J. Scott Francis ESB
Barley's Brewing Company

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From:
Barley's Brewing Company
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 6.35%
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
14
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 01, 2019
Added:
Jun 07, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Grundle20:
Photo of Grundle20
Reviewed by Grundle20 from Ohio

4.12/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance:
Pours a solid copper color into a pint glass. There was a pretty standard head on the beer with decent retention.

Smell:
The beer smells incredible for an ESB in my opinion. I was instantly reminded of DFH 90 minute. There's strong apricot hoppiness and some minor caramel malt notes. It's a pretty strong scent which travels quite a ways from the glass.

Taste and Mouthfeel:
The smell was pretty decieving given that the beer tasted like a mixture of goldings and fuggles hops. I'm generally not a fan of either but the balance of crisp caramel malts gave them a helping hand. There's mild carbonation and a nice fruity finish.

Drinkability:
Totally drinkable. It's nice, mild, and refreshing. It was 4.50 for a pint though...

Bottom Line:
I don't know that it was a very true version of the style but I really liked it.
Oct 27, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of WoodBrew
Rated by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I tried this at the brewery. It was a good beer.
Apr 01, 2019
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.42/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Discounted flight. Sample glass, here's my take on this:
The appearance was a semi-cloudy burnt orange to copper color with a dissipating little white foamy head. Moderate clingy lace.
The aroma had some sweet to bitter grabbing grassy to earthy and floral tickled hops meddling with a little bit of biscuit to bready malty backbone.
The flavor was moderately biscuit to bready sweet allowing a nice semi-dry aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was somewhat stiff but allowing some carbonation to be felt (which was odd for the style). ABV felt appropriate. Decent mobility along my tongue.
Overall, decent ESB, but for the style, that carbonation might be coming close to be a tad high.
Jun 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.98 by shadwow13 from Ohio

Feb 10, 2015
Photo of BigBry
Reviewed by BigBry from Canada (AB)

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Our go to place in Columbus, another seasonal draft on tap.
A dark copper color, good stability an height on the tan head.
Smells a bit malty, toasted, caramel. Good dose of fruit like hops.
Smooth and creamy, good weight and mouthfeel.
Another thumbs up to this brew.
Feb 06, 2013
Photo of blakesell
Reviewed by blakesell from Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the firkin into a standard pint glass.

Appearance- Beer pours cloudy and copper with a very dark red-tan head. I've never seen anything like it. Head is a full finger high and lacing is big time clinging to the glass.

Smell- Kent Goldings a little overly strong on the snout with a solid malty backbone and some biscuity scents. Smells like a malty red ale.

Taste- Richer and maltier in flavor than on the sniffer. Malts are nicely biscuit ridden. Kent Goldings are pretty big on the flavor. Something about ESB's just don't scream "add extra hops to me" but this is OK.

Mouthfeel- Creamy, smooth, not astringent, medium-light bodied, and lowly carbonated.

Drinkability- Although over hopped, the beer is super drinkable and I would go for it again.
Oct 13, 2008
Photo of TheEclecticGent
Reviewed by TheEclecticGent from Georgia

3.42/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A: Had this beer on tap as cask-conditioned ale from the British hand pump and as a standard pour. This review is the cask-conditioned ale. It poured a murky amber color with a nice rocky head that gave a great curtain of lace. I drank it out of their house pint glass.

S: The smell is rich and a bit hoppy. I can already tell this is going to be smoother than the standard pour of their ESB

T: Wow! This is much better than the tap version. It is much smoother and richer of flavor. The conditioning moves the hops further back within the taste and gives it a wonderful balance. It still has that hoppy ESB finish but more controlled. It has honey notes to it as well as the hops and floral aspects.

M: Mouthfeel was medium and creamy.

D: One of the best ESBs that I have ever had. Refill!
Mar 27, 2006
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another winner by Barley's. Stageringly similar to their APA. A little darker copper in color than an APA with a similar head and CO2. Smells a bit more malty and toasty. Throw in some caramel, toffee, and nuttiness. Hoppiness is out of character for the style, but still good beer. Some of the extra bittering comes from the cask conditioning, which also adds smoothness and creaminess--I had the last pint from the cask, lucky me. I do recommend, the next time arround.
Sep 19, 2005
Photo of Wildman
Reviewed by Wildman from Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Many of the beers of Barley's on cask impart a different flavor that even the firkin style can't compete with. This beer was a dark amber color and had little carbonation. It had a small white bubbly head that left only trace lace. The aroma was of malt and hops with a slightly floral aspect. The flavor was of malt, hops and some caramel was present. The finish was light and slightly bitter. A nice beer on cask.
Dec 13, 2003
Photo of beergeek279
Reviewed by beergeek279 from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served as a sample at Barley's #1. The color was amber, with no head. The smell was a nice balance of hop and malt. The taste featured a nice malt sweetness up front, with a nice hop aftertaste. Mouthfeel was smooth. Drinkability-wise, could have a few of these.

Another fine beer from Barley's. Though not my favorite, with so many good ones, I feel more and more need to return, and have some of these beers again!
Nov 04, 2003
Photo of Ahhdball
Reviewed by Ahhdball from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I have yet to taste a bad beer at Barley's and I doubt I ever will. Deep auburn with a nice long lasting head. Caramely sweet but with a bitter finish this was a fine drink, enjoying last drop. Mouthfeel was a bit thin but felt silky smooth with every drink. I will order this again if I get the chance.
Jun 10, 2003
Photo of AtLagerHeads
Reviewed by AtLagerHeads from Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I tasted this for the first time as I talked with the man what made it and for whom it is named, J. Scott Francis. This is an exceptionally fine ale that looks good and tastes great. It is an amber body, clear, with a nice just off-white head. Plenty of nice lace effect from this beer. The flavor follows the nose, being a nice caramel malt with plenty of hops for balance. The hops are very well integrated and do not dominate, but rather modulate the malt content. This is a very tasty beer that seemed a tad bit thin in the body.
May 22, 2003
Photo of blkknight02
Reviewed by blkknight02 from Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Color was dark amber with a lasting head. Good lacing all the way through the pint. Somewhat floral/perfumey aroma (fuggles?) and a nice complex sweet flavor that lingers. Nicely balanced and very enjoyable.
Overall impression: A bit too sweet and low on the arome hops for my taste but still is very good and within the style guidelines. I wouldn't hesitate to order it again.
Feb 17, 2003
Photo of Dogbrick
Reviewed by Dogbrick from Ohio

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tasted at Barley's 4th Annual Robert Burns Dinner & Robert Burns Scottish Export Ale Tapping Jan 25th. Named after the brewmaster at Barley's Smokehouse, you have to be pretty sure of the quality of something to name it after yourself. This is a very good ESB. Dark orangish-brown with a medium off-white head and some lacing. Aroma of floral hops with a little sweet malt thrown in for balance. Flavor is nicely bitter with a great sweet touch at the end. I'm sorry I went so long without trying this.
Jan 26, 2003
J. Scott Francis ESB from Barley's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 14 ratings