Baldwin And Cooper Best Bitter - Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1L swinging pop top poured into tulip 8/9/12

A hazy burgundy with a solid two finger head that retains well and leaves a couple partial rings of lace

S has a little of everything, herbal, earthy and lots of leafy hops, some chocolate and caramel malt, citrus, and nutty toffee, I'm thinking world class Alt beer as I whiff this one

T not quite the complexity I could smell, not as much citrus, the malts aren't as strong but the hop mess is still there, pretty tasty stuff but a step down from the smell

M creamy from the bubbles but its balancing between cream and foam, nutty chocolate lingers on the finish

O pretty solid stuff and I had no problem tackling the liter of brew, another winner from Howe Sound

smells awesome, tastes solid and doesn't lack in any areas, these guys do little wrong in my eyes

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 06:31:05 | More by wordemupg

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 1L resealable bottle. The nose offers inviting malty aromas with some nutty notes. This traditional English-style ESB offers lots of toffee on the forward palate and then a big citrus rind bitter snap on the finish. It's not hugely complex but it is definitely satisfying for a fan of this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 21:52:22 | More by CookstLiquor

EspressoGuy

British Columbia (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: hazy copper with orange hints
S: nice fresh grapefruit rind that is relatively fleeting, some fresh bread maltiness
T: noticeable bitterness with a dry finish
M: light, clean, fresh
O: likeable but not a beer I would seek out. The dry finish really dominates.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2012 00:17:44 | More by EspressoGuy

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from kjyost, split with a buddy. From notes.

A - Poured a hazy dark copper with one finger of creamy white head. Great rings of lace and a film of retention.

S - Nice citrus, bread, caramel. The citrus is a good blend with the caramel.

T - Earthy hop with a little citrus. Caramel, bread, good sweetness with a decent hop note too.

M - Good carbonation, medium body, and a light bitterness.

O/D - Very drinkable, not jaw dropping but well done. Too straight forward for me, I was expecting something slightly more boundary pushing.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 14:25:52 | More by tbeckett

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy copper orange with 1.5 fingers worth of creamy off white head. Settles to nice cap and left pretty good lacing.

S: Caramel malt with some grassy hops and earthy aromas.

T: Caramel malt up front with grassy hops taking over at the finish. It has a nice lingering bitterness left behind.

M: Medium body with lighter carbonation.

O: If you like bitter beers this one is really good. It leaves a long lasting bitter feeling in your mouth long after you’ve swallowed. It’s quite expensive at the MLCC though so not sure if I’ll be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 16:32:42 | More by marty21

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1L swing top poured into a nonic pint glass at 5C. Undated bottle, though fresh at the MLCC.

A: Rich clear amber, though with a tiny head and no lacing. EDIT: Second pour 1cm white head, light lacing
S: Lovely hoppy nose, with earthy and spciy notes. Pretty sure some EKG are in there. Caramel malts are also evident.
T: Bracingly bitter, so I am in love off first sip. Some earthy flavours along with light residual sweetness from the malt. Not overly complex, but quite enjoyable.
M: Good residual body, clinging bitterness and stronger than expected carbonation.
O: A nice surprise, but at a price point of a bar ($5/pint - $10 for the bottle) not a beer I will be buying often.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 23:46:42 | More by kjyost

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Howe Sound Brewing tap house:

A: 1/8" white head over amber liquid with excellent clarity.

S: Orange pekoe tea, lemon, and yeast.

T: Citrus hops, honey, and some malt with a dry finish.

M: Thin viscosity with a medium level of fine carbonation.

O: A true English ESB, unfortunately, this beer is not as drinkable as some others in the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 15:29:56 | More by DaftCaskBC

lumikuuro

British Columbia (Canada)

4.9/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

1 litre bottle with new artwork for 2009, abv now 5.5%.

Appearance: Transparent, vibrant deep reddish amber colour. Creamy biege one finger head with moderate tightness when poured into 500ml English pub style glass tankard. Plenty of lacing as head recedes moderately quickly to a ring.

Aroma: Malt sweetness, caramel, subtle hazelnut.

Taste: Brief initial taste of malt sweetness (with less caramel than in the smell) soon evolves into more nutty, bitter tasting malts and a growing but not aggressive grapefuit taste from the hops. The finish is a highly rewarding lasting earthy bitterness which is a perfect blend of hazelnut and grapefruit, lingering for a long time without being aggressive.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied; starts off lighter but becomes silky.

Drinkability: Very drinkable English style bitter with the extra hoppiness that Pacific Northwest brews are well known for. However, the bitterness is pronounced and appropriate, but balanced and tempered by the strong malty flavours.

This is an exceptionally good beer with a complex, rewarding flavour that is a wonderful surprise after the slightly sweeter than expected aroma.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 05:36:36 | More by lumikuuro

Graham5161986

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: pours cascadingly into a chill-hazed ruby brown with a 1 finger off-white head that had good retention and leaves a good lace on my glass.

S: chocolately, caramel malts on the nose with nice northwest hops in the backgroud as well.

T: smooth caramelly malts up front, then the hops come out to play. very well hopped. leave s a pleasant, bittersweet hop flavour on the long finish.

M: medium to heavy-bodied, creamy and crisp. goes down smooth and somewhat dry.

D: another great beer from Howe Sound. i'm lovin' the hops in this bitter and the malts provide for a nice sweetness that does not overpower. It is a bit heavy so I don't know if I would drink more than one bottle - but then again, it is 1 litre... well made and well enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2008 03:01:54 | More by Graham5161986

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

At the Alibi Room. Grapefruit colour. Bubble and cream on top. Some hop aroma. A good bitterness, I like this brewery, but a bit thin mouthfeel and I argue too sweet, dry and citrussy finish.They dopn't need honey and sugar. Appropriately carbonated. A bit better as it warmed.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2008 18:16:48 | More by northyorksammy

Hornet2003

British Columbia (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not bad.

A: Kind of cloudy deep rich ruby red colour.

S: Hops and malt. Mostly a grassy hoppy smell. Quite English in the aroma. think Fuller's and youve got it.

T: Quite bitter. The malt is really not as apparent inthe flavour. The hoppy bitterness is dominating

M:Meh. Nice carbonation, but the actual bitter flavours are overpowering on the tongue.

D: So-so. Pretty nice session beer, but I'd go out of my way to try Howe Sounds IPA or Oatmeal Stout after having a pint of this. Not so much an all-night beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2007 22:14:07 | More by Hornet2003

JanM

Sweden

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in a hazy, red-brown colour. Great smell, just like I imagine a good bitter. The taste was excellent. Bitter, with grassy hops and roasted malts, not too much sugar. Just enough carbonation. After 15-20 minutes the hops calm down and some breadnotes become discernible. This is a rich, fresh and one of the most well-crfated Canadian beers that I have tasted.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2007 05:28:20 | More by JanM

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Definitely the best ESB in the province. Toffee colour with off white head, and a rich malty smell with a very nice hop nose on it. Well done hop-malt balance in the taste department. The hop bitterness cuts down on the malts and there is a very slight brown sugar after taste. Nearly as good as Fuller's. Ctirus and sour hints on the taste, as well as a semi-sweet malt profile.

I agree with canucklehead; this is a very well done beer. My bottles says 5.4% ABV, not 5%.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2007 08:29:59 | More by BDTyre

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This my peeps is the answer to where has the lost ESB from Shaftebury gone. Well kinda of as this tastes just like that sadly departed great BC beer. The beer looks fab with that toffee colour and big head. The nose is all British hops with a west coast flair. The thing that makes this a real treasure is the perfect balance between malt and hop. Complexity, drinkability and a full mouthfeel are apparent in every sip. Say hello to the best ESB in BC.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2005 16:19:15 | More by canucklehead