Weyerbacher ESB Ale

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

Very impressive pour, slightly hazy rich amber color with a generous head. Head flattened out rather quickly though, and left moderate lacing. Aroma and appearance promise more than the flavor delivered. Not much bitterness, slight hop in the finish. Other than Simcoe IPA, which is a true winner, I'm still unconvinced by Weyerbacher's offerings. Kudos to EyeChartBrew for his erudite and accurate assessment.

Follow up note (24Jul07): Didn't cellar well. Others might have been able to tell me that, but I hung on to my last bottle, bought in August of '06, until tonight, and it hasn't improved. Still presented with a nice appearance, but no flavor enhancement (nor diminishment, judging by my earlier review). Probably not a Weyerbacher to run out late at night for (actually, I believe it's been retired). They brew others FAR better.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

poured a nice amber color with a off white head that left kind of a lot of lace the flavor was mild not as bitter as i thought it would be thin bodied easy to drink

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

This beer poured a very nice dark amber color topped by a medium thick, fluffy beige colored head that left good lace. The aroma was lightly malty. Mouthfeel was medium bodied, smooth and very drinkable. The flavor on this one fell a little short. Very mild, yet drinkable ale with much hop presence to be desired.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 7

Another PA beer from Master Trader Francis -- this is one of the six that happened to get lost by UPS in transit as it bounced back and forth from San Diego and PA. And, at the risk of going a bit too far out on the limb, I kinda think the head brewer of this beer was a bit lost, too!

In a traditional sense, Bitters fall into three rather broad (and partially over-lapping) categories: Ordinary (OG: 1.030-1.038), Special or Best Bitter (OG: 1.039-1.045), and Strong Bitter/English Pale Ale (OG: 1.046-1.065). In addition, each of those styles dictate that the beer must have a noticable and satisfying hop prescence -- thus the name "bitter".

Unfortunately, IMO the Weyerbacher fails on two counts: it's not particularily special, and definately not bitter. In fact, I would have to say this is more of a sub-par Amber ale than anything else. But that would be a partial insult to that category too, so what to do, eh?

Drinkable enough, if you don't analyze it too closely, but definately not worthy of being in the same league as other ESB's....

Cheers to Francis for the sample.
//TB

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

This beer pours a clear dark amber color with a thin frothy pearlish head and a tiny bit of lacing. The aroma is malty and earthy with hints of citrus and twigs, dirt and bark. Definitely earthy... The flavor is malty, dry, barky, and of course bitter. Mildly carbonated but medium to light mouthfeel, sticky malty with a hint of cardboardy finish. Some green grass in the finish, a hint of sticky apricot and malt. Nice mouthfeel, not overwhelming, a pleasant beer I could clump into the session group.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

Poured an orange amber color with a small quickly diminishing off white head. Malty, vanilla, hay and almost a strawberryish aroma. There is also hay in the taste, wierd. Also some malt and a slightly bitter hop taste as well as some orange peel. I don't know why hay was all over this one?

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

I prefered the ESB over the other weyerbacher brands.