Extra Special Ale (ESA)
Yards Brewing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 🇺🇸
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular|
Score
6.47
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Our first ever and most beloved brew, ESA helped establish a following for cask-conditioned beer in the United States back in the ‘90s. East Kent Golding hops give this English style ale a subtle spiciness, which compliments its strong malt backbone. Hints of chocolate and caramel round out this deep chestnut colored ale. Floral, earthy, smooth.
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6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Tap at the brewery in Philadelphia. A clear deep amber coloured pour with a small halo of beige head. Aroma is semi sweet, burnt toffee, grass, burnt grass, butterscotch. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, jammy, layered nutty malts, sweet bread, toffee, butterscotch, grassy hop. Palate is medium sweet, sticky sugars, light tang, mellow carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Apr 2023
at 22:41
6/10
Tried
on 17 Apr 2023
at 22:29
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
On tap at the brewery. Pours copper. Raisin, grain, sulfur, biscuit. Medium body. Fine.
Tried
from Draft
on 04 Feb 2023
at 17:35
5.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
Draft at the source. Clear gold, white head. Light malt, floral notes, hay. Not my favorite.
Tried
from Draft
on 07 Apr 2022
at 00:33
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 8
Tap at Strangelove in cask. Hazy brown pour. Nose is cardboard, floral, and pine. Taste sof florals, caramel, toast. Ok
Tried
from Draft
on 24 Oct 2018
at 02:18
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12 ounce bottle. CLear copper color. Large rocky beige head. Spicy toasted malt nose. Soft, silky toasted malt flavor. Notes of caramel and herbal hops. Easy drinking and very "English". Earthy malt and spicy hops in finish round this ale out nicely.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Dec 2017
at 21:46
7.5/10
Tried
on 22 Oct 2016
at 09:09
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 8
Overall 7
On tap at the brewery. Pours a clear copper brown with medium off white head leaving sticky lacing. The aroma is bread and floral. Medium mouth, cocoa, toffee, grain, bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 28 May 2016
at 17:42
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Citrus and a touch of nut in this. Malt has a big profile. Some light sourness. Pours amber with good head and great lacing. Tap at brewpub.
Tried
from Draft
on 05 Oct 2014
at 09:54
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle at brother Charlie’s bachelor camp-out - CT, October 2013. Pours red-brown with a creamy topping. Tasty, bready, simple. Touches of sugary malts. Light to medium bodied with fine to average carbonation. More basic bready malts on the finish, low bitterness, faint leaves and fruit. Basic but tasty and easy-drinking.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Oct 2014
at 01:17