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River Horse Special Ale ESB 2.84 207

River Horse Special Ale ESB

Percentile
31
overall

bottled
common

on tap
available

Regional Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
2072.84/5.02.84/5.04.5%10.9English pint
Commercial Description:
Special Ale is our flagship ESB. It’s been with us from the start and hasn’t changed since that first brew way back in 1996. Ample quantities of caramel malt give this English ale a soft copper hue and the colorful addition of carapils malt adds a slight sweetness you might mistake for honey.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 tsarman (794), Northern, New Jersey, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/57/105/514/20
Feb 7, 2005  
A very light and easy to drink ESB. Might have become a little light on flavor, but for a Jersey micro, its a good job. Easy to drink that even a non-beer drinker would enjoy.


 JonR888710 (999), Cochabamba, Bolivia
1.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/102/55/102/56/20
Jan 21, 2005  
Clear-cranberry color with some oranges. White, foam head is nearly non-existant. Smell is sweet malt, cherries, caramel, cotton and wet dog. Taste begins with a little hop sizzle, then is souring, sweet caramel followed up by a nice malt bottom. Doughy, not dry at all. I dig the range of this beer, going from sweet and hoppy down to bready malt in about 3 seconds. Otherwise, there are no other elements to entertain my senses. Not a very good beer overall. This brewery isn’t known for turning out winners but somehow I’m still disappointed.


 Lou18 (1353), West Paterson, New Jersey, USA
2.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/55/103/512/20
Dec 31, 2004  
Poured a copper color with nice crisp head. aroma of malt, but I am looking hard for it. First sip was fruit with a refreshing carbination. But no real taste. A little sour, and watery. Nothing great here, sorry.


 rabuc (143), carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA
2.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/104/55/103/512/20
Dec 27, 2004  
i purchased this beer as part of a variety pack in bottles. this was the best beer out of the pack which is not saying much. the aroma was sweet and malty. the appearance was copper liquid with thick head. the taste was malty and slightly hoppy but weak.....a disappointment.


 Rockinout (946), Kent, Ohio, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/513/20
Nov 27, 2004  
Copper color, nutty and floral aroma. Has kind of a hoppy- caramel- green tea taste, semi-sweet. Thanks Drew.


 wnhay (722), Princeton, New Jersey, USA
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/55/103/511/20
Nov 24, 2004  
I was not impressed with this beer because it started out great and got worse and worse. It went down hill after the first sip. All of a sudden it had like no taste. The truly great beers get better as you go along. This beer did not measure up.


 Drew (2410), Kent, Ohio, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/513/20
Nov 13, 2004  
An easy drinking ESB, caramel sweet, smooth and full flavored withouth being heavy. Tasted good both too cold and close to room temp. Not enough hop balance, but that’s allright. I’d say this is good for pizza and parties.


 SDbruboy (1833), San Diego, California, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/104/513/20
Nov 13, 2004  
Bottle - thanks to slob for the trade! Pours slightly hazy reddish amber color with a smallish off-white head that diminishes mostly. Very light aroma, mostly malty with a hint of grassy hops. Flavor was slightly more impressive than the aroma, sweetish, toasty malts and nice bittering hoppiness. Light to medium body and tingly carbonation. Decent brew.



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