Family Pale Ale Style American ESB
Country USA (OR) ABV 6.1%
Price $$ Packaging 12oz/355ml bottle
Characteristics Malty, refreshing

Overview In England, “pale ale” and “extra special bitter” denote basically the same style. On this side of the pond, brewers frequently use “ESB” to imply a beer with a more restrained hop character than their standard pale ale.

Flavors and aromas English-styled beers are a challenge for American palates; the flavor and aroma hops are by nature more subtle, and the malt/bitterness balance and low carbonation both tend to come off as flat and lacking in intensity. And this American ESB lived up to that expectation, with light aromatics. Our tasters split on whether the palate was nicely balanced, or too delicate and soft. This might be a crossover choice for drinkers who don’t normally like the bitterness of American pale ales.