Rainbow Trout ESB
Foothills Brewing Company - Downtown Brewpub

Rainbow Trout ESBRainbow Trout ESB
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Foothills Brewing Company - Downtown Brewpub
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.58 | pDev: 10.89%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
28
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 12, 2014
Added:
Mar 21, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Oxymoron:
Photo of Oxymoron
Reviewed by Oxymoron from Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Tried on site in Winston-Salem. Rainbow Trout ESB came out with coppery brown color. A clear color with a bronze glow that was especially noticeable when held to the light. A great head retention and decent lacing, although both did not last throughout the tasting.

The smell was noticeable with a good representation of more earthy and toned down hops. Some limited malt aromas with more base scents then anything.

The taste was good. A bit of a surprise with more complex malt tastes then the smell would indicate. I could taste some limited crystal and lighter roasted malt flavors. Gave it more of a bready quality to it. The malt was present at front but mixed at the end with some toned down hops. Although the hops were not very strong and were overshadowed by the malt. What taste at the end was slightly fruity.

The beer had a medium body. I think I would have liked to see more balance between the malt and hops but overall it is a still an enjoyable beer. It suppose to be an ESB but it still could be a good English Pale.
Oct 21, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.75 by DrMindbender from South Carolina

Nov 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Squacher from North Carolina

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by jak from North Carolina

Mar 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by harpus from Alabama

Jul 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 04, 2013
 
 
Rated: 3.75 by ncstateplaya from North Carolina

May 15, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by cadaugherty from Illinois

Nov 18, 2011
 
Rated: 4.5 by EasyReader from North Carolina

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of kels
Reviewed by kels from Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pour a coppery-red shade, totally clear, with no head nor lace whatsoever. Lightly visible carbonation runs throughout.

There's really no smell to speak of - just some dry, powdery malt.

Exceptionally malty, grainy and dry with a very hearty and bready profile. Slick and syrupy taste gets sweet without cloying. Aftertaste yields a berry-fruity finish. Feel is carbonated enough to stay bright and light.

Definitely highly drinkable, but not particularly exciting. Just a nice, good beer.
Jul 13, 2010
Photo of Onenote81
Reviewed by Onenote81 from North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Came out a deep amber color with no head at all. Some spotty lacing stuck as I sipped, but otherwise, pretty unremarkable. Smelled of slight hoppiness, earth, and caramel. Mouthfeel was crisp like all their other brews. Flavor was decent. Some subtle hop bite that finished dull and earthy as well. Aftertaste was slightly sweet from the malts I assume. Not a bad beer, but pretty average.
Apr 15, 2009
Photo of thegodfather2701
Reviewed by thegodfather2701 from North Carolina

4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had this on tap at the brewpub the other night. It is an amber colored beer. It had a small head, that dissipated quickly and left some minimal lacing. It smelled very pine like, so I was excited about the hops. It tastes hoppy at first and then just at the very end I tasted some maltiness. It left some aftertaste but nothing unpleasant. This beer is clean and refreshing, very enjoyable. I would highly recommend trying this one. Of the Foothills regular line up this is one of my favorites along with Hoppyum.
Jan 19, 2009
Photo of MTNboy
Reviewed by MTNboy from Germany

3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: It is a bronze colored body. There is not much for head or lace.

Smell: A very strong floral hoppy aroma with little citrus tones.

Taste: It start off sweet with tones of caramel and toffee malts. Then the hops kick in and it gets citrus like, bitter and earthy,

Mouthfeel: A little acidic in the aftertaste and very carbonated.

Drinkability: Just average. The taste is good but I think it lacks in all other areas.
Aug 31, 2008
Photo of atsprings
Reviewed by atsprings from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz draft pour on biggie beer night at Charlotte Saucer. Served a crisp copper with a thin head that diminishes to a ring and leaves spotty lacing. Aroma is caramel malts in front of subdued hops. The taste provides a nice balance of caramel and sweet malts and subtle pine hops. The beer is light, smooth and easy-drinking. This is certainly an enjoyable session beer.
Jul 18, 2008
Photo of Strix
Reviewed by Strix from Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Clear brown with a decent head.

Smells quite floral and nutty.

Depth of flavor is good on this, though I'm not a huge ESB fan. Lots of hop, spice and nutty notes in this. Fades off in a bitter finish reminiscent of tea.

Mouthfeel adequate.

Nothing earth shattering, but interesting.
Jul 02, 2008
Photo of khiasmus
Reviewed by khiasmus from South Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A- Slightly cloudy dark amber with a tight, fluffy white head that settles too quickly...

S- Some caramel malt supported by distinctly piney hops, to balance the nose quite nicely.

T- Some slight caramel maltiness, but not nearly as well-balanced as the nose- the hops are strong and overbearing, and are added to by overcarbonation, for the overall effect to be a very gassy, citrusy, hoppy beer.

M- Overcarbonated, but clean into the dry, astringent finish.

D- Too effervescent to have several... a decent slow-drinking beer, but after other Foothills offerings, this one is not as good.
May 22, 2007
Photo of kkipple
Reviewed by kkipple from South Carolina

3.41/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got this on tap in my hometown.

This is really a basic beer, so the review will be short. Showed up with a good-sized bone white head that stuck around a while, capping a delectable looking pint of deep amber bitter.

I get a slightly musty malt smell, along with a good dose of hop bitterness and a vague mineral water characteristic. Not much smell here, typical of most bitters.

The taste is fine: roasted caramel malts and bittering citrus hops balance this crisp, dry beer. Rather unassuming, could use a bit more hop character in my mind. Finishes light and clean, quite drinkable, but nothing special.

Rainbow Trout ESB is an easy beer to session, but didn't wow me like some of Foothills beers have.
Feb 08, 2007
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had tonight at barleys. Poured a rich amber, with not too big of a head but a decent lacing. Smell was definatly hoppy, but in an English sorta way, none of the piney hops. Taste was very well balanced between the caramel malts and the hops. Very drinkable and went down super smooth. I would definatly have this again.
Dec 31, 2006
Photo of goindownsouth
Reviewed by goindownsouth from New Jersey

3.97/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Well-filtered, great brown color. The head, sadly, was virtually non-existent. Nothing was left along the sides of the glass, either. Goodmalty notes of roasted grains and caramel, slight essences of cheery, perhaps, just to lighten up the load. Bitter, but not overly so. The malt profile provided excellent balance on this. Slight bitterness shot at the end. Dry finish with a goot bit of bitter pucker on the palate.

Not bad. I would really like to try this one from the source in Winston-Salem, to see how, if at all, it would be different. However, yet again, another solid offering from Foothills.

Life is good.
Dec 14, 2006
Rainbow Trout ESB from Foothills Brewing Company - Downtown Brewpub
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 28 ratings