E.S.B.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
 
United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 10%
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
5
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 02, 2012
Added:
Jan 09, 2010
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3 by InspectorBob from New Jersey

Jan 02, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by PaBeerLover from Pennsylvania

Dec 09, 2011
Photo of ColForbinBC
Reviewed by ColForbinBC from New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On cask, served in a pint

Poured a orange/copper with a slight haze. The creamy, off-white head was a full two+ fingers thick and stuck around forever. Loads of lacing.

Toasted biscuits and a good amount of floral hoppiness. Some caramel/toffee aromas as well. Nothing overly exciting, but pretty on for the style.

Caramel/toffee sweetness up front with earthy hops that lead way into more of a floral bouquet of hops. Some general spiciness and tangerine citrus on the finish. Not overly bitter, but definitely in the ballpark.

The cask conditioning did wonders on the mouthfeel. Smooth and lush and creamy in all the right places.

I enjoyed this offering on cask. It's refreshing to get a well made ESB in this setting.
Feb 15, 2010
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap @ Iron Hill Maple Shade on 1/10/09. Served in an oversized mug. ABV was listed as 5.3%.

Pours a clear copper, with a 1/2 finger of frothy off-white head. Retains with a fizzier look but still has a good flareup to it, leaving a strong cascade of lacing behind. The aroma smell of fresh buttered biscuits, which is quickly followed by an assertive blast of floral character and spice. This seems pretty spot on to me for an ESB.

Hops are earthy up front but still possesses a sharp spicy bite to it. The malts are much silkier feeling underneath with the buttery and bready feel of the Maris Otter malts giving this a balancing sticky sweetness. Spice and dryness dominate the finish but it isn't overbearing, giving this more of a nice satisfying end. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a tight sharpness to the carbonation that perfectly compliments the compact rigidness of the malts and hops and keeps the drinkibility up.

Pretty strong take on an ESB here, with some firm flavors and a crisp, quaffable nature taking the lead. Well done.
Jan 11, 2010
Photo of beerthulhu
Reviewed by beerthulhu from New Jersey

3.41/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
- Served on nitro tap @ location 1-9-10

A: Poured a medium aurbun with orange highlights accompanied by the standard, 1 finger frothy off white head that sticks around nicely. There is a strong sense of carbonation, particularly micro-bubbles packed in a dense state providing a heavy showering from within the glass that remained so for the entire drink. Once again the frothy head provided for a interesting lacing composed of descending concentric circles that were spaced about 1/8 inch apart down the entire glass. Really interesting and have to say probably a first for me.

S: I honestly had trouble deriving much from the nose coming off neutral overall with only the faintest regards of dry caramelized sweetness while lacking any bitterness.

T: The flavor was sweet upfront with a sense of caramelized dry whole grains balanced nicely by a good showing of bitterness that definitely made up for its absence on the nose. Dry pine cones, earthy brown leaves and a finishing touch of dry citrus makes for an earthy bitterness and appeal. The finishing swallow really brings out the bitterness of this beer.

M: The mouthful had a medium consistency, creamy and was soft on the tongue thanks in part to the nitro.

D: Drinkability was decent, fairly bitter making for an occasion re-order.
Jan 09, 2010
E.S.B. from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 3.6 out of 5 with 5 ratings