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

pmcadamis

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - A big solid finger of creamy meringue froth rests atop this golden bronze amber brew. In fact, this beer is much the same color as the can when not held to the light. It's more gold when in direct light. The head shows some really nice retention and leaves a good deal of lace on the glass. This is a looker!

S - Sweet as hell in the nose! Brown sugar, maple syrup, mandarin oranges with the syrup and can included in the smell.

T - Again, sweet and syrupy. Brown sugar and maple syrup with some mandarin orange hop tones. Starts out extremely malty with a lot of complexity, and it's really hoppy and fruity on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, pretty dry, and conservatively carbonated. The finish is a work of art! The dry grainy and gritty feel is complimented by the smooth carbonation and round but not quite full body. Awesome!

D - I'm in awe of this brew...and it's in a can! A kick ass session brew, and one of the best ESBs I've ever had! Honestly, this may be my favorite session beer of all time...other than Dead Guy.

Serving type: can

11-28-2007 00:27:54 | More by pmcadamis

Grabbin2nd

California

4.43/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From Notes: 7/1/09
Ska Brewing Co.
ESB Special Ale
ESB
5.9% Abv.
12oz. can into Stone Old Guardian Glass (not sure why I picked this glass)

Appearance= Cakey white 1 finger head. Plenty of carbonation. Slightly darker than I would have expected for the style. Orange color. Excellent head retention.

Smell= Bready, citrusy ESB smell.

Taste= Love this beer, seriously! Hoppy, crisp, clean, citrus, biscuit.

Mouthfeel= Perfect for the style! Lively carbonation, thin, refreshing mouthfeel.

Drinkability= Super tasty ESB in a can? Hell yea mang! Love this beer. Extremely drinkable. This is it.

Serving type: can

07-15-2009 21:34:14 | More by Grabbin2nd

ByTor2112

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice shade of Orange Blossom Honey with a one finger thick head.
Aroma-clean hoppy nose and this killer whiff of pineapple.
Mouthfeel-Oh yes this is going to be good! Light hoppy flavor with a subtle citrus note and a creamy mouthfeel. Finishes with a sharp bitterness. The malt profile is perfect for an ESB. Not too sweet but its there with a crisp hop bitterness that is not over-bearing. THIS, is Ale! I'm rating this high becuase it smelled and tasted great and is very quaffable! one of the best ESB's I have tried in a good while and Cheers to Ska for canning it!

Serving type: can

10-01-2007 02:29:13 | More by ByTor2112

omnigrits

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the can into a perfect pint glass.

A. A light copper-colour with a moderate head and not too much lace.

S. Primarily sweet nutty malts with some nice hop aroma.

T. Very much like an English ESB - malt is the main player with hops in the background. Sweet, but not too much, and with a little hop bitterness cutting through the malt. Nicely balanced hop flavour against the malts, but malt is the main player here.

M. Medium bodied.

O. Well, I've downed one of them far more quickly than I probably should and I'm about to open another. Very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

04-12-2011 23:14:13 | More by omnigrits

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

The beer is a nice pure copper color. A frothy creamy head stays afloat or a long, long time and recedes to a nice film. Loads of lacing stick to my glass.

The beer smells malty, hoppy, and slightly sweet.

The taste is exceptionally well balanced. Sweet caramel and bitter hops come together for a perfect sweet-tang.

Moutheel is very bitter, slightly dry.

Overall, a deliciously well balanced brew. Maybe the best brew Ska makes. Maybe ...

Serving type: can

08-12-2012 04:07:45 | More by JuicesFlowing

jyeast101

Colorado

4.22/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy amber with an off white, 1/4 inch head. Plenty of carbonation bubbling up. I get the grains right away with a light citrus smell. The taste is also light and very refreshing. An incredibly balanced beer. I could see this easily as a session beer. Very easy to drink. I like this beer. I also like that it is in a can.

Possible a good gateway beer because you have a bit of complexity without the fear (for some) of a heavy, high alcohol, possibly too dark, craft beer, that may turn away your neighbor, wife, long lost friend (fill in the person that you desperately want to share good beer with.)

Serving type: can

01-03-2009 02:07:31 | More by jyeast101

LittleDon

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A pint served at Lady Falconburghs's in Durango.

Golden to slightly amber in color. Dense head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is lightly toasted bread with some lactose sweetness. Toasted grain front with light carbonation tingle. Maltly middle with bitter finish. Mouthfeel is a tad chewy, consistent with style. Very drinkable in anything but very hot weather.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2010 16:33:02 | More by LittleDon

Domingo

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Not sure why I've never bought this before, but I'm glad I did.
Pours a deep gold to amber color. Like their IPA, the head from the can is pretty rocky and does a good job of sticking around.
Smells like graham crackers and toasted grain.
Up front, the graham cracker flavor really carries through. Lots of bready flavor in the middle and a finish that's clean, with just enough earthy hops to keep it from being overly sweet. A little bit of a tea flavor in there adds a little UK authenticity, too.
Mouthfeel is ideal for drinking on a warm day, but not watery in the slightest.
This stuff goes down like water, though...seriously.
Wish I'd bought this earlier. Reminds me of a better Fat Tire moreso than a UK special bitter, but I'm okay with that. I really like this one a lot.
Along with 90 Shilling and Laughing Lab, this is one of the best session brews in the state.

Serving type: can

05-10-2009 01:45:42 | More by Domingo

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

super huge thanx to UnionMade for this treat (and Kristi)

brilliantly decorated red can, listing 'love' as a primary ingredient of this beer. ESB in a can. who would've thunk it.

can opens without a sound and the beer pours nice and orange with yellow around the edges, big foamy head that you usually get from vigorously pouring a canned beer. webby lacing. bubbly.

smells very fruity. passionfruit and pineapple here as well as a nice hop addition and slight rindy hint of bitter malt. light mouthfeel and smooth down the throat makes this extremely drinkable, but this beer refuses to suffer from flavor loss.. it's bitter and malty with a very dry, crisp finish. subtler notes of honey and cantaloupe. after drinking, hop oil resin is detected on my cheek walls. the aroma is balanced equally with the flavor as i drink this from an imperial pint. lighter style ESB but that makes this the perfect craft beer for a can. wish i had five more.

looking forward to trying more of these ska beers (and lucky me, i've got a boxfull!)

Serving type: can

09-07-2005 14:39:01 | More by goodbyeohio

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ska's ESB pours a handsome amber robe beneath a short head of creamy off-white foam that holds well and leaves some nice patches of lace at the outset of the glass. It's hoppy and malty in the nose with a bit of caramel and some leafy/grassiness, followed by some very pleasant berry-like fruitiness. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were using the Fuller's yeast strain (White labs WLP002?). In the mouth it's medium-bodied and lightly crisp with a moderate, fine bubbled carbonation (at around 2.38 volumes CO2). The flavor is round, and very well-balanced between delicate English hops and softly caramelish and biscuity malt. But there's also a delicate note of chocolate that gives it quite a bit of charm. It's moderately bitter, and finishes fairly quick and dry with just a bit of leafy, spicy, floral and grassy hops left behind. Very nicely done, and quite drinkable!

Serving type: can

06-18-2007 20:22:56 | More by NeroFiddled

kkipple

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Ahh yes, an ESB -- in a can! This is a first for me. Kudos to Ska brewing for doing something different.

The can pops open with a fizz and some beer leaps out; it can't wait to get into my glass. I oblige it and pour into a pint, and watch as a 2 inch tall frothy head springs up, then dwindles to a manageable half inch of light tan bubbles. The ESB is a hazy light copper that's has a surprising amount of little particles floating in it. Head retention is good and leaves a small amount of sticky lacing as the beer is consumed.

Smells pretty solid, albeit basic. Toasty grain and a metallic hoppiness blend with a solid caramel smell and a little bitter crispness reminiscent of mineral water.

I'm happy to report that the beer was nearly finished before I got around to taking tasting notes. It's a crisp, light, malty brew with a toasty character and just enough hop bitterness to make it palatable. Indeed, it's extremely drinkable, and the light body and fizzy, mildly sweet finish make it wonderfully quenching. I could have another of this, or 5 more... it just goes down like water.

Ska's now holds claim to producing one of the better ESBs I've had, and certainly the finest canned version of the style to date. Recommended for camping trips and hot summer days when a pilsner just won't cut it.

Serving type: can

12-30-2007 18:44:39 | More by kkipple

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An unfiltered amber body with steady carbonation flowing to support a slightly off white head comprised of very small bubbles. It has a nice look in the tulip glass.

Smells are caramel malt with some slight hop character.

Taste is pretty sweet with caramel, fruit, and a mineral like quality to the hop flavors that cleans things up from the malt and leaves one ready for the next sip.

Mouthfeel is light side of medium with carbonation also on the light side.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2008 18:58:40 | More by rtratzlaff

stumac

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this brew pours up an apricot color with a quickly fading white head. the nose is a total fruit basket composed of overripe peach, pineapple, tangerine, honeydew, kiwi, sweet pale malts, very floral. the taste is fairly sweet, more malt than hops but a subtle hop finish. It needs more hops to be an ESB in my opinion. It tastes more like a traditional English Bitter. medium body, low carbo. Not too shabby

Serving type: can

04-01-2009 22:43:16 | More by stumac

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear copper with AMAZING white head and lacing.

The smell is on the malt side but with a good hint of spicy hops.

The taste is equal parts hops and malt. Basically a very balanced English Pale Ale. Spicy hop flavor and bitterness on the front, with a nice bready malt on the back.

Good beer and a great style. I feel the average B rating is partially because craft drinkers expect more than the bitter style delivers. What do I know though...

Serving type: can

08-22-2011 02:49:10 | More by Eriktheipaman

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

CAN you believe it? Ska Beer in a CAN!?!

A good aggressive pour resulted in a huge, rocky, off-tan head with good retention. The nose had a light sweetness. The color was a slightly hazy medium-amber. The mouthfeel was medium with a slight bitterness on the tongue. The finish also had a light, pleasant bitterness. There was some lacing evident in the glass at the end. Overall, it was a solid example of an ESB, plus the fact that it was canned made it even more attractive.

A re-review: CAN you believe it?!? A stop-over in CHI-town headed west and I was no longer CANtankerous. I was CANnabalistic on the train and loving it!

More environmental friendliness on the CAN: "Golf - Luge - Recycle - BBQ - Toboggan - Recycle - Fish - Luau - Recycle - Live - Hike - Recycle". Indeed! Time to "Lip Up, Fatty!"

It must have had to do with the altitude as my pours kept producing massive rocky, two-finger heads. This one was ecru. The deep-amber color with its NE-quality clarity put me in mind of BUPGOO. Nose had an earthy, grassy quality. Mouthfeel was medium with a subdued malty sweetness on the tongue. Finish was semi-dry with hops and malt battling it out for supremacy. Special!

Beach/Shore: Bet!

Serving type: can

06-10-2008 11:27:14 | More by woodychandler

jjayjaye

New York

4.03/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The appearance is on the lighter side of pale amber with a shallow loose white foam head that leaves negligible lacing behind. If your a fan of bitters you'll like this one. It's got the classic ultra buttery big rich caramel malt thing going on. The mouth feel is nicely carbonated, smooth yet on the lighter side of a medium bodied. The flavors mirror the sweetness from the nose and linger appropriately. A real nice drinker and very sessionable at 5.7% ABV. Big thanks to Pops for the opportunity!

Serving type: can

12-31-2009 07:09:01 | More by jjayjaye

LXIXME

New Mexico

4.03/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this from an inch or so above the glass, I like doing this, in that beers seem to release a better or fuller aroma this way and also it allows me to sit and watch the head settle into it's lacing and with beers that have a nice aroma and look, it's just simply fun to watch and build a little anticipation of whats to come. Anyway, back to this particular beer, it pours a big off white if not slightly tan head that settles nicely into a pretty nice lacing above a clear copper golden colored beer.

The aroma of this beer is a quite nice roasted caramel malt slightly on the sweet side with a slight influence from the hops in a slightly bitter and pine influenced background.

The aroma is transferred very well throughout the drinking of this beer, more sweet roasted caramel malt with some notes of bitter pine to almost citrus hoppiness coming through. This follows through very well in a dryish aftertaste with some caramel notes throughout.

I really enjoyed this beer for some reason, even though I kinda been taught that bottle beer is better, I can honestly argue that with beers like this coming out of a can.

Serving type: can

08-29-2011 22:38:12 | More by LXIXME

ncvbc

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An overall good experience from a beer I didn't expect much from. A dark amber in color with a nice head and good carbonation leaving some lacing. Smell was of caramel malts and a slight hop presence. Slightly fruity also. Taste was solid all around. Caramel is again present with a biscuity flavor that is well pronounced. A little bitter hop bite does well to provide good balance. Close to a medium mouthfeel and very good drinkability. I could definitely have a few cans of this one.

Serving type: can

09-23-2007 15:41:23 | More by ncvbc

bfields4

Colorado

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Large frothy head slowly fades to a lace above a crystal clear amber body.

Pale malty with light fruity and flowery flavors. Nothing too ostentatious.

Malt stays on balance with the nice pale sweetness to complement the fruity yeast qualities and a light floral hops.

Very balanced and drinkable great session beer. Nothing that will blow the beer world away, but a classic stand by that will appeal to everyone.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 04:16:47 | More by bfields4

dwheeler

Australia

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

What a great beer! Nice looking amber colour, a few more bubbles that you might expect from an ESB but it is US after all, and from a can. I like the can, and hope more brewerys do the same.

Smell, earthy hop goodness, a touch of biscuit malt.

Taste, this is a true american version of an ESB, lots of hop character, but not over the top. A dry beer, but still some malt there to just balance the hops, but this is still a great hoppy beer.

This is super drinkable, wow, really nice. I am hooked, a great US interpretation of an English classic, well done and I enjoy this more than the original style.

Serving type: can

09-21-2009 03:27:48 | More by dwheeler

oberon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this ay Sticks and Stones last night.Poured a hazed peach-like color with a tight 1/2 finger white head that held well.Aromas of caramel and fruity malt,just a hint herbal,grassy hop.Well rounded on the palate starting out with caramel/biscuit malt with some fruity esters,the hops come through in the finish giving off some citric and herbal qualities.This is very much an American version of the style with a decent hop profile in the finish,very nice.

Serving type: can

10-17-2009 13:27:14 | More by oberon

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A - Pours a nice clear and dark copper color with a thin .5 inch head that is off white and recedes rather quickly.

S - Mild caramel malt sweetness with some nice hop backbone. Slight pine aroma. A bit subdued for my nose.

T - The taste is more like it. Very nice and bready caramel malt flavors show up first. Very delicious malt profile in this beer. There is a nice crisp and dry hop bitterness that shines through the back end of the beer even though all the bready and sweet malt dominate.

M & D - Mouthfeel is very creamy and crisp at the same time with good CO2. The body is light-medium with very nice balance in the flavors. Very drinkable.

Serving type: can

06-07-2010 00:09:46 | More by JoEBoBpr

wnh

Missouri

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. can poured into a pint glass.

Pours a crisp, clear, bright copper with a frothy and slightly sticky ecru head.

Nutty on the nose--walnuts, perhaps--with a touch of earthy and leafy hops and just a hint of yeasty funk. Quite a range of malty subtleties, showing caramel, cocoa powder, biscuits, and more. Mild, but smells promising.

Smooth and subtle-but-rich on the palate. Malt dominates, though particular flavors are hard to pinpoint. Finishes dry with a moderate lingering bitterness hinting at dried leaves.

Eminently quaffable. A great session beer.

Serving type: can

07-11-2010 19:11:27 | More by wnh

beer2day

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange pour with thin large bubbled carbonation. Thick, light cream 1.5-finger head. Nice retention and thick, but sparse, clouds of lace.

Malty nose with bread and yeast. Slight orange citrus trace sneaks through.

More malt than bitter here. Bread and light orange marmalade combine for a flavorful glass. Not much in the way of bitters, but very mindful of the English style.

Feel is appropriate, slightly chewy.

Very, very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

08-21-2010 01:42:52 | More by beer2day