Organic ESB - Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

Soneast

Wisconsin

2.4/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours somewhat hazy, copper color with a dense, 2-finger thick, cream colored head, with good retention.

Aroma is somewhat grainy, some hints of caramel and malt sweetness and green fruit esters.

The flavor is definitely balance towards the sweet side, a sort of sickly sweetness and mild caramel flavors some butteriness, an unusual tartness and next to no hop character

Hmmm....Bitter....or Sweeter? This beer has no hop presence, save for a mild, barely balancing bitterness. The rest is sweetness and not really a good sweetness, it's kinda tart and unrefined. Not a great ESB or beer IMO.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 23:31:37 | More by Soneast

Wasatch

Utah

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to beerwolf77 for this one.

Bottled During: Nov 2009, Wk 3

Pours a nice cloudy copper color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger creamy off-white head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with some nice spice notes, and lots of caramel. The taste is malty, slightly bitter, slightly spicy, with a good dose of caramel. Medium body. Drinkable, not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2010 23:19:14 | More by Wasatch

sweemzander

Illinois

2.03/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Bottled week 1, March 2010. Thanks to BeerFMAndy for the bottle!

(A)- Pours a clear amber color that produced a quickly dissipating white head.

(S)- Sweet corn meal

(T)- Tons of corn husk & bitter honey. Some hay.

(M)- A low carbonation level. Very malty with little to no hop presence. Sweet. I thought this was an ESB?

(D)- Definitely not what I would expect from an ESB. I appreciate breweries trying to make more organic beers, but this one just doesnt do it for me, particularly when it doesnt fit the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 17:25:19 | More by sweemzander

camp0474

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a light copper/caramel color with white head.

S: Smells like malt with some hints of herbal citrus and pale fruitiness. Picking up a bit of spicy yeast too.

T: Some sweet and sour fruit flavors balanced with a crisp bitterness. Toasted malt flavors add body and caramel/butterscotch sweetness.

M: Light Body and carbonation with a somewhat dry finish.

D: Balance of sweet and bitter makes this pretty drinkable. Personally I have not tried too many beers of this style but I may try more now.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 02:18:27 | More by camp0474

jwc215

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled during February notched on label:

Pours copper with a thin off-white head that settles to a lasting thin wisp. Some dotted lacing sticks.

The smell is of mild herbal, hint of citrus - spicing with slight toast and a light caramelish maltiness. A hint of butter is there.

The taste is thin - light malt, a touch of slightly salted buttered bread. Mild herbal bitter touch comes in late - more in aftertaste than in the actual taste, with watery tea. A mild ESB, if an ESB at all, though some alcohol does show.

Like everything else about this beer, the body is on the weak side, though manages to hold up enough. I would have been happy with a single, but the six-pack won't go to waste...

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 00:02:18 | More by jwc215

xjapanhomebrewx

Japan

4.1/5  rDev +25%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a beautiful amber with tones of caramel, looks like a big candy apple in a glass.

S: smells fruity and tangy like apple juice, lots of characteristic English yeast aromas as well.

T: fruity sweetness at first that transitions into a smooth, crisp bittering. some great malty flavors in there. toast with butter dipped in a cup of cider with a side of strong cheese. lots of flavor here.

M: very smooth throughout, medium-bodied with the alcohol hanging out in the background which really actually enhances the overall mouthfeel.

D: satisfying and delicious, this is one beer that I wouldn't mind getting stuck on a desert island with for the rest of my life.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 04:07:58 | More by xjapanhomebrewx

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my pint glass the beer is partly cloudy golden orange. Full off white three finger head. Huge globs of lace left all around the glass.

The aroma is lightly hopped. Tart apple cider seems to be the closest I can compare this to.

The flavor seems to hit the mark. Some initial sourness gives way to a smooth malt finish. If an ESB is supposed to be balalnced this is well done.

Medium to light body. Moderate carbonation.

Overall a nice beer from Lakefront. It took me long enough to finally review this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 01:45:38 | More by beerwolf77

nocheinsbitte

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

had this from a 12-oz bottle.

A: Pour a nice cloudy, orange tint that has good carbonation. Lacing throughout, I really like the look of this bier.
S: A mild sweet and moderately hoppy bier. Very pleasing
T: Follows the aroma well. A very nice sweet hoppy taste that has a mild bitter aftertaste that reminds you it is an ESB.
M: Very pleasing
D: Easy to drink, could have many of these without issue.

Overall, I really like this bier and recommend it to everyone. Enjoy, Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2010 03:29:45 | More by nocheinsbitte

minnunderground

Wisconsin

3.3/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a nice honey color billowy off white head 1 finger, sticks around for a decent amount of time.
S-bready biscuit malt, maybe a slight hint of hops
T-kinda like the smell bready malts and maybe at the end a tad bit of bitter. Really has more aftertaste than up-front taste.
M-Decently carb, kinda light tho
D- Pretty drinable and light, no overpowering flavors.

So I don't really know if being organic has anything to do with this beer. Flavor is kind off dull...maybe from not being genetically freaky malt and hops?

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 06:37:00 | More by minnunderground

stakem

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours an amber color with less than a finger of head that has a slight yellowish tint to it. The head has almost no retension whatsoever. Lacing is nonexistant. Initial smell suprised the hell out of me as it was just like vinegar that eventually gave way to a more pine-like aroma. Taste is a little bitter upfront with the pine taste and a slight bit of citrus in there as well. Really a crisp finish with this and a lingering taste of the citrus/pine combo. Feel of this beer is quite light. Little to no malt presence here but picking up on a bit of grain/biscuit as it warms. This is just leaving me looking for something more in this beer, but it just isn't delivering.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2009 01:43:12 | More by stakem

blackearth

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased from Trader Joes. Pours a deep copper body with a thick, frothy off-white head. Aroma is sweet caramel. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Flavors of sweet toffee upfront with some malt spiciness leads to a low bitterness at mid tongue followed by sweetness again in the finish. Drinkability is very good, but I'll like to see more hop aroma and flavor from this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2009 21:28:01 | More by blackearth

Tone

Missouri

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

Pours a hazy, copper color with lighter golden color along the bottom of the glass. 1/2 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and decent lacing. Smells of pale hops, yeast, grain, herbs, and slight spice. Fits the style of an ESB. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of pale hops, herbs, slight spice, and slight yeast. Overall, a decent brew, but the blend hurt by being too heavy on the herbs.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2009 22:12:27 | More by Tone

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark amber color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mild, some notes of hops. Taste is refreshing, hops with some malts. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and has good drinkability. Overall this is a fairly good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 00:25:27 | More by tone77

Knecht

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Had to force the pour just to get a half-finger head, which disappeared almost immediately. Has a nice bronze color that looks fairly inviting. The aroma is sweet and malty... not a whole lot going on.

Taste is of sweet malt, but has enough hop undertones to balance the beer pretty nicely. It has a medium-light body and decent carbonation (maybe just a tad bit under-carbonated). Overall, it's pretty decent stuff... if I ever get in the mood for an E.S.B. (which , admittedly, is not often), I'd go for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 17:34:58 | More by Knecht

GarrisWH

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a clear reddish-copper color with one finger of off-white head that leaves pretty solid lacing behind. Retains a decent cap throughout drinking.

S - Not a whole lot going on in the smell. Slightly sweet, toasted caramel malt aromas with a hint of tart fruitiness in there as well. A little bit of earthy, slightly floral hoppiness hiding in the aroma as well.

T - Pretty similar to the smell. Some bready, toasted, somewhat sweet malt flavors up front. A bit of tart fruitiness comes through in the middle. Pretty weak hop character, that adds a little bit of bitterness, but doesn't really balance out the breadiness all that well. Finish isn't very clean and has a "dirty", earthy characteristic.

M - Light bodied and somewhat watery. Moderate level of carbonation.

D - This one is pretty much average all around. It's not horrible, but it really isn't that great and doesn't leave me wanting to drink another at all. Pretty glad I just bought a single, because I wasn't all that impressed.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2009 05:03:24 | More by GarrisWH

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into my nonic pint glass. The bitter appears a murky amber akin to iced tea with an inch of fluffy off white foam. A decent looking pour. Nose and flavor are of toasted bread, sweet and fruity, caramel, a touch of nuts. Medium in both body and carbonation. Not too shabby.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2009 04:23:15 | More by ClockworkOrange

nightcrawler

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The beer pours with a large, long-lasting head. However, it has little smell. It just smells like....beer...

It has a really good grainy taste with a small following of hops. The mouthfeel is surprisingly watery considering how thick the head is. But overall, it is a very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2009 02:17:20 | More by nightcrawler

tatoodkelt

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 8/1/09- from notes.

Dating says it was bottled in the second week of June.

12pz brown bottle poured into a shaker glass.

A- A lively clear amber with yellow hightlights, a fluffy off white one finger head.

S- Very muted. Sweet bread was about all I got.

T- A little malty sweet, a little fruity, not as bitter as I expected.

M- Fairly tingley from the carbination, medium bodied.

D- Pretty easy to drink, but I probably wouldnt have more than one or two in a sitting. Still not found a good sessionable ESB.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 17:20:29 | More by tatoodkelt

bamadog

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of this ESB this weekend on a trip to Blacksburg, VA at the Vintage Cellar. Pour is from the bottle to a pint glass.

Appearance: Pour is a nice deep coppery color and has some lighter peachy highlights when held to the light; body is cloudy and there appears to be sediment floating throughout; body pours a little viscous, actually; comes with a short 1/2 finger head that slowly dwindles to a full, but uneven head that is a very light khaki color; moderate carbonation bubbling up; faint strings and spots of lacing hold to the sides of the glass.

Smell: Smell is of ripe fruity/apple or, strangely enough, artifical grape esters (comes across as a little acidic) and some sweet caramel malts - almost reminds me a bit of a caramel apple (?).

Taste: Flavors are definitely that acidic fruity taste and the sweet caramel malts; aftertaste is a bit of bitter, acidic apple flavor as well; slight presence of alcohol, which I think is a little odd as the ABV is pretty small.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is quite strong and keeps the mouth and causes strong tingling, even comes across as a bit sharp on the tongue; enough left behind to create a bit of a stickiness; and overall the palate is left a little tingly once it all goes down.

Drinkability: It's pretty decent, the flavors, while albeit a little "off" as there's that bit of artifical grape aspect to it, the acidic fruitiness is actually alright and the malty backing is quite pleasant; the carbonation could be just a bit softer, but still not too bad. I wouldn't mind picking up another one or two bottles of this on my next trip to VA.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2009 23:50:42 | More by bamadog

thekevlarkid

Maryland

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Out of a bottle this beer was a very cloudy amber color with lots of visible sediment. The two-finger, fluffy, beige head retained pretty well as a cap and left very good lacing in curtains at first, then bands. The aroma was of light citrus hops, spices, grapefruit, caramel malt, and a little doughy malt. The flavors were a little odd, starting with hoppy bitterness it then went into a little spice followed by doughy and biscuity malt. The finish was crisp but the flavors just didn't seem to come together properly. The mouthfeel was good, the body medium and the carbonation light.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 21:52:53 | More by thekevlarkid

brewmudgeon

Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

lakefront organic esb
3.5 somewhat murky copper iced tea color. short head sprints to a cap. good sign for a lakefront beer, at least.
4 ok, well, this smells like ... a pina colada! tok a bit to place, but now it's quite clear. grateful it doesn't smell like their pilsner or dark lager.. this is pineapple, coconut, and freakin rum. not expected, but not bad.
3.5 on tasting, this is clearly in the same general vein as their cattale ale. but sweeter and with hints of toffee and caramel. lemony finish. not spectacular or very interesting, but not bad.
3.5 a bit watery, yet the co2 adds a nice creaminess.
3.5-4 one of the best lakefront beers i've had so far, though that's not saying all that much really.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 01:39:29 | More by brewmudgeon

Risser09

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner - fridge - bottled 3rd week October 2008

Appearance: Pours a transparent copper color with orange highlights, lots of carbonation and 1" head. It's eggshell in color and lasts a short while. It leaves no lace behind.

Smell: Especially nutty aroma of almond, biscuit, fresh cereal, toast without any hops.

Taste: Slight bitterness is mineral and earthy, with a well attenuated malt flavor. Caramel, almond and pinchy pecan. Yeast meets alcohol in the lively finish.

Mouthfeel: Lots of attacking carbonation lasts way into the finish and all the way into the stomach. Not at all sweet, with some bitterness. Medium body.

Drinkability: A great E.S.B., a style that doesn't get much attention these days. These were the session beers just 20 years ago, and I sure could go for another. Nicely done, and organic, too!

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 13:57:10 | More by Risser09

BierFan

Michigan

4/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass.

One finger of tan foam on a fairly hazy rusty brown body. The lacing is okay. Syrupy candy-like malty sweet aroma. I'm enjoying the heck out of this beer right now. Really smooth and easy-drinking. Quality all around.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 05:25:13 | More by BierFan

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Comes out of the bottle a beautiful clear copper, almost mahogany, with a thick sandy off-white head that dissipates fairly quickly. Aroma is malty with an undertone of cinnamon and a sharp hint of fruit. Flavor is on the thin side, strongly but not fiercely bitter. Texture is smooth and just a bit watery, not very tingly. Not the best I have had, but acceptable.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2009 19:45:54 | More by Cyberkedi

williamherbert

New York

3.23/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The appearance is red-orange. Hazy, fluffy head. Nice carbonation. Nice enough.

The smell is a pleasant English-style ale aroma. Bready malt with a mild estery hop. Some unusual musty funk; maybe due to age.

The taste is decent mild ESB-flavor. Subduied hop, more of a bready malt. Surprising alcohol at the end. Twinge of spicy Belgian malt, but just for a sec. About average, mostly because of a slightly musty aftertaste.

The feel is creamy, almost in the vein of Guinness. Very substantial. Warming alcohol. It's an English-style all the way. Has a weird, musty funk, but drinkable if you don't think about that part.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2009 15:41:27 | More by williamherbert