Sierra Nevada ESB (Early Spring Beer)

Beer: ESB (Early Spring Beer)

Brewer: Sierra Nevada

Style ESB

Tasting notes: This beer has an understated tastiness that is very English for Sierra Nevada. The flavor starts w/ a little sweet malt and ends w/ dry bitters. The beer went great w/ burger topped w/ maple smoked bacon. It goes beyond quaffable into gulpable. Its drinkability and tastiness for such a "small" beer increased its rating slightly. It would be a wonderful session beer. Perhaps freshness matters - I am drinking a 2009 Early Spring Beer in January.

Comments: Sierra Nevada uses ESB cleverly. ESB usually means Extra Strong Bitter or Extra Special Bitter. The brewery takes the same initials to refer to their early spring beer. Bitter is a classic brew in English pubs - a bit more hops and bite than mild ales. ESB is a little more of what makes Bitter bitter.

Rating: Recommended without reservation