Lord Rear Admiral - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

wschmit

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber from the Brewpub, so pretty fresh. Into a tulip.

A: A rich, just-hazy, caramel-hued body sports a fine, centimeter-thick layer of beige head with a nice creamy quality. Not bad retention, either.

S: It has the distinctive hop nose common to most FFF brews--a nice citrus punch, and some pine--Amarillo, Simcoe, probably some Cascade. There's some malt in the back, but the nose is really hop-forward, and well executed at that.

T: Good hop oil flavor up front, with moderate bitterness throughout. The malt is there, but pretty subservient to the hops--just enough sweetness, with some light roast notes. Overall, it's a hoppier, Americanized version of the regular thing, and a successful one--a balanced, Anglo-American hybrid.

M: Not too carbonated, and a relatively nice, mouth-coating feel. It's apparently a bit high in alcohol for the style, but I can't really feel that.

O: A pretty good offering from the Three Floyds line-up, this one has the characteristic Three Floyds hop touch, but is still utterly drinkable and reasonably faithful to the style. Perhaps a bit expensive for what it is, I still happily gulp this stuff down.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 00:37:03 | More by wschmit

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A: Pours caramel reddish-brown, mostly clear, with a 2-finger cola-looking head. Great retention and leaves plenty of lacing.

S: Rich malts, caramel/toffee, lots of hops (light citrus, mainly peach, with lots of floral notes and Earthy qualities).

T: Good bite of hops right up front (mostly Earthy with floral accents and a bite of bitterness). Citrus profile doesn't show up as much as the nose suggested. Some of the peach is there, but it's definitely in the back ground. There's also some light apple flavors. Fairly sizable body of toasted malts, some biscuit, with a moderate level of caramel/toffee sweetness. Has a good bite of bitterness in the finish (with more floral notes coming through and a little pine).

M: Medium body, moderate carbonation. Fairly smooth, semi-dry finish, easy drinking.

O: A solid, hoppy bitter. Clean and easy drinking with a solid malty base. I'd definitely buy more of this for Spring/Fall if it was locally available.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 23:37:09 | More by Satchboogie

bertram

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a bomber picked up from the brewery and shared with my buddy, poured into a pint glass.

A nice, slightly hoppy smell as we opened the bottle. Poured a nice, rich amber color in the glass with a significant white head.

The taste of this beer was excellent. I didn't really get the 'bitter' as mentioned on the label.

Good carbonation here with a nice, crisp mouthfeel.

Overall I am a big fan of this beer, and will definitely be picking myself up some next time I can make it to 3F.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 02:29:47 | More by bertram

jsanford

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a Pint Glass.

A - Pours a dark amber-brown with a fluffy white head that fades to a slight haze and soapy ring.
S - Crisp aromas of piney, resinous hops with a significant sweet caramel malt backbone.
T - More pine resin and grapefruit hops with a sweet, bready caramel malt profile. Pretty nicely balanced, but this is much more of an IPA then a ESB. Still, it's good, and I like it, so who cares?
M - Crisp and drinkable, with a smooth, medium body and good carbonation. I wish the ABV was a touch lower to increase the "sessionability", but oh well.
O - A really good IPA, a really "off" ESB, but damn good nonetheless!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 02:30:02 | More by jsanford

Bung

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. Just a slight haze to the amber/brown pour. Good layer of white head. Just barely sticks.

Aroma, the usual 3F piney hops. Some faint malt and a spiciness of some sort.

Taste, Herbal, citrus and light pine up front. Almost like a rye spiciness. A little yeastiness as well, there was a bit of sediment in my bottle. Leather, earthy wood, some roast even, light tea, an impressive level of flavor variation.

Heavy side of light bodied. Lively carbonation. One of the better American versions I've had of this style. Falls right into 3F's wheelhouse.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 01:45:48 | More by Bung

SalukiAlum

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

Appearance: Nice head, with some retention. Dark brown in color. Hardly any apparent carbonation and/or bubbling.

Smell: Very sweet nose, molasses scent.

Taste: A nice bitterness, but not to much. Perfect hoppiness to the beer. Also a nice spiceness in the mix.

Mouthfeel: Very tasty beer once again by Three Floyds. Defintely kept tasting better and better the more I had. The bitterness definitely hangs around.

Drinkability: Easy to drink a few of these bitter, malt bombs!

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 22:01:58 | More by SalukiAlum

beenitty

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this one as a package full of surprises from whitemomba, thanks Jason.

A: Pours golden brown with tan/white head. Looks awsome. Something about the combination of colors is super inviting

S: Hops, Fruit, light spice, bit of caramel and breadiness. Dont drink many ESBs but this is a top smell for me

T: Mmm. Hops, malt, and a bit brown sugar (i think), delicious.

M: Awsome. Creamy Smooth. Slight bite, but not bitter at all. Super balanced.

D: Super High, Seriously. All night long.

Definitely the most impressive offering from FFF for me because I wasnt expecting it to be as good as it was. Definitely the best ESB I've had. And a great introduction to the style if you're looking.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 15:34:43 | More by beenitty

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thank you to my wonderful friends for bringing me home a bottle! Good beer karma is yours! Listening to the Naked and Famous. Poured this beer into my Weyerbacher pint glass.

The beer is a darker amber color topped by a cream colored head that stays around the whole time. Ends up shrinking to a sticky, sudsy foam that covers the beer. Great appearance, though there is some haze to this beer...

Smells of American hops galore. Not as intense as a Double IPA or anything, though it smells pretty hoppy and would easily be confused as an Imperial Red Ale to this point. Big notes of pine and honey. Little bit of lavender in the nose as well. I am really digging the aroma, but I am afraid this is more than is called for in this style. I know that 3 Floyds could give a shit what the style is all about (look at Gumballhead), but the enormous hop aroma is not well suited for a traditional English style. If this was an American IPA, I would offer up a 4 at the least for the aroma.

This is one bitter beer! High bitterness up front and in the aftertaste. Clearly all American hops, with earthy, spicy hops in the forefront. There is a moderately low amount of fruity esters with the little bit of malty sweetness that peeks through here. The bitter hops really take precedence in the flavor here, which is actually to style...hey "bitter" is in the name of the style! Only a light amount of fruitiness in the background here, especially as the beer warms a bit.

Soft mouthfeel, with a medium body. Carbonation is modest, and right on for what this style is all about. I would love to try this offering on cask. I have a feeling that would really elevate this beer to another level.

I think this is a good beer and a good ESB, even if it is a bit "Americanized." We are seeing exactly what the Brits had intended with this beer: something on the left side of malty and smooth, with excellent ale characteristics, like fruitiness from the esters and a bitterness that pushes back! Great American craft beer...would completely recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 03:38:44 | More by MusicaleMike

FosterJM

California

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

769th Review on BA
Growler to Goblet

@Woodshop Classix
Thanks to Shail for sharing!

App- A muddled murky brown with some highlights of gold throughout. A decent one finger head that faded rapidly and just a minute amount of lace/cling.

Smell- When I 1st took a whiff it was more malty forward and a little bitter on the nose. As it warmed slightly it was a bit more citrusy, earthy, and damp.

Taste- This was a very nice ESB. It had some decent bitter notes but didn't overload. More malty/bread driven taste. It struck me as very balanced throughout.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbonated. Nice residual bready notes with a touch of bitter citrus.

Drink- It was a tasty ESB. It has been a while since I had an ESB and this was pretty money on flavor and balance. I've liked a lot of the three floyds stuff I have had. This was a nice simple clean beer for me.

Serving type: growler

08-30-2011 18:29:25 | More by FosterJM

mdaschaf

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. Big thanks to Jim for this bottle. Very cool bottle art.

A: Pours a hazy copper/amber color with a large white head on top. Rather foamy with great retention and rings of lace.

S: Rather hoppy with lots of orange and grass, and to lesser extent some grapefruit and pine. There is some caramel malt sweetness to round it out. Certainly the hoppiest ESB aroma I have come across.

T: Nice grapefruit and orange flavors combined with some bready malt and a bit of caramel. Slight bitter pine on the finish.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth and clean.

O: Not a style I drink a lot of, but this one is fantastic. A hopped up ESB, another job well done by Three Floyds. Would be a nice beer to drink all the time.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 19:40:04 | More by mdaschaf

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber thanks to Kayn169. This one was poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Lord Admiral Nelson pours a roasted chestnut color, a bit dark for the style, and lightens to amber when heldo to light. The off white foam that caps the beer approaches three fingers in height, has displays decent retention, and is nice and sticky. The nose has some crisp biscuity and caramel malty notes, as well as some herbal hop notes. A light citric aroma enters the picture as well, and serves as a nice accent rather than taking over the whole beer. The nose serves as a pretty good preview of what's to come. The bready and caramel sweetness lead things off, before a modest bitterness lets itself be known mid palate. The balance is superb, I couldn't describe this beer as either overtly hoppy or malty. The same predominantly noble, herbal hop, with a light touch of American citrus blend is on display at the back end of each sip. Props the 3 Floyds for showing restraint and keeping this one essentially British, with just enough American influence to liven things up. The mouthfeel is pretty solid overall. The body is sturdy, relatively full for the ABV, and the carbonation is slightly understated. A great spin on a classic style.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 02:55:09 | More by axeman9182

Scrumtralecent

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

A - Pours a nice copper color with a thick white head that lingers throughout the session.

S - A nice hop aroma with bitter malt backing. Perhaps some barley, but the malt is actually quite nice. Seems well balanced and has some substance to it.

T - A well balanced taste of hop and malt. The piney hops play a high end role to the taste, while the malt gives it backing, complimenting, and playing its own slightly dark role. Quite amazing how everything is playing so well.

M - Medium bodied with that malt giving it some heaviness. Decent amount of carbonation.

O - If one of the criteria for this style is balance, this is right on. Hops aren't overbearing, malt isn't overbearing, they just come together to make a tasty medium bodied beer. Little heavy for me on a summer release, but the taste helped me get past that.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 01:16:21 | More by Scrumtralecent

cosmicevan

New York

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very excited to try this, big thanks to stxSS07 for the excellent hookup. Haven't had too many esbs but this is a style that I have been getting into lately and I have heard good things about this one.

a - opened the bottle and filled my portsmouth tulip. Really attractive from the gate. Deep mahogany, almost a cherry chestnut. Nice foamy head and solid lacing. coolest label of all time as well.

s - great caramel malt with decent hop. Really nice. Kind of like a boch lite.

t - much more going on in the taste than the nose. Big kick of peppery spiciness with a bitter finish. The kick is a bit heavy.

m - nice prescence. Pretty full bodied. Nice carbonation, very beery.

o - overall a very solid offering for an ESB, can certainly hang with the best of them when it comes to ESBs.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 02:33:54 | More by cosmicevan

jpmclaug

South Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of dsc. Been wanting to try this one for awhile

Dark amber, orange body with a nice sized white head resting on top. Good amount of lacing. Caramel, toffee mingle with english hop aroma. Some sweetness in the nose as well.

A pretty balanced beer, certainly not a phrase I thought I would say about Three Floyds. Some floral hop notes, a good pale malt backbone. Some piney-ness as well. medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Not caring much for some of the floral notes.

Overall a decent beer. Didn't blow me away but didn't dissapoint. Only thing I don't care much for is the floral hop notes in the flavor. A pretty solid beer though. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 00:03:08 | More by jpmclaug

cosmo4u

New York

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

recieved from funkyaudio in the noob bif

Pours a nice cloudy orange color with a small and frothy white head. Aroma is of hops, grapefruit, citrus, sweet, bready and caramel malts and some toffee. Flavor is nice picking up juicy hops with flavors of citrus, white grapes, grapefruit, herbs with a tea-like taste, sweet candy type maltiness, caramel and toffee, bready and biscuity malts. The body is medium with a nice silky smooth mouthfeel.
my onyl drawback was I wanted it to be even more bitter than it was.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 18:21:46 | More by cosmo4u

cpz28

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Dark amber/orange, clear with a big, foamy, white head

S-Typical Floyds big citrus aroma. fruity

T- Balanced bitterness that gets more aggressive towards the finish, toast/biscuity crystal malt flavor and fruity hops throughout

M- Slightly less carbonated than I'd expect

O- This is a good beer...However, it used to be better. I swear this thing is darker and not as dry this year than in years past. In fact, this beer is incredibly similar to Alpha King this year. I'm going to drink and AK after this for comparison. Go back to the old way, FFF.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2011 21:22:15 | More by cpz28

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -27%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Neighbor brougth home a growler of Sir Lord Admiral Nelson from Three Floyds...it was about a day and ahlf old. The appearance was nice, great head and a caramel clear color. The nose offered hop, alcohol, and some malt. The taste was very sweet to me...definitely bitter....and some hops. The bitterness really affected the mouthfeel score....for me at least. Wasn't a big fan of this beer. Not nearly as good as some of 3Fs other offerings.

Serving type: growler

07-23-2011 02:37:46 | More by WoodBrew

Kayn169

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at FFF, poured into an Imperial Pint Glass.
Date: 07/16/11

A- Body is a clear Amber, topped with a 1.5 finger off white head. Nice lacing.

S- Some nice earthy sweetness, some bready yeast, and some hops, but not nearly as citrusy as most of their beers, more bitter, and floral. Good sign, seeing as how it is supposed to be an ESB.

T- Very nice, grainy sweetness upfront. Some bitter hops, not really piney, but not really citrus either. I mostly get the sweet toffee malt, some breadiness, and a bittering dry finish

M- Medium with decent carbonation. A little sticky, but as to be expected with a malt forward beer. Over all though, lighter than expected. The last few other ESBs I had were a little on the heavier side.

O- I have been waiting to try this one, somehow missed last year, despite looking for it. Overall, another nice offering from FFF. Would I consider it 100% ESB...maybe not, but it definitely more English, than the Blackheart English IPA. Both are great beers, that I have no reservations about drinking again. I bought a few bombers of LAN to being home.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 13:39:12 | More by Kayn169

AgentZero

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Amber colored beer with a white head that left sheets and lace while consuming. Pretty nice looking beer.

S - Lightly toasted caramel malts with some nice bittering English-type hops. A little bit bready, with some decent bittering on the end from the hops. Quite well done.

T - Bitter, little grapefruity, with some citrus and pine. Some nice earthtones and caramel, with the toasted grains coming through just a little bit stronger. This is actually pretty good.

M - Medium bodied with nice carbonation.

O - Pretty good beer, ESB's are a style I enjoy when there's a good one, and I'd consider this a good one. Will definitely drink when available.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 05:46:17 | More by AgentZero

beerpirates

Belgium

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottel poured into my cantillion tulip glass

. Pours a nice clear amber-brown color with a sticky off-white head and excellent lacing.
Aroma is bright fresh hops, citrusy mostly, slightly herbal, with sweet malt in the background. Really smells awesome.
Flavor is caramel malt and toffee along with the typical excellent FFF hop character, citrusy, mostly grapefruit, with slight herbal notes as well. Not terribly much bitterness given the hop aroma and flavor, although it’s definitely there.
Medium body with some hop resins present on the palate. Extremely drinkable. Another great one in FFF’s awesome line of hoppy beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 19:13:42 | More by beerpirates

beergod1

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I haven't had a lot of experience rating ESBs as a style, but this seemed like an American Pale Ale. Piney and citrus notes and flavor. I did pick up notes of sweet caramel malt. Great hop flavor. Nice caramel color and good frothy head with lacing.
I would not have guessed the 6.5% ABV. none detected at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 14:49:02 | More by beergod1

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bomber (no date stamp on bottle) into dimpled mug glass. Pours a nice cloudy orange color with a small and frothy white head. Aroma is of hops, grapefruit, citrus, sweet, bready and caramel malts and some toffee. Flavor is nice picking up juicy hops with flavors of citrus, white grapes, grapefruit, herbs with a tea-like taste, sweet candy type maltiness, caramel and toffee, bready and biscuity malts. The body is medium with a nice silky smooth mouthfeel. Overall a really good ESB, with an American twist to it. Glad to have tried this brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 18:09:50 | More by CuriousMonk

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.95/5  rDev -29.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

Got this as an extra from thomashardy in the great FFF hookup a while back. I know this trade didn't go down as quickly as you'd hoped mate. Thanks for your patience and thanks for the killer box.

My first try at an American attempt at a traditional English style. Interesting.

From a bomber into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Foam starts creeping up the neck upon opening. Pour yields a one finger, thinner looking, white head that's quite noisy. Poorer retention, the head quickly fizzes down to a thin wisp. Color is a hazy, rust brown with zero carbonation evident. Splotches of wisp remain but leave no real lacing down the glass. Average at best for the style. The second pour was a little more vigorous and left some chunky lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Pleasant nose for sure, and just bold enough. Caramel malt with some toffee in there. Floral hop notes and a touch of honeydew melon. Lots of melon and berries in there.

TASTE: Some caramel and nutty flavors, but lots of floral hops, pine and plenty of hop bitterness at the finish. Less fruity and sweet than expected, and far more bitter. Mild yet lingering aftertaste is pure bitterness with pine and some floral notes. Not as balanced as most in the style, but still an enjoyable, hoppy brew.

PALATE: This is where the beer goes south. Thinner body and higher end carbonation. Airy on the palate, goes down somewhat abrasive and finishes very dry and astringent on the palate. Not the most pleasant feel, though I could imagine it being worse. Needs to be fuller and creamier, and carbonation needs to be controlled better. The second pour came out a little nicer, but still well below par for the course.

OVERALL: Decent beer with an enjoyable flavor profile, but the look was just too average and the palate was worth forgetting. The taste didn't really match the nose either. It was actually a half-decent dark IPA, but not really good representation of an English ESB. Glad to have tried it, but don't need it again. Thanks again thomashardy!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 14:31:19 | More by Jeffo

bmwats

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into an imperial nonic.

A: Dark, cloudy, golden hue. Pours a giant, frothy, white head which crates slowly first, then just seems to collapse on itself. Pretty heavy carbonation. Eventually, looks like a root beer float. Some nice heavy, but sparse lacing. Head renews with each re-pour.

S: Plenty of pine, a little malt, and kind of a salty seawater thing goin'.

T: Piny and a little sweet. Tastes like it smells. You kind of feel like you're drinking out of a river or something. I don't mean that in a bad way by any stretch of the imagination. It's just got this river water or seawater thing going on.

M: Bitter and hoppy throughout. Has a little sweet tinge that hits you right in the middle. Something of a thick syrupy texture. Very dry finish.

D: Mmmm... If you like bitters, this will work for you.

Atmosphere very nice. Great color, and a giant head with some great lacing. Nose is not complex, but has an interesting river water or seawater character that's tough to place, but makes it quite unique. Bitter character but a nice slightly sweet balancing act. Overall, this is a great quaff.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 23:05:08 | More by bmwats

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bomber shared with friends on 2/8/11.

A - Poured a very hazy orange liquid with a thin off-white head that reduced to some patchy residue and lots of spotty lacing.

S - Aroma is very citrus-forward with plenty of pineapple and grapefruit notes. Malt character is sweet with hints of caramel and toffee. The aroma is unabashedly FFF!

T - Tropical fruit is at the forefront of Lord Admiral Nelson, giving the initial flavor quite a bit of hoppiness right from the get-go. I definitely get a lot of pineapple. Malt is expectedly sweet with caramel and toffee tones. Finishes like a juicy, hoppy West Coast IPA with a backing of toasted grains to balance.

M - Medium bodied with an oily texture and moderate carbonation. Finish is moderately bitter with residual sweetness.

D - This is a typical FFF hopfest, whereby they take a style and hop the shit out of it to create an awesome beer. Yeah! That's not to say that the beer itself is "typical". Quite the contrary. It's also not just a hop bomb, as there is plenty of malt sweetness that is typical of the ESB style. You could call it an EESB, I guess.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 18:13:19 | More by ffejherb