Sierra Nevada Early Spring Beer (ESB)

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Chico, California USA

12 oz bottle purchased from Frugal MacDoogal’s in Nashville. Poured a clear copper color with a two finger, foamy off white head. The aroma was caramel, nuts and a grassy note. The flavor was a caramel base with a pine finish. The palate was average, with good carbonation, a clean mouthfeel and a medium body. Another solid beer from SN.

East TN finally gets a third beer from Sierra Nevada… we’re 21st century now, woohoo! Foggy amber pour features slouchy soapsud foam. Toasty and bubblegum wrapper/baby powder nose with shampoo and distinct varietal citric & spicy hop aromas. The first flavor first impression is shockingly sweet (and this remains the dominant character throughout), then a big dose of damp loamy earth, a spicy hop bite, a faceful of toast crumbs, and a glass-sharp citrusy finish. Bittersweet and almost grassy. Each sip progresses in the same order. Medium body, but filling with its solid sugary weight; smooth. Definitely a full-volume Americanized ESB with its hoppy bling and precarious balance... just too aggressive to be truly enjoyable except as a dessert beer. Did I mention sweet?

Reddish copper pour with a large, frothy, off-white head. Nutty, toasty, caramel aroma with a moderate floral, grassy, pine hop presence. Flavor is toast, caramel, and fresh, wet, piny hops. Definitely more malt forward in the flavor than most of Sierra Nevada’s offerings. Oily, medium body with moderate carbonation. This is a solid session beer that would go great with BBQ or a good burger.

330 mL. Pours a translucent light amber with a one-finger, off-white, creamy head. Good lacing. Aromas of caramel, British pale malts, and classic Sierra Nevada piney and resiny hops albeit more muted. Taste is thin upfront with some bread but then moves to citrus hops and finishes with a bitter, creamy aftertaste. Very enjoyable and sessionable.

2009 Bottle - Pours copper with a great looking off white head...aroma is tight, a tad sweet, cereal...flavour is thin on the front end, high hop bitters dominate, finish is dry malt...I could drink this all year...fun stuff...

This beer has grown on me since I first had it, but still slightly too heavy for my taste. Heavily spiced and rather bitter, I have discovered that it goes well with pizza...

Clear, golden amber with cream colored head, nice lacing. Hops aromas mostly noticed with some caramel as well. Flavors started with spicey hops mixed with sweet biscuit malts then ended with hops bitterness. There is more hops character, and less malt than I would have expected in this English style, but overall drinkable.

This is really more of an american pale ale. Never the less I like it all right, Pours a slightly hazy orange with a fluffy head that fades moderatley quickly with only a little lace. Aroma is caramel and piney hops. Flavor is bitter, some piney notes, fairly well balanced beer with some good caramel maltiness. Pretty refreshing!