Bitch Creek ESB (Extra Special Brown) - Grand Teton Brewing Co.

Tolnik

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was poured into a pint glass. When first poured the head of the beer was decent, not to ambitious. Sedimentation is present when pouring the last of the beer out of the bottle. The aroma of this beer is great floweral, hoppy and coriander is present. The taste of the beer good bitterness, a hoppy sweetness to the tastebuds. Overall a really great beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2009 05:40:19 | More by Tolnik

OMPH

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-23-2013 05:26:54 | More by OMPH

jploving

South Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I was very fortunate yesterday....An old friend and I had a few beers together on his front porch in rocking chairs and he supplied the beer....nice....free beer.
What makes it even better is that he let me have 2 VERY GOOD beers....Founders Dirty Bastard and Bitch Creek ESB.
I will focus on the ESB today....as in Extra Special Brown...I did not realize that when I took the first sip...I was excpecting a slightly bitter bouquet of fruit...not a malty, caramel toffee...I reread the bottle and BOOM...."Extra Special BROWN"-THIS IS AWESOME!
This reminds me of a first class homebrew (which I pride myself as a 2nd class homebrewer).
It is bottled conditioned so when I poured it up it was cloudy and thick and beautiful. Almost chewy...wonderful mouthfill and great head retention.
The heavy caramel, hint of chocolate and toffee flavors are balanced extremely well by the up front bitterness which only lingers enough until the next sip....
This was a wonderful surprise. I suggest that any Brown Ale lover sniff this beer out and give it a try...great experience.
I rate it 4.25...

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 16:29:31 | More by jploving

JSouth

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-21-2013 20:42:42 | More by JSouth

atone315

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-17-2013 03:58:18 | More by atone315

sevenshubby

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-12-2013 03:00:42 | More by sevenshubby

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.18/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle purchased from Berkeley Bowl West in Berkeley, CA.

Pours a very pleasant ruby-tinged amber-brown colour, with a rather bright yellow crest of foam. This settles down to a loose ring. Body has a pleasant heft to it, and holds its fine carbonation very well. Overall, it's a really good-looking beer. I like it.

Nose is a pleasant melange of toasty, sweet rich malts and bright, fresh hop characters. There's orange citrus and some blossom tones, with a richness like treacle and cinnamon. They work in concert almost perfectly, providing a balanced and complex combination. It's really quite lovely.

Taste takes a step back from this, but still maintains a very pleasant balance: the malt is less prominent here, and it's less rich and full than I thought it might be. Instead, the hops are thrust forward, giving a rounded, supple fruitiness and a pronounced, but not sharp bitterness. Still, it is rounded and balanced with some toasty malt characters and a suggestion of vegemite. It is, in fact, very pleasant.

Feel is smooth and supple, providing another layer of balance against the hop character.

Overall, this is a damn fine beer. It's very delicately balanced, while maintaining a very full and forthright flavour profile. What's more, it's remarkably easy to drink, and oddly moreish. I'm a big fan.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 22:52:53 | More by lacqueredmouse

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-08-2013 00:17:13 | More by cadaugherty

elglueckert

Montana

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-05-2013 00:08:58 | More by elglueckert

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-04-2013 23:20:05 | More by Kelp

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bitch Creek pours a dark reddish color, with a nice long lasting head. Their is a malty aroma, with hints of a harsh sweetness. The taste has a malty flavor, and a bit harsh, with a slightly hoppiness that comes through at the end. Full flavor, but a strange harsh sweetness to it. Overall not a bad beer, worth another go.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2013 23:18:50 | More by vette2006c5r

bigbeers84

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-29-2013 00:48:27 | More by bigbeers84

LuceScrew

Idaho

5/5  rDev +32.3%

04-27-2013 22:24:01 | More by LuceScrew

gir02021

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-16-2013 00:38:37 | More by gir02021

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -14%

04-15-2013 17:45:38 | More by Whiskeydeez

zonker17

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-15-2013 03:15:15 | More by zonker17

Juno_Malone

Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-15-2013 01:08:16 | More by Juno_Malone

Sark

Montana

3.48/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- hazy red brown, no head, even with vigorous pour

Smell- carmel and light chocolate notes, minimal hop characteristics

Taste- light toffee and chocolate, malts impart a little sweetness, bitterness comes on the mid tongue from the hops

Mouthfeel- medium bodied, crisp bitterness finish

Overall- Interesting take on an ESB with a nod to a brown

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:04:41 | More by Sark

handlerb

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a beautiful deep ruby color; blood red when held up to the light. Dark for an ESB, light for a brown.

S - notes of caramel/toffee highlighted with some biscuity tones. Minimal noble hop presence.

T - the smell didn't lie: a strong malt presence with highlights of dark caramel and crystal malts, maybe even a hint of dried fruit. Finishes with a bittering that lingers just long enough for me to want the next sip.

M - Solid, a bit on the dry side, but as expected with this nod the the ESB style

O - Good beer, interesting take on the style. I'll have no problem finishing the 6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 23:30:22 | More by handlerb

drunkciclista

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-01-2013 04:59:54 | More by drunkciclista

artoolemomo

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-01-2013 03:09:26 | More by artoolemomo

dante23x

New York

3/5  rDev -20.6%

03-31-2013 04:14:00 | More by dante23x

Rwainman

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -14%

03-30-2013 23:08:10 | More by Rwainman

JVoyager

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

03-27-2013 02:10:27 | More by JVoyager

krh

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

03-16-2013 01:20:34 | More by krh