4 Pines ESB - 4 Pines Brewing Company

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep coppery bronze colour with a fine and filmy head of white. Lacing is great, forming down the glass in sheets. Lots of fine carbonation. Looks good.

Nose is minimal, with a light grain note amd some slightly floral hoppiness, but it's very muted, and it's certainly served too cold. Served by the brewer too, so no excuses. As it warms, there's a hint more maltiness to it, and it preempts the slight smoke character on the palate.

Taste is, indeed, surprisingly smoky - smoked cheese in particular giving a pleasant sweet but roasted hint. Light and clean otherwise with a pleasant coppery bitterness cleaning out the back. Very interesting.

A very drinkable ESB and a rather enjoyable one. The biscuity smokiness is a little odd, but otherwise it's a good example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2010 00:58:14 | More by lacqueredmouse

ColSanders123

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

02-11-2013 20:14:03 | More by ColSanders123

braican

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

08-03-2012 18:37:33 | More by braican

dgilks

Australia

2.68/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Really dull aroma with notes of coffee and sulphur.

Clear, copper colour with a small off-white head. Good lacing.

Dull malt flavour with no real character. Moderate bitterness.

Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Dull and uninspiring. Certainly, not the best ESB I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2010 12:51:33 | More by dgilks

laituegonflable

Australia

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a burnished bronze colour with slow but manifold carbonation. Head is thin, cream-coloured, retaining a thin crown and some nice thick lace being left behind. Great colour, otherwise pretty good too.

Smell is very hoppy. Lots of malt on there with English toffee notes and a slight sour metallic character. Lots of brass/copper and some lemon zest as well. Some honey as well, hiding at the back. Fairly strong, but also lacking in complexity; seems a bit one-tracked.

Very flavoursome. Heavy malt base with burnt sugar and brown sugar, some molasses as well. Lots of hops come through that are quite complex and almost wriggly in their flavour permeation. Earthy, with pine needle resin, some metallic notes and some woody character as well. Makes the finish extremely dry, very attenuated and maybe a touch short on the finish. But it's clean at least.

Good full feel, nice and sticky in the mouth but I really feel it's a bit too dry.

A very nice beer overall, and nice to drink. One of the better ESBs I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2010 02:16:08 | More by laituegonflable

tobeerornottobe

Australia

3.78/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Lovely deep golden colour and a good stream of carbonation.

N: Not very prominent, which is a bit surprising given the colour of this beer. Maybe some malty characteristics.

T: Wow, intense, especially after the nose, smoke and burnt rubber.

M: Very well suited to the style, full, but not overly so.

Overall, not exactly sessionable but a good take on the ESB style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2010 01:06:40 | More by tobeerornottobe

vancurly

Australia

3.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at brewpub.
a) Drop-dead gorgeous. "Coppery amber" they describe it as, but for me the colour is perfect. Thin off-white head
s) Caramel..needs to warm up a bit. Metallic hops, warming into pine notes.
f) As it smells... maybe the faintest wet-paper note, but not significant.
m&d) Nice drop, well balanced, drinkable in quantity.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2009 07:18:34 | More by vancurly