Sawtooth Ale - Left Hand Brewing Company

searsclone

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

bottle into a pint glass. caramel colored with a long lasting white head and an excellent lace left on the glass.

smell is faint grass and a bit of pine (edit: a different sample offered some caramel and a touch of dark chocolate in the nose)

taste is great. sweet caramel and sugar with a perfect just the right amount of hop to leave it perfectly balanced.

mouth feel is chewy and creamy with a crisp yet sticky finish. unique, but it works.

all around, a great beer. I would have given it even higher overall, if I would have gotten more aroma.(edit: upped the rating by 1/2 point due to the presence of a better aroma)

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 02:10:50 | More by searsclone

cutout

South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 0z. bottle poured into 20 oz. tulip glass.

A. Golden amber color 1/2 finger head creamy but not lingering.
S. Your nose comes alive with malty sweetness and carmel and biscuit overtones.
T. Such a well balance of hop and malt the hops being the real surprise from not picking them up on smell but o so present in subtle way.
M. A dry but sweet taste followed all the way through.
Being a Pale Ale and IPA fan this was a contrast but pleasant surprise to my palate and a beer i will reach for again .

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 04:13:34 | More by cutout

SadMachine

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes from 10/17/12

A- Pours a slightly opaque golden amber with a half-finger head that leaves some, but not much lacing.

S- Aroma is floral at first, giving way to sweet malts, caramel, bread, and a touch of yeast and piney hops.

T- Not a ton going on in the beginning and middle, but the finish explodes with flavor. Similar to the nose I get caramel, buttered bread, and resinous hops to balance the malts.

M- Mouthfeel is medium to thick.

0- A solid, tasty ESB that I wouldn't mind revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 17:52:03 | More by SadMachine

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.58/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 12oz bottle with a BB of March 2013. Picked up some time back from Trembling Madness in York. I like the colourful label, even though the imagery is odd.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A hazy brownish-amber with good carbonation. Yields a decent head of creamy off-white foam that lasts for a minute or two before reducing to a surface layer. Aroma of earthy, grainy malt with notes of caramel, wheat, stewed hops, dry yeast esters and a hint of brown sugar. A slight spiciness in the background (wheat influence?).

Tastes of grainy caramel malt with a dry, yeasty finish. Notes of wheat, caramel/toffee, yeast esters, stewed hops and mild brown sugar. Faint leafy hop overtones and subtle background spice. A restrained bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry and tingly, with good body and understated carbonation. Rather astringent, with an aftertaste of yeasty, wheaty malt and stewed hops.

I'm not loving this - its character and flavour just seem muddled. Distinctly malty, with plenty of earthy yeast and a notable wheat presence. The hops don't come across well and the bitterness seems lacklustre. I reckon the wheat is adding something unusual that doesn't belong with the style. Odd spicy hints in the background - similar to coriander. It seems well made but it just doesn't work; not a great ESB. I would expect an English example to be cleaner and boozier. No need to seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 02:23:54 | More by jazzyjeff13

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a conical pint glass.

The beer pours a decidedly amber orange. A soapy off white head recedes to a random patch of bubbles while nice sticky lacing makes world map rings on the glass.

The beer smells pretty pure and simple. Lots of hops after the initially subdued sweet malts. Some citrus and namely grapefruit peel come through.

The taste mimics the aroma but pulling no punches. A nice round mellow malt body that adds some needed sweetness, then a nice tangy, citrus hop follow through. There's a very faint fruit note coating the hops as to not make this too sharp. A somewhat tangy tea finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and sharp. Some dryness.

Overall, I like the balance in this. It's very straight-forward and simply in construction, and not at all bad to have a few.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 15:05:34 | More by JuicesFlowing

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This one is billed as an ESB. I've only had a few. Pours a dark, coppery, almost brown color, with little light reflecting. Head is low and rapidly fades. A bit hazy/cloudy, but nearing clear. Smells malty and fruity, with little hoppiness at all about, what you'd expect for an extra special bitter. Sweetness is low, and so is the bitterness which is present, and actually pronounced, but not nearly shouting. Carbonation is also in line with the style: low but fussy. Mouthfeel is wet, refreshing, and not as chewy as it is dark. Overall a solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 21:38:34 | More by Bitter_Echo

obrike

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought a single as part of a mix sixer at World Market in Round rock.

Poured a murky light caramel in my pint glass. Not much of a head on this one...what there is disappates quickly and leaves little to no lace.

Scent is not too bad. A sweet bready, malty scent. Not sure what to expect from this as I'm not used to this style.

Well looky here. This is pretty good. Big time caramel malts, toffee, buttery biscuit...darn tasty. Just a slight bitter hop at the end to kick things up. Quite carbonated, a bit dry on the finish, but a very drinkable beer. This could be a pretty sessionable beer will an abv just above 5 and a lot of good flavor.

Very well crafted beer here for those looking for something a little outside the norm of IPAs and stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 01:44:26 | More by obrike

GMB

Japan

4.28/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A standard pour of Left Hand Brewing Company's Sawtooth Ale yields a tawny body. Small bubbles are evenly dispersed throughout the body, and rise slowly to support the small but sticky head.

Mild floral notes mingle with the beer's malt-dominated nose.

The first sip is hoppier than expected. Neither bittering nor aroma hops are overpowering, but they are more palpable on the palate than in the nose. The Munich and black malts are very well balanced, offering rich, roasted flavors of browned butterscotch and caramel. Wheat malt is appreciable but not overpowering, thereby introducing some spicy notes that nicely complement the beer's balanced hops without overpowering the rich malts. Fresh hop aromas and flavors become increasingly palpable as the beer warms. The beer's hang is a nice mix of sweet and bitter, though, unlike the authors of Left Hand Brewing Company's website, I wouldn't describe it as "dry."

The beer's body is fuller and more luscious than I expected. The malt is substantial, and the beer's subtle carbonation yields a soft, creamy froth when the beer is swirled about the tongue. Both are nice complements to the beer's sweet, malty flavor.

Left Hand Brewing Company's Sawtooth is a balanced Extra Strong Bitter that compares favorably with the best representatives of the style. It offers a delicious, easy-drinking beer that is also sophisticated. The word "balance" describes this beer well. I'll be drinking this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 22:03:20 | More by GMB

tectactoe

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

This beer pours a dark amber/brown color that is pretty translucent. Head was dense and white, mellowed out pretty quickly but remained in a thin layer almost the entire way down. The nose gets hit with sweet fruits, citrus, sour tones, grains, and a bit of caramel and sugar. The taste was great, lots of toasted malts and caramel up front, followed by a sweet, nearly tart, rush of fruits and citrus notes with just a small touch of hop oil. High carbonation, along with the sour-tart aftertaste almost makes you want to pucker just a bit, but in a good way. Sawtooth Ale is vibrant and full of a wonderful flavor profile. The body is pretty thin and leaves a crispy, dry finish.

A very tasty ESB from Left Hand here. I will definitely be having this one again.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 03:39:31 | More by tectactoe

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Last beer of the evening. Going mostly lighter for the evening.

This smells like a stock ESB. I get a mix of sweet and sour notes. The nose is pretty light overall.

This also tastes like a clean ESB. I get that it would be hard to make a beer this consistently simple every time. i get the english malt there. Of course you also get the bitterness, but not as much as would normally be found in an ESB.

This is a very easy to drink ESB. I would order it again, but I don't feel like I need to go out of my way to get a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 02:01:46 | More by ummswimmin

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Amber brown with a beautiful creamy head. The head sticks to the side of the glass as the beer is emptied. The nose is subtle - to be expected with ESB. Mouthfeel is silky smooth. Hops are present on the tongue and some caramel or sugar that give it a sweet finish.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-23-2012 21:54:10 | More by Oakenator

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a hazy amber/ brownish color with a one finger head. The head did not have great retention and fades to give only a light amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is of some sweet caramel mixed with bitter earthy and herbal hop aromas and a strong malty base.

Taste – The taste has a nice malty backbone throughout; biscuit and bready in nature. This malty backbone starts out with a light amount of the caramel that was detected in the nose. Soon however the bitter comes to the tongue in the form of more earthy and herbal hop tastes. Toward the end a lighter citrus hop is also detected. While overall the hop tastes are light, they meld very well with the malty flavors and create overall a very smooth and refreshing flavor profile.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is thicker and more smooth then I would have anticipated at 5.3 % abv. This coupled with a slightly lower than average carbonation level creates a very easy drinking brew.

Overall – A quite delicious, easy drinking, and smooth beer. Very nice for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2012 23:47:49 | More by Darkmagus82

TownDunkel

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I recently have become a fan of Left Hand Brewing Company and wanted to try their ESB Sawtooth.

Appearance - A nice caramel to ruddy color pops on this beer. It is a great color that matches well to the beer style

Smell - A medium hoppy scent of normal beer. It may have been my allergies but I really didn't take up a scent when I smelled it

Taste - The Strong Bitter hits right up front with no apologies but then mellows out to a refreshing malty goodness.

Mouthfeel - The flavor sticks around and lets you know it was there. Not much head on this but the internal carbonation is just right for the beer.

Overall - A good summer beer, not sure if I would like this style on a cold night, but for a 100 evening it works

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 01:03:07 | More by TownDunkel

merc7186

New York

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer on nitro tap at Stoddards in Boston MA poured into a pint glass.

A: Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, Thick White Head, Some Lacing

S: Bitter Malts, Mild Caramel

T: Bready Malts, Floral, Mild Caramel

M: Great Nitro Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Creamy, Bitter

Overall, really solid bitter tamed down by the nitro tap, nicely done.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-22-2012 00:09:08 | More by merc7186

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from session notes.

Cloudy opaque medium amber in color with a flash head that lasts for less than a minute, minimal lacing. Medium levels of caramel apple aroma, and a whiff of floral notes, but not much else to the nose. However, the flavor had a nice mix of dry biscuit and caramel malt. I don't know why the biscuit didn't come through on the aroma for me... it's a mystery. Medium body and carbonation levels....nice gentle boiled bitter hop sustain on the finish with some 'hard water' mineral tones.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 19:25:45 | More by WastingFreetime

jhartley

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on April 9, 2012. Bottled on February 8, 2012,
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Pint glass.
A-Amber-brown clear color, foamy head that leaves nice lacing.

S-Malts, bready, small amount of hoppiness.

T-Almost lager like to me with the malts, nice bite on the finish and a little sweetness.

M-Very drinkable; light carbonation. Seems a little thin.

O-Very drinkable beer, almost like a lawnmower lager beer. Goes down easy and smooth. Not too impressed though.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 16:28:34 | More by jhartley

Arborescence

Finland

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber, thick and very creamy two finger head, probably due to the nitro.

Aroma: Malty and nutty, but fairly mild.

Taste: Malty and light, with just a hint of bitterness. Some caramel and toast in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Thick & creamy, very nice!

Overall: This is pretty good stuff from the nitro tap, making it creamy and smooth. Would make a good session ale as well.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-28-2012 01:31:45 | More by Arborescence

ChrisPratz

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

A: Nice deep copper coloring thats completely transparent, pours to about a fingers worth of head that dissipates to a very nice head of lacy foam that coats across and clings all the way down.

S: Very aromatic with sweet malts. Caramel, dark fruits, some grassy/grainyness. Catching light biscuit/breadyness and some buttered toast.

T: Some caramel and other sweet fruit flavors at the very beginning and then lots of hoppy bitterness. Not overpowering to the point where it isn't enjoyable, but its def the strongest of the flavors. Catching some toasted malts in the mix as well as some biscuityness towards the end works well with the dryness and alcohol flavors.

M: Light carbonation, but enough that it works well with the hops bittering. Left with a slight dry biscuit feeling/flavor on the tongue.

O: My first ESB brew, it wasn't as bitter as I expected. Malt and sweetness is noticeable, but I've come to expect this from the folks at Left Hand Brewing. They do a great job with all their beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 01:15:10 | More by ChrisPratz

TheCondor

Missouri

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

I knew nothing about the Left Hand Brewing Company outside their Milk Stout for the longest time, so when I stumbled upon a variety twelve pack of Left Hand products, I knew I had to have it! Side poured with standard vigor from the bottle into my Boulevard tulip.

Appearance – A nice copper color, with a little carbonation action and some haze inside the brew. The head is pretty stout, about two fingers, but dissipates quickly, leaving good lacing.

Smell – Sweetness, malty goodness, caramel, honey, and a little bit of alcohol and hops in there as well. Smells awesome, should be a treat to try out!

Taste – Dead on true to style, the beer has a sweetness which is balanced by the slightest hint of alcohol and hop bite. The sweet malts combine with the caramel and honey flavors, backed by a slight grapefruit wang.

Mouthfeel – Finishes nice and dry, clean, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, which I love.

Overall – This is a really good brew! I would highly recommend it, especially for fans of the style. I do not drink a whole lot of ESB, but it is a solid style that I like. The unique thing is this can be drank in basically hot or cold weather, inside or maybe even outside, at least in my opinion. Well-balanced, easily sessionable, and tasty, this is a brew you need to get ahold of.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:20:15 | More by TheCondor

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - light orangish amber with a good deal of carbonation rising to the top; soft, loose cap of white head that fades to a thin lacing.

S - faint bread, rather hoppy, citrusy

T - bready, faint caramel, mild pine, faint citrus, decent bitter finish

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This is a nicely flavored, malty, quaffable beer. It has a nice hop character for balance. It's definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 00:10:25 | More by tdm168

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P:  A thin layer of bubbly head that tops a copper body. Clear but has many specks floating around to slightly haze the appearance. 

S:  Sweet toasted malts, caramel, fresh baked honey rolls, apricots, herbs and  a sweet alcohol bite.  The honey bread is the main attraction. 

T/M:  Taste follows the nose But introduces honey few melon, grapefruit and dried hay.  Light- medium body with a carbonated sting. Finish is slightly dry with caramel red delicious apples. 

O:  Mellow and well mixed this ESB brings it home. Refreshing with great drinkability. I could knock several of these out without in a hurry. Highly recommend 

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 00:18:37 | More by Hopswagger

grandbeerdaily

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Smooth and refreshing but packed with flavor.

Golden brown with a sizable off white head. Clear and moderately bubbly.

Malt dominated smell like bread with spicy floral notes that finish off pine and heather?

Caramel and toast flavor. Balances by a smooth bitter. Spice and earthy hops are mild and inter mix with the bready flavors well.

Smooth mouth feel with the right amount of bubbles. Invites you to drink more and enjoy. If you haven't you should

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:05:02 | More by grandbeerdaily

donmonkey1

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a medium bown color. The white head is small and dissolves too fast. The lacing is nice though and the carbonation looks good.

Smell: Sweet malt like a caramel taffy smell.

Taste: Nice floral hop/sweet malt balance.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, ok carbonation.

I really like this beer. It's sweet and hoppy at the same time. Very flavorfull. I'll be drinking this from time to time.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:02:02 | More by donmonkey1

xybreeder

Louisiana

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a beautiful dark orange/amber color, almost ruby. Medium to small head with light lacing.
S - Hop characters present on the nose, some citrus and honey smells.
T - Well balanced, picking up both malt & hop profiles fairly evenly. Slight grapefruit and grassy flavors present as well.
M - Light body with low carbonation, goes down nice and smooth.
O - An OK brew, not bad but not great, expected a little more flavor profile from LHB on this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 23:25:32 | More by xybreeder

StoneTSR

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

APPEARANCE: Light amber in color and crystal clear with a pretty strong, white head and creamy that stuck around for a little while, but not too long. Hundreds of bubbles pop up from the bottom giving this beer a very lively look. The creamy, foamy head provides stellar lacing.

SMELL: Not much in terms of aroma. A very faint earthy, hoppy smell barely tickles the nose.

TASTE: Deep caramel malt is the most noticeable flavor in this beer. This is clearly a more traditional English take on the style than it is American. Some hops are present, providing a slight bit of bittering balance.

MOUTHFEEL: Sweet and sticky up front, but with a much dryer and cleaner finish.

OVERALL: This is a pretty good example of an E.S.B. and as one of Colorado’s most widely available beers it’s an excellent go-to beer almost anywhere in the state.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 05:26:49 | More by StoneTSR