Schlafly Winter ESB

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Hazy, copper/amber color with a full, creamy, off white head. Decent retention and ok lacing. Some burnt orange and yellow highlights at the bottom. Looks suitable enough. Some touches of grapefruit and orange citrus. Some slight floral notes. Picking up some caramel also. Some breadiness and biscuit appears in the middle. The malt is more pronounced than the citrus. In the taste I received some nice malty flavors. Caramel. Picked up some of the sweetness with the bitterness form the citrus. The malt seems to be more prominent. I also detected the flavors of the rye. Medium mouthfeel. Mostly dry and crisp. Left a decent amount on the palate. A touch of the the alcohol burn or warmth at the very end. This is a nice little beer I think. Easily drinkable and solid. I could handle a few of these with ease. Like most, this brew really shows its characteristics after it warms a bit. Could be enjoyed both in the Fall and in the Winter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Golden orange pour, lots of lacing. Caramel malt aroma maybe...very faint. Flavor is mild caramel. Not a lot going on in this one. Just ok...no real flaws except for a faint touch of diacetyl. Eh.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

This beer pours opaque orange with a white head and good lacing. The aroma is hops, malts, and citrous. The mouthfeel is thin and low carbonation. The flavor is bitter hops, citrous, malt, and not much else. It's a smooth drinking beer, but not a standout.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

A very nice Winter offering. If it were darker I'd swear it was a PNW beer. Pours an amber color with a respectable head and a very nice lace. The scent is *very* hoppy, which explains in part my PNW comment. There's a nice malt component there as well. Taste...hoppy for sure, with a citrus aftertaste. Far more malts than an IPA, of course, but not quite balanced enough for style (one of my favorites). There just doesn't seem to be enough meat to this. I think the hops would mellow and the beer become more complex with a few months aging. Mouthfeel is good but just a bit thin for my preferences. Overall this is a very good winter beer.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 8

A lingering sticky cream-colored head tops a clear, bright deep amber body. The aroma is mellow malts, toffee and maple. The Hops offer up a slightly piney character. The flavor is sweet but not cloying. Reminds me of toast or biscuits with maple syrup or maybe just pancakes. The bittering hops balance the beer nicely. This is a great well-made beer but doesn't provide the chewy maltiness of the Fuller's.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

05 Hop in the City/KC. Poured copper orange with a ring of foam around the top. Cara-malts, spicy hops, and rye carry this beer. I thought it was rather thin.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 9

Copper pour with a off white head.Malty nose with a hint of floral hops. First sip reveals that I want a big gulp of this. Nice bitterness but is nicely balanced. This would make a great everyday drinker.Thanks to maxpower for this one.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottled Nov 10, 2004. Deep orange gold color. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is grassy, malty and sweet. A medium bodied ESB/bitter. Malts are fruity, grainy and sweet. Hops are floral and citrusy. Touch of rye and earthiness. This beer is sort of overbalanced towards the hops (lots of em) but there is a nice malt backbone as well. Nice beer. Malts are full and round. Finish is clean and sweet. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

red-amber colour, fine head and a nice lacing, caramel aroma with notes of cherry, good malt body with a solid bitterness, long bitter finish - a good beer

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

Exquisite clear amber color w/ a long lasting off white head. Slightly sweet nose, the flavor begins malty & finishes w/ a nice balance of hops. This is an excellent beer