ESB
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

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From:
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 13.39%
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
36
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 23, 2016
Added:
Aug 13, 2001
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Bunnyhop:
Photo of Bunnyhop
Reviewed by Bunnyhop from Georgia

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A clear, amber ESB with a large, creamy, tan head. I smell a nuttiness and bubblegum. The taste begins with a slight nutty flavor, followed by mild roasted malt, with a delayed bitter finish. It has a moderate body in my mouth. Overall, I found this smooth and pleasing for an Extra Special Bitter.

(source: Habersham Discount Beverage; Savannah, GA)
Feb 12, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by -Andrew- from Michigan

Feb 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by buzzy from Pennsylvania

Feb 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by JTomczak from Connecticut

Aug 06, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by DerekMorgan from Massachusetts

Jul 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by JoeMarsh from Missouri

Jun 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by jongullotti from Massachusetts

Feb 19, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by chrispoint from Connecticut

Feb 18, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Dec 06, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by doof116 from Connecticut

Nov 24, 2011
Photo of wrightst
Reviewed by wrightst from Maryland

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
It pours a deep copper, almost a brown ale color.

The aroma is very malty and spicy sweet. It reminded me of some of the winter beers that are my usual favorites, including Harpoon's winter warmer.

The flavor follows with malt in the initial taste, and a sweet spicyness, almost fruity, but that's a subtle designation - this isn't a fruit beer by any stretch. Then the hop follows through to perfectly balance this flavor package with that touch of bitterness. Very nice.

One interesting note is the single hop. They claim a Delta Hop, a "new American variety". I haven't heard of it, which means nothing, but it may be the secret to this beer. I'll have to ask some ESB fans what they think. I liked it, and that's something since during summer, I prefer smoother, maltier beers. Too bad it's not available year round.
Jul 15, 2010
Photo of rkhaze
Reviewed by rkhaze from California

4.17/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Pours a golden amber with a medium foamy head that didn't last real long but left good lace.
Smells of sweet malt, caramel, some fruit and a bit of spicy hops.
Tastes of toasted malt, buttery caramel and a honey sweetness.
Nice, almost tropical fruit flavors and a mildly bitter, spicy hop finish. The tastes were well balanced.
Light to medium bodied with a rich, full and tingling mouthfeel.
Tasty, balanced, mellow flavors and a good mouthfeel make the drinkability supreme. Quite the sessionable offering.
A great find at the local Grocery Outlet for .50 a bottle!
Jun 22, 2004
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

4.07/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a deep copper/amber color with a light head that leaves some decent lacing,an appetizing aroma here malty-fruity with some biscuity hints and even some real light nuttiness.A pretty good tasting brew nice malty not overly sweet beginning with subtle hoppiness near the vinish with the malty biscuit flavors coming back in the finish that lingers well.A real easy drinking ESB with nice qualities I really like the matiness of this beer would get again for sure.
Dec 19, 2003
Photo of beerguy101
Reviewed by beerguy101 from California

3.1/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Medium amber gold color. Medium head. Aroma is malty, slightly sweet. A medium bodied bitter. Malts are mild and a touch sweet. Hops are a little spicy. Not very bitter for an ESB. Mild and fairly flavorful. Well balance. Tasty, but more like an amber than an ESB. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.
Aug 22, 2003
Photo of feloniousmonk
Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear, crisp bronze color...thick, fluffy, creamy head.
Aroma comes off coppery and metallic at first, next showing off nutty, caramelesque connotations, and finally revealing a sweet, fruity nature.
Light-bodied, though possessing a a great, bright, lively, well-rounded taste.
Fruity and smooth, richly malted, and untroubled by hops. An easy, easy drink, the flavor unfolded well in the long finish, and was much-appreciated.
I normally pass on ESBs, but enjoyed this one all the way down the glass.
thanks to UncleJimbo!
Jul 15, 2003
Photo of UncleJimbo
Reviewed by UncleJimbo from Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz brown bottle, capped. No date. This bottle might have been a year old, but it had been stored refridgerated.

This ESB poured a clear, dark amber color with off-white foam that settled and left a bit of lace on the glass. The smell was very modest malt. The taste was mostly hops: bitter and floral with hints of grapefruit. There was also malt that almost balanced the hops. The mouthfeel was smooth and creamy and dry, with almost astrigent hoppiness. The body was medium. This was a very drinkable ESB, though it could have benefitted from a bit more malt to balance the hops.
Jul 06, 2003
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

3.67/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appears amber brown with a on off white toffee head, and a ring of lace sits around the rime of the glass with each sip. Aroma is caramel malt sweetness wrapped in a sturdy amount of floral slightly pine scented hops. The flavor has bready yeast notes along with a mild sweetness and an assertive hop profile sending bitter notes of pine needles down my palate. The moutfeel to light in body with a very mild carbonation and slightly residual texture making it a smooth characterisic ESB. Very drinkable my only complaint lies in the fact that there could be more balance in the flavor between the malt and hops.
Jun 23, 2003
Photo of RBorsato
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark golden with a nice ivory head, decent carbonation and lace. Little-no aroma (traces of malt, biscuity ?, light fruitiness ?). Nice balanced flavor but too average. Nice session beer but does not leave you wanting more. Light-medium bodied and smooth with little aftertaste.

Bottled: 02/20/03 (on neck)
Tasted: 04/30/03
May 13, 2003
Photo of PhantomVodoo
Reviewed by PhantomVodoo from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Copper color with an off-white head that left some lace.
Aroma has a fruitiness to it. Caramel malt and hop notes.

Nicely balanced. Malts and hops get equal play. Fruit character to the taste. Finishes well. Not real bold, but smooth and easy-going.

Good mouthfeel.
Very easy to drink.

Overall a good ESB, although certainly not the most flavorful.
Apr 27, 2003
Photo of OldFrothingSlosh
Reviewed by OldFrothingSlosh from Pennsylvania

3.77/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Poured a bright honey/copper color with an initially firm, creamy-white head that quickly lost its mojo and disappeared without a trace.

Smell: Lots of hoppy scents, floral, citrus, even some grassy. Just barely detectable are some sweet aromas as well.

Taste: I expected a lot more bitter (it IS called Harpoon *ESB*) in this beer and felt cheated. Not as bitter as many of the IPA's I've tried. A lot more malty sweetness than I expected. The bitterness (relative) shows up soon thereafter and lasts the entire taste sequence. Finishes only slightly bitter, with a strange semi-sweet tea aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy. Medium-bodied with a crisp and clean finish.

Drinkability: Above average. A summer beer, to be had while grilling on the patio.
Apr 25, 2003
ESB from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 36 ratings