Extra Special Bitter Ale - Climax Brewing Company

Jacobob10

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap @ Barcade in Brooklyn, NY.

Deep Orange, copper color with a pillowy one-finger white head. The sweet, caramel and toffee aroma seemed to jump right out of the glass. Loads of caramel malt in the flavor with a slight roast to it. A buttery smooth finish that rivals any ESB I've had. I don't know if I could drink this all night long as the sweetness might get to me, but I could easily have more than one.

This is one of the best beers in NJ, hands down. Spot on representation of the style and more importantly, just delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 15:00:33 | More by Jacobob10

abcdefghijkyle

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-14-2013 21:07:53 | More by abcdefghijkyle

blmar311

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

03-25-2013 06:48:31 | More by blmar311

sfsean28

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-24-2013 17:55:41 | More by sfsean28

chicagoish

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Climax- ESB

A- Light dark/ orange with a frothy rockey meringue like head. Thick chunky lacing.
S- Light hints of caramel/ toffee malt. Not too hoppy
T- Mildly sweet caramel and toffee malts. Buttery shortbread biscuit and light floral sweet hops. .
M- Smooth! Buttery smooth malt, crisp sweet hops. All evenly balanced. Envelops the mouth with a creamy malty aftertaste.

Overall- I nice ESB

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:53:26 | More by chicagoish

BrewasaurusREX

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%

12-19-2012 23:13:03 | More by BrewasaurusREX

mdillon86

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.5%

12-12-2012 03:02:58 | More by mdillon86

barneysdad

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -25.4%

12-02-2012 17:24:33 | More by barneysdad

lauries444

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

09-05-2012 01:51:58 | More by lauries444

jnardone235

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

09-03-2012 04:20:16 | More by jnardone235

claspada

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy amber liquid with a white head drops quickly to a ringlet that leaves some splashy lacing behind.

Aromas begin with toasted bread and equal caramel maltiness. Earthy hops are more apparent as it warms but by no means as up front as you would expect for an ESB.

The tastes begin with big caramel maltiness with some toffee complementing the toasted bready base. I don't get much bitterness or flavor hops except for a hint in the aftertaste of earthy Goldings style hops.

The mouthfeel is medium to full body with moderate carbonation. Finish is less than stellar; could really use some more balance of hop bitterness to counteract the malty sweetness.

Overall this is a very tasty, sessionable beer but a bit off in style for me. Sweeter, more malty than any other ESB I can recall in recent memory. More like a Scottish mild/Amber style than an ESB.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2012 14:49:35 | More by claspada

JaeTea

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

08-18-2012 01:46:37 | More by JaeTea

mdfb79

New York

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 07/28/12 notes. Had on tap at Jimmy's #43 on the LES in New York. 16 oz. pint glass.

a - Pours a hazy amber-orange color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bready malts, sour dough, grains, light toasted malts, light caramel malts. Nice and malty with a light sour twinge.

t - Taste mirrors the nose a lot. Lots of malts with a sourness to it. Sour dough and bready malts, grains, wheat, toasted malts, caramel malts, and burnt malts. Pretty nice.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Body is smooth and definitely easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty nice ESB. Lots of malts, little bit of a sourness to it that some ESB's have. Easy to drink and worth checking out.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2012 15:38:52 | More by mdfb79

57md

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy light copper with two fingers of fluffy head. There is good retention to the head and rings of lace as thsi offering goes down. The nose is bready but there is also a disturbing soapy note as well.

The taste is hearty with grainy notes as well. This beer certainly qualifies as full-bodied. The finish is semi-dry with mild hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 16:10:55 | More by 57md

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

07-12-2012 21:28:47 | More by rolltide8425

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle from my new bud and trading pal, Rifugium... one of several 'locals' (for him ~ Philly-area) sent last week. Poured to a pint glass (aptly grabbed: my 'Yards Brewing' one).

A: Surprisingly light, a shade shy of 'amber' even... that seems paler than most ESBs I've tried. Lovely head, well over a finger of off-white froth with a slowly ebbing laziness. Loads of carbonation and plenty of goopy lace banding. Hard to beat the looks of this one.

S: Has a malty 'amber/lager' scent: bready, malty, slightly spicy, touch of rye, too (?). Strength is pretty good, a little metallic tinniness later.

T: ESB has always been a laughable misnomer for me, only because there are so many more beer styles (now) that DESTROY taste buds in the 'bitter' areas. Caramel maltiness and fruity notes (red apple skin and muscat grape) greet my tongue right away, only then does a woodier bitterness follow.

M: Very nice crispness, mild carbonation and surprisingly refreshing. Medium for the style, I suppose, but lighter-seeming on a warm/hot mid-spring day.

O: What a good change of pace this was! After a weekend spent sampling a fair number of tart sours and punishing, barrel-aged monsters, this served as a wonderful nightcap before heading to bed on a Sunday evening. Good balance and easy 'sessionability' make this a beer I'd love to enjoy again.

Thanks again, Derek!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 04:18:35 | More by msubulldog25

olympicgatorade

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%

05-01-2012 20:38:32 | More by olympicgatorade

jrfehon33

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It pours a hazy light brown with white head.

Smell: The smell is even a little bit sweet with a hint of malt and a little bit of honey.

Taste: This beer is very crisp and not very overpowering at only 5.5% alcohol. However it does have a really nice flavor with slight hints of malt, pine and honey. Well-balanced with secondary flavors in the after taste.

Mouth feel: This beer has a really nice amount of carbonation which makes it feel very crisp especially at a cold temperature. 

Overall: This is an exceptional ESB and incredibly refreshing. If you're a fan of this style of beer you should seek this one out!

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 12:29:42 | More by jrfehon33

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: on cask at TJ's, Paoli, PA

This has gotta be one of the best ESBs I've had, if not 'the' best. Served in a nonic, a hazy copper color, brilliant cascading, topped with a thick, creamy ivory head; excellent retention and lacing. Nose was dominated by sweet, vibrant honey, with notes of biscuity malts and fresh grass. (Unfortunately this trait doesn't translate as well in the bottle, but oh well.) The taste followed the aroma, with lots of sweet honey, toasted malts, biscuits, cereal grains, light hints of fruit, grassy hops, crisp and sweet in the finish. Pleasantly smooth mouthfeel, medium body, very well-made and extremely drinkable.

Serve this one fresh...and cask conditioned!

Serving type: cask

03-15-2012 11:54:56 | More by Rifugium

TheBigBoy

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -37.8%

03-13-2012 02:04:14 | More by TheBigBoy

Chugs13

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

02-09-2012 03:08:57 | More by Chugs13

marine1975

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

02-04-2012 20:28:16 | More by marine1975

DeutschesBier

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

12-13-2011 20:00:31 | More by DeutschesBier

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a nice golden color with a white head on top. The head retention was pretty good on this brew. I found the smell of the beer to have a nice aroma of caramel and some light hops on the nose. The taste of the beer was really nicely done I thought. The flavors of sweet malts and the bitter finish worked well together. The mouthfeel was very drinkable and could easlier have serval back to back. Overall this brew is pretty good and I wouldn't nmind drinking it again one day.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2011 05:13:09 | More by Knapp85

richbrew

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

11-16-2011 20:56:03 | More by richbrew