LunaSea ESB - Empyrean Brewing Company

BeerBob

Nebraska

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Empyrean Brewing Co. "LunaSea" (one word) E.S.B. pours a chestnut brown from a 12oz very dark brown glass bottle. Head went to about two fingers before going poof, gone, nada, zip, nothing.

Nose is a firm floral hops with a bit of sweet barley malt notes. Palate is an assertive well bittered pine that turns barley malt sweet with a drying finish.

Fragrant, tasty, and enjoyable, LunaSea from Empyrean Brewing Co. put a smile on my face, and if you are into ESB’s, then this should be right up your alley

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2005 00:24:34 | More by BeerBob

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%

03-13-2013 16:27:28 | More by Whiskeydeez

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

03-10-2013 20:16:38 | More by spycow

teleforce

Nebraska

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%

02-28-2013 17:55:20 | More by teleforce

j-rod18

North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

02-13-2013 07:16:30 | More by j-rod18

Haybeerman

Colorado

4/5  rDev +8.1%

02-06-2013 23:19:56 | More by Haybeerman

XxNitExX

Nebraska

2.5/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- Poured into a Brau Brothers Pint Glass- Pours nice honey color with a thin white head. Lacing is beautiful sticks around for awhile.

S- Smells of sweet bread and I mean sweet. Toasted busicuit also in there, very little hop aroma to me

T- I am very sensitive to bready tasting beers and that is what I get here. Like wet buscuits or crackers. Better the warmer it gets but just not my favorite. Lightly hopped. (I do not eat bread so bread tasting things are hard for me to like)

M- Nice creamy mouthfeel, not like a stout but not watery as it kind of looks.

Can see how many others would like this beer, but just doesn't fit with what I enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 05:08:38 | More by XxNitExX

MikeCasey

Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

02-02-2013 18:43:07 | More by MikeCasey

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.13/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

The beer pours a amber copper color with a white head that turns into a wisp. Good world map lacing covers the glass.

The aroma is hoppy, then sweet caramel and crackers come in.

The beer tastes really well balanced. Warm sweet malts bring in caramel before giving way to a clean, dry hop bite. There's a nice bready, cracker heartiness in here too.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and clean.

Overall, probably one of my favorite beers from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 19:55:14 | More by JuicesFlowing

OregonGrown7

Nebraska

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

11-09-2012 23:27:49 | More by OregonGrown7

beerdhabelly

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +8.1%

10-26-2012 03:57:44 | More by beerdhabelly

jewellrunner

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

10-13-2012 02:34:30 | More by jewellrunner

YalovaIA

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

10-03-2012 02:11:26 | More by YalovaIA

Hellpop65

Kansas

3/5  rDev -18.9%

09-23-2012 17:55:44 | More by Hellpop65

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best enjoyed by October

Pours an effervescent amber/caramel with 2 fingers of tan head. Superior lacing & head retention

S: Biscuitty malt, woody hops & a bit of pear. Fruittyness increases as this warms

T: Follows the nose, along with herbal hops up front along with some apple tartness. More fruittyness as this warms, more woody hops. Finishes crisp & fruitty with a touch of dryness & a bit of herbal hops

MF: Medium bodied, slightly over carbonated at first, calms down as it warms. Good balance

An alright take on the style, nothing to really brag about, but solid & very sessionable. Worth a try

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2012 00:25:22 | More by russpowell

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I love me a good ESB... Let's see how this one measures up...

A - One finger's worth of late-to-rise slightly lopsided off white colored head with a couple of big chunky bubbles mixed in... Limited retention gives way to a mostly full lacing that has some carbonation bubbles bursting through the surface... The color is a mix of pale gold and light amber... Loaded with small bubbled slightly sluggish carbonation...

S - Pleasant, but slightly understated aroma... Toasted malts... Warm fresh baked bread... Caramel... Maraschino cherry juice... Perhaps some faint golden raisins as well...

T - A bit fruity to start... Next is an over abundance of malty goodness mostly in the form of light breads and toasted malts... There is also a faint hint of toffee and caramel mix in as well... Lots and lots of bread crust on the finish... Just the faintest earthy hop presence as well...

M - Medium bodied... Some prickly carbonation... Sleek... Perhaps even a bit sticky... Starts a tiny bit lush, but the finish is surprisingly dry...

D - A very respectable and enjoyable ESB from Empyrean... It's a style that I wished more brewer's would take the time and effort to produce... This one is fairly text book... Lots of good things going on, but nothing outstanding... I would gladly drink again, but it's not a must have...

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 01:52:22 | More by philbe311

bjohn84

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%

08-09-2012 00:38:34 | More by bjohn84

beerbrains

Nebraska

2.75/5  rDev -25.7%

07-21-2012 16:13:26 | More by beerbrains

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a one-finger, white head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled earthy and spicy. Some caramel and toffee aromas, too.

T - It had a nice spicy bite upfront with some earthy tones. Some caramel maltiness and toffee sweetness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a nice ESB. I'm glad I picked it up at Goebel's in Wichita, KS.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 01:56:15 | More by zeff80

ssjkyle

Nebraska

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%

07-14-2012 04:33:31 | More by ssjkyle

KansasBeerLover

Kansas

3.08/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had a pint on tap with supper tonight.

Glass was a standard ale pint. Came with little head, but I didn't see the draft. The head quickly disappeared, and left little lacing. Body was a strong wheat, cloudy.

Smell was decent, malty and not too strong.

Taste was malt with some sweetness.

Mouthfeel was smooth, thick with little bitters.

Overall, I was not impressed. While it was a good beer, it was not a bitters. I will second the ESBrown motion.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 23:09:37 | More by KansasBeerLover

mwayne

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%

06-10-2012 05:07:36 | More by mwayne

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy orange-brown color with a white head. The aroma is full of toffee and grass and is fairly sweet overall. The flavor follows the aroma, with a lot of toffee and a hint of biscuit malt coming through up front, and a hint of grass and a very low amount of bitterness coming through from the hops. Easy to drink with a medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 18:41:27 | More by Mora2000

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.88/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a white head. Leaves some nice lace rings. Color is a clear golden bronze.

Aroma: Caramel and bready malts. Grassy hops. More malty than hoppy.

Taste: Grassy, earthy hops. Some citrus. Lots of bready/pale malts.

Mouthfeel: Bitter and smooth. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry.

Overall, an average bitter, but a little too malty for me. Not enough flavor for the amount of bitterness that this beer brings.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 22:00:48 | More by mothman

vencad

Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

03-05-2012 03:41:04 | More by vencad