feel.

This was the beer that got the wheels really turning for me in the micro realm "way back" in like 2003; nowadays the ESB always tastes the same but for some reason I feel differently about it every time I drink it. I dunno, all in all it’s OK. There are much better American "ESBs" such as Alaskan and Bridgeport, but this one defies the style somewhat, somehow. It’s "just a beer", and, I suspect, proud of it.

As said below, Redhook quality on this ESB, very drinkable, Rusty amber color, malt and a decent finish. Better ESB’s to be found, but this one aint bad.

Bottle. Overall, a nice looking and tasting beer. There is enough balance and taste to make this enjoyable. There is a great malt character mixed with a subtle hoppy bite. What takes away from the rating is a thin palate and little aroma.

12oz bottle. Ahh, Redhook’s standard beer. A delightfully hopped ESB that is quite tasty, but others beat it out I’m afraid.