ESB Special Ale - Ska Brewing Co.

chocosushi

Oklahoma

4.73/5  rDev +32.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Unibroue Tulip
A ~ Pours a copper-hued Amber. Crystal clear clarity. Cream colored head with great retention & little globs of baby swiss style lacing.

S ~ A melange Roasted Corn, Yeastbreads, Rain-soaked grains...orange zest & other fruits...very floral & enticing.

T ~ Wow. Soft toffee with Crisp apples...mellow Blood & Bitter Orange notes with touches of berries & toast with jam midpalette. .Hops are light with apricot & mild pepper notes...cooked peaches after some warmth...

M ~ Very very balanced. Medium-light body & very light on the palette. Faint spice. Juicy fruit flavors. Carb is fine, but not abundant. Perfect balance for the style.

D ~ Best American ESB I have ever had, HANDS DOWN. Literally could drink this anytime or any where. Supreme Craftsmanship.
Thanks Gawnphishin!!!

Serving type: can

02-29-2012 03:33:00 | More by chocosushi

sooner961

Oklahoma

4.5/5  rDev +26.4%

05-18-2013 01:46:23 | More by sooner961

bigbluebeerguy

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%

05-14-2013 02:54:53 | More by bigbluebeerguy

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.71/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Craft in a can: the unskunkable beer. Unfortunately, there’s no birthdate on this beer, so I’m still not sure this one is in perfect condition; at any rate, it’s good to see a can of Ska in Indiana.

A: Crystal clear golden-orange, kissed by the light no matter the angle. A rush of fizz produces a meager head of tan bubbles, which disappears almost entirely in a matter of seconds; globs of lacing all the way around.

S: Sweet malts give off a candy-like aroma; with notes of caramel, candy corn, butterscotch, and the unmistakable toffee aroma of Maris Otter all acting in harmonious intensity, there’s no denying that this is a malty, malty beer. Complementing the heavier syrup flavors are some hops: cherry and lemon-lime, adding to the candy character.

T: A strong base of toasted malt, oak, and butter-brown sugar, all reminiscent of autumn food and drink – a distinction cemented by allspice and toffee flavors. This palate is unapologetically malt-forward, relishing in the thick sweetness of such a low alcohol beer. After a fading transition of crisp cereal grain and biting vanilla liqueur, a dry spell comes on, with hops tasting of astringent black tea and catty lemon peel. Finishes in that subtly dry state, but with an air of burnt toast aftertaste.

M: Considering the ABV and the packaging, this has a relatively full texture. While it’s by no means as creamy as a many ESBs, it’s certainly not watery. Low carbonation.

O: An enjoyable can of English-style ale, packing a ton of flavor into just 12 oz. of low-alcohol product. If getting a six-pack didn’t involve crossing state lines, I’d have no qualms about buying a good bit of this.

Serving type: can

05-13-2013 21:05:25 | More by BarryMFBurton

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%

05-03-2013 06:47:03 | More by spycow

dmlasp

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

04-27-2013 23:15:31 | More by dmlasp

ButterflyBethie

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

04-13-2013 04:32:00 | More by ButterflyBethie

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz can served in a Sam Adams perfect pint

A - Pours a clear amber body with fleeting head.

S - Grainy biscuit, cereal malt, red wheat, clean bread, slightly toasted.

T - Follows the nose with cereal grains, lightly toasted caramel, moderate citrus hops wrap around providing a solid bitterness. The grainy malt holds strong against the semi-aggresive hops. Some floral hops and vanilla come out when warmed up. Finishes dry.

M - Creamy carbonation, grainy, wet the dry on the finish. Light to medium body.

A solid all around ESB. Hops are more pronounced than it's English counterparts. The citrus plays off the malt well and makes for a hopped up bready ESB.

Serving type: can

04-07-2013 03:57:37 | More by StaveHooks

Hollanthropist

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +12.4%

04-05-2013 17:52:22 | More by Hollanthropist

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.54/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

a clean copper pour with a finger of bright white head which left behind some nice lacing and a nice white foamy ring around the rim of the glass. the smell is of malt mostly, tea leaves, slight bitterness reminiscent of grapefruit peel. the flavor, again is mostly malt, not getting much of the bitterness until the aftertaste, but it isn't of grapefruits this time around it is subtle and almost grassy herbal like from the hops. medium in body with mid carbonation. this is a decent esb from ska, i can see this honestly being excellent on cask, however out of a can (which i think is a bit too cold) is not as great as it probably could be.

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 07:26:14 | More by facundoCNB

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

03-16-2013 03:18:12 | More by williamjbauer

blakelive784

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -22.8%

03-11-2013 03:07:34 | More by blakelive784

Duvel

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +12.4%

03-09-2013 15:47:16 | More by Duvel

nzerbe

New York

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

03-04-2013 02:40:01 | More by nzerbe

ssimpson89

Illinois

4/5  rDev +12.4%

03-02-2013 17:14:36 | More by ssimpson89

alexipa

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +26.4%

02-26-2013 22:15:13 | More by alexipa

blinker97

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

02-26-2013 13:48:38 | More by blinker97

L_E_X

Arizona

4/5  rDev +12.4%

02-24-2013 19:39:43 | More by L_E_X

RudnicsMEB

Colorado

3/5  rDev -15.7%

02-21-2013 03:25:29 | More by RudnicsMEB

rkarimi

Colorado

2/5  rDev -43.8%

02-15-2013 22:06:58 | More by rkarimi

Sodenssuds

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%

02-15-2013 21:56:24 | More by Sodenssuds

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.58/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 355ml can with a BB of Nov 2012, so it's a little out of date. Picked up from Trembling Madness in York a while back and stored in my garage. Hopefully it's still in good condition - I'm interested to see how an ESB made by a US brewer turns out. Lip Up Fatty...

Poured into a tulip pint glass. Can conditioned. A hazy orange-amber hue with medium carbonation and visible sediment. Yields a decent head of creamy white foam that lasts for a few minutes before settling as a surface layer. Aroma of grainy malt with hints of caramel, fruity ale yeast, faint sugar, earthiness and stewed hops. Slightly sweet, with subtle undertones of pine resin.

Tastes of grainy caramel malt with a dry bitter finish. Notes of caramel, mild brown sugar, fruity ale yeast, subtle pine, earthiness, husks and stewed leaves. A restrained bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and slightly spicy, with decent carbonation and nice body. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of caramel malt, ale yeast and faint pine.

A solid brew that goes down nicely. The aroma and flavour are primarily malt-driven, though a hint of hoppy pine makes itself known. The body is lovely and velvety-smooth. It doesn't quite fit the profile of an English ESB - the malt character is less fruity and complex than it should be and the aromatic hops don't match the style either. However, it is certainly very drinkable and well worth sampling if you should come across it.

Serving type: can

02-03-2013 01:20:52 | More by jazzyjeff13

ruckus232

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%

01-31-2013 02:01:05 | More by ruckus232

Acuity

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

01-24-2013 04:40:03 | More by Acuity

jonbeer89

Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%

01-24-2013 03:59:03 | More by jonbeer89