Organic ESB - Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Delicate, lightly sweet, caramel-accented and subtly toasty malts combine with a thin thread of yeasty fruitiness and billowing grassy and floral hops to give this crystal-clear, dark amber brew a quaffability that's worth noting. It's well-balanced and drinkable with just enough character to keep you coming back for more. It makes an excellent session ale; serves as a great introductory beer to the uninitiated; and also works well for a backyard BBQ or sunny sporting event. It's worth trying; and it gets bonus points for being organic!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2005 18:34:12 | More by NeroFiddled

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

3.65/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's a hazy orangish-amber color with a thin tan head that does not stick around long. A few bubbles meander up from the bottom of the glass.

Aroma is thick with earthy malt and earthier hops. This baby smells like mother earth herself. Natural like all the beers I enjoy, but this one has a different nose. Some bright flowery hop notes as well. The taste is balanced nicely, a bit of a grainy malt taste and some nice flowery hop character. A little spice and alcohol as well. Interesting for sure. Not really along the lines of any E.S.B. that I have had before, but who cares? It's organic!

Well OK that truthfully means nothing to me I was just being funny. I do find this beer different and interesting nonetheless. Pretty good body with a smooth feel only giving way to a carbonation burn right at the end.

Drinkable...? Sure thing.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2009 18:48:06 | More by ZimZamZoom

dirtylou

Washington

3.63/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz single, Woodman's West

I purchase a lot of organic food products (mostly produce) so i'd like to give more organic beers a chance

appearance: pours into a mash house pint glass, clear amber-copper, decent beige head with a standard amount of lace for an esb

smell: sweet malt aromas, chalky, noticeable bitterness, red apple, light tart aroma, biscuit-esque, caramel, earthy

taste: I have had a lot of bad esb's lately...this one is better than most of those...it still has the vegetal and metallic traits that bother me about the style but they arent as defined...sweet caramel malt, tart and tangy, fruity apple/pear, nutty, bready and biscuity.

mouthfeel: tart, medium-light body

drinkability: fairly good...actually one of the better organic beers (insert grain of salt) i have tried

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2006 23:53:38 | More by dirtylou

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer is absolutely crystal clear. Amber color with definite orange highlights. Nice frothy white head. A bit of a fruitiness on the nose. Some definite earthy hop tones on the tongue. A shallow bitterness. Very easy drinking. A fair amount of carbonation. A little too much for my liking in a bitter. Nicely balanced. Has a unique taste that I think stems from the organic nature of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2002 00:13:11 | More by Bighuge

Tballz420

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer has a dark orange/brown body, with a small, off-white head topping it. The scent is floral/bitter hop, with a buttery tone to it. The taste has a buttery feel, caramel malts, bitter hops. Somewhat of a weird flavor present like tobacco or well-water or something. The organic aspect leads to a unique taste, but i cant say its the best in the land.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2004 22:52:12 | More by Tballz420

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip

A: Warm amber-orange. 1 finger white head. Falls quickly. Spotty lace.

S: Bready caramel overtones. Citrus (orange) hop.

T: Very malty. Biscuit and multigrain bread. Bitterness finishes but not at all aggressive. Light aromatic spice, buckwheat, sone fruit. Very good drinking ESB.

M: High in initial carbonation. Drying on the finish.

D: Good for the style. Not overly hopped. Well balanced and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 01:44:31 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

plaid75

New York

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a dark copper hue with a half finger foamy head. There was little retention and lacing.

The smell was a very subtle graininess cut by a mild flowery hop aroma.

The taste featured a strong biscuity body with a spattering of bittering hops. There was a definite sweetness up front. Bit of a light roasted grain aftertaste.

The mouthfeel was very clean with a nice biting carbonation.

Overall a very drinkable ESB. Unique because it is organic, however does not stand out among other ESBs.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2006 03:53:52 | More by plaid75

nickfl

Florida

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Small, one finger head of off white foam that settles quickly to a thick film. Nice, amber/ orange color with excellent clarity.

S - Malty and sweet with some light caramel. Mild apple ester aroma with just a hint of hops.

T - Malt flavor dominates up front with some raisiny caramel and a bit of fruitiness. Roast grain flavors appear in the middle, with chalky bitterness. Heavy maltiness in the finish, not quite fully balanced by the hop character.

M - Medium carbonation and medium body with a sweet finish and chalky, slightly astringent aftertaste.

D - Nice malt and hop character, but a bit sweet for me. Overall, it is a reasonable session beer and a nice ESB.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2008 02:58:59 | More by nickfl

Lexluthor33

New York

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pour amber color with a small head and lace.The aroma is of caramel malts,light hops and fruits.
The taste is sweet with hops,caramel, malts and a slightly bitter finish.
Good carbonation and decent balance. The malts in the feel are ever present and almost give you a toffee hint. Not dry and has a touch of oil.

Notes: Buy it,try it and just remember that it is a decent brew and not to expect anything special. The organic label may be a temptation for a lady friend who is not so much into beer. So keep a few around. I thought it was very sweet and caramelized.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2008 15:49:28 | More by Lexluthor33

CalhounJohn

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a beer that was what I expected. It's sold as an organic beer, so that makes me question whether or not it has the needed qualities of a fully rounded good beer. It looked good, poured from the bottle just fine and had a nice aroma. The taste was where it started to fall apart. It lacked the depth of flavor and full bodiness that the name (secondarily) implied. It sounds as though I'm very disappointed with this beer, which I'm not, but a beer being marketed as an "organic" isn't destined to be great and this beer proves that.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 22:49:04 | More by CalhounJohn

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

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

A hazed amber body sports an off-white head and very little lacing.
The aroma is light and of malt and, perhaps, a bit of light hops. Medium body and a crisp mouthfeel; decent carbonation. The taste is nicely bittered by the hops and have a pleasant aftertaste. Easily drinkable in quantity.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2004 01:12:41 | More by AtLagerHeads

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice, but not special, fruity-malty-lightly bitter English-style ale that is easy enough to drink. Only a light grain flavor and feel gets in the way.

A veyr froathy pour brings about a lot of lace above the long-retaining off white foam. Brilliantly clear with a medium copper color. A very handsome looking beer.

Fruity and malty to the nose. Caramel and bread crust set the stage while a non-descript fruity note (fruity Pebbles cereal) gives a bit of complexity to the scent. Lightly earthy/grassy hops can be found in the background.

Flavors behave much the same. But the caramel/toasty malts are accompanied by a grain husk flavor that keeps the malts from giving the deep malt character that is expected. Caramel flavor doesn't have the depth of English Pale Ales. Hops are timid and weak in flavor but appropriate in bitterness. Quite fruity-sweet throughout with a sweet bread finish.

Froathy early and then transitioning to an easily quaffable finish, albeit somewhat grainy.

This ESB is nice in the fruity/hoppy foot forward but I would like to see a more complex malt profile that perhaps a Marris Otter malt can give. Also, more East Kent Goldings or Fuggle hop aroma and flavor could be a welcome.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2006 17:23:01 | More by BEERchitect

deltatauhobbit

Maine

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

Pours a dark amber/copper color with minimal head and no lacing.

Smell is pretty much all caramel malt.

Taste is malty at first, good crisp mouthfeel, good caramel presence, slight citrusy bitterness at the end, in the end though it's fairly one-sided.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 02:18:50 | More by deltatauhobbit

iceball585

New York

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

A- Light brown color, semi-cloudy, thin cream color head that lowered to a thin ring around the glass

S- Fruity, grains, buttery, biscuits, hint of earthy hops

T- Light fruits, yeast, toasted grains, light malts, grassy, bitter hops

M- Medium body, light/medium carbonation, smooth, crisp bite

D- Worth trying

Didn't really taste like most of the ESBs that I've had before but still wasn't bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2008 23:55:36 | More by iceball585

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

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

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

Wildman

Ohio

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

This beer poured a dark golden color and formed a nice white head that subsided quickly and left some lace. The aroma was of hops and malt with a slight fruit aspect. The flaor was of hops and malt with citrus overtones. The finish was astrigent, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2002 15:44:04 | More by Wildman

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured into the glass crystal clear medium copper wtih an off-white and low head which lasted well to lace the glass.

The aroma was fruity and estery with some earthy and slightly grassy hop contributions and a light corny nature. As the beer warmed caramel malt was notable but the sulphur continued to increase.

The flavor was full of corn with some earth hop character and a nice bittering. Some caramel malt was definitely present and prevalent.

The finish was just dry with a lasting bit of corny character into the aftetaste and beyond. The body was medium and the mouthfeel, the best thing about the beer, was creamy and smooth. The aroma continued to decline as the beer warmed the mouthfeel was good, but the flavor was just ok.

12 ounce bottle

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2006 21:36:45 | More by GCBrewingCo

Atlas1

Texas

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

This was my first of the Lakefront beers. I haven't seen them sold around Washington, DC much before, so I'd thought I'd give this one a try. A pleasant discovery to say the least. Pours a nice golden amber color with a 1.5 finger head. Not much lace left down the glass, but a thin film of head stayed with with me a while longer than expected. Nice citrusy aroma with distinct notes of orange, lemon and tangerine. Taste was light, but malty. Not so much what I'd call an ESB, but definitely not bad. The bitterness kicks in on the back of the tongue after you've already swallowed. Sturdy mouthfeel. Overall, a solid session brew. I'm not so sure it deserves to be called an ESB, but it's a nice beer nevertheless. One of the "certified organic" beers out there, like Bison, or Wolaver's (which does an excellent Oatmeal Stout, by the way).

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 23:40:00 | More by Atlas1

ElGordo

Oregon

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

Pours an orange-golden color with a faint white head that disappears almost immediately. Aroma of lightly sweet, biscuity malt, with some mildly fruity hops blending in. Palate is again mildly sweet, with notes of biscuit and light, almost tropical fruit. Body is smooth and just a tad creamy. An easy-drinking ale, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2007 07:03:18 | More by ElGordo

shadow1961

Minnesota

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

Lakefront ESB pours a finger of rocky head over a cloudy
peach colored brew. Carbonation is not active at all, and the
nose is ale yeast, malt and herbal hop. The flavor is mellow
English malt with that herbal hop, with a more grassy hop
finish. The mouthfeel is round yet crisp due to that hop sharp-
ness, which while all present, is never overpowering. Balanced
and pleasant if you like your brown ales a little hoppier. USD
certified organic, it you're keeping score.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2007 10:02:43 | More by shadow1961

Deuane

Pennsylvania

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

A-Golden orange with a nice medium off-white head.

S-Biscuity grain with a faint wafting of earthy hops.

T-Earthy bitterness upfront fades quickly into the sweet notes of caramel malt and biscuit grain.

M-Medium-light body with a nice crispness, maybe a bit thin feeling.

D-Not bad...but a bit too malty, not enough hop bite and a little thin for my liking. Certainly drinkable but could be more.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2008 00:33:44 | More by Deuane

roadhouse

Florida

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

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appears a slightly hazy orange-copper color with a one finger off-white head that sinks down to a cap that stays with it all the way. Very minimal lacing.

Aroma is mild but has notes of toasted malt, caramel malt, and some floral hops.

Taste is also quite mild. Starts out with some caramel malt and bready, toasty flavors. Finishes up with some tartness that reminds me of green grapes.

Mouthfeel is medium-light, a bit watery maybe, but it is very smooth drinking.

I haven't had a great amount of ESBs to compare this to, but I thought it was pretty good. Probably the best tasting organic beer I have had at least. It's not gonna blow you away but it's certainly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2008 22:11:22 | More by roadhouse

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