Extra Special Bitter Ale
Climax Brewing Company

Extra Special Bitter AleExtra Special Bitter Ale
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From:
Climax Brewing Company
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 12.47%
Reviews:
55
Ratings:
93
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 21, 2021
Added:
May 08, 2002
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Oct 21, 2021
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Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

3.46/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Deep amber appearance with a large, cream colored head and good lacing. Sweet, malty aroma backed by herbal hops. Sour notes in the aftertaste were distracting instead of enhancing. Moderately bitter, tart, subtly hopped flavor. Average carbonation. Finish was short-lived.
Aug 21, 2020
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Reviewed by MacMalt from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. It pours a clear, honey-orange color with a half finger of creamy, ecru-colored head and spotty lacing. On the nose there is toffee, vanilla, nuts, and very light hops. The first taste is vanilla, toffee, and molasses. But it quickly turns nutty, earthy, and quite bitter. There is a hint of spice at the finish. All of the flavors blend nicely. It is medium-bodied with a fairly creamy feel and easily drinkable at 5.5% ABV. I took it out of the fridge about half an hour before opening the bottle. I'd recommend against drinking it too cold. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this local offering. Not many craft brewers attempt an ESB and for an American example it's really quite good.
Jan 20, 2019
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Reviewed by dsa7783 from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
On tap at Outback. Pours a ruddy, copper hue with minimal frothing. Mellow aroma replete with hints of bread and butter. Similar overall flavor profile.
Jan 09, 2019
 
Rated: 4.57 by Vylo from New Jersey

Mar 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.64 by Jjmj51 from Rhode Island

Jan 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.85 by Kric from New Jersey

Jan 19, 2018
 
Rated: 3.63 by jeffmck09 from Connecticut

Sep 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by Dinkel from Texas

Jun 16, 2016
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Reviewed by KTCamm from New Jersey

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12/6...served on tap. Pours dark copper with high fluffy white foam. Bready malt nose. :Light caramel. Rich toffee and bready caramel flavor. Sweet first and then cemented on with a tasty bitter. Chewy. Really darn good.
Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.59 by kwjd from Canada (ON)

Apr 12, 2015
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Reviewed by nmann08 from Virginia

1.74/5  rDev -55.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1 | overall: 2
From a bottle, pours a dark gold copper color; super carbonated with a big head that fizzes above the rim of the glass.

The nose is a mess from the start. It smells like rotten flowers and melted plastic. That is all I can pull out. I barely get any hop content. The flavor is tropical fruit, but more like fruit by the foot than fresh fruit. It is very sweet.

This is gross, I wish I could be nicer, but this is terrible. I am assuming I had a bad bottle given the high marks on here, but cmon?
Dec 22, 2014
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Rated by Doctor_Bogenbroom from Pennsylvania

3.52/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Loaded with hops, not great but definitely drinkable.
Dec 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by koopa from New Jersey

Oct 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Oct 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.76 by roconnor from Maine

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by IPAchris from Pennsylvania

Sep 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by ahernandez2003 from New Jersey

Aug 29, 2014
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Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap last night at Funcks inn Palmyra, PA. Part of a 4.5oz flight.

When I ordered this, I was asked if I understood what "cask" meant. Being a Brit, I had a fair idea. Was very impressed that the beer was served at room temperature. In looking at it, there were quite a few floaties. Body was yellow with a small white head which dissipated quickly and left only a small ring. Lacing was minimal. Got some bread and a sour vinergary tone on the nose, which carried over into the taste. I'm guessing this is not how it should be. However, It was actually a quite pleasant taste, and I've found that in the summer, I quite like a sour beer.

Overall, was okay with this beer. Would be interesting to try one fresh and see how different the taste is.
Aug 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by ColdWaffles from Pennsylvania

Aug 13, 2014
Extra Special Bitter Ale from Climax Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 93 ratings