Three Floyds Admiral Lord Nelson

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Munster, Indiana USA

Pint at the brew pub. Really great, creamy bitter aroma. Flavor is pretty great: lots of great bitter hops balances with the caramel malts. Mouthfeel was creamy, and, overall, this is an excellent ESB.

This version seemed like a cross between an ESB and an American IPA. The aroma is very citusy, though the yeast gives the beer a smoother palate than an IPA. All around it’s a pretty good beer, just not what I expect from an ESB.

Imperial Pint on tap at the Brewpub. 6 Words: One of the Best ESBs Ever. Maybe it’s the super floral bouquet, or maybe the abundance of hops. But this brew nearly tops all other ESBs I’ve had. The malt bill is a little light, therefore the balance doesn’t necessarily win points, but how can you pour enough malty sweetness into a brew with such a deep, abiding hoppiness. Maybe it is the IPA fan in me, but this one and the Brutal are neck and neck, and are both extremely different. Dark amber body with a decent offwhite / tannish head. Aromas are a wonderous floral bouquet coupled with a lighter malty sweetness. The hoppy nose steals the show with this beer. Head laces well. Taste is similar, large hoppiness up front, moving to a small malt bill sweetness, moving again to a bitter, but smooth finish. Remarkable. Cheers!

A nice ESB. For me the ESB standard is Anvil, but this was even slightly smoother. The expected downside was an absence of the characteristic caramel notes, but pleasant nonetheless.

On tap @ 3F for Andrews Bachelor Party. Pours orange with a clear beige head. Light hops and carmel in the nose. Orange citrus with a light sweet creaminess. Some spicy/noble hops from underneath the malt. Tasty for the style. I don’t think it deserved first at NotLA, but I’m happy to try it again.

Tap at Spuyten Duyvil. Deep amber with a thick off-white head that lasts and lasts. Great fresh tangerine citrus notes right away but there is also a lovely earthy, crackery UK-type maltiness in back. Bread crust and light caramel. While the hops are the first thing that you notice with this beer, the attention to the malts really sell it. There is lots of hop aroma and flavour, but the bitterness is quite restrained. Soft caramel integrates nicely with the sweet malts. Earthy hop finish in spite of all of the citrus up front. One of the first US-style bitters I’ve had that really lives up the character of the style.

Rather dark amber pour...releasing a pretty potent aroma of American hops... pine resiny and a bit catty. big caramely/biscuity maltiness to sweeten it up. This is very sessionable.

On tap at 3F during RBSG Road Trip 2007. Slightly hazy brown with an off white head. Nice lace. Very citrusy nose, somewhat tannic. Flavor more relaxed, citrusy but with a nutty malt balance.