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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5/10
Doesn't do much for me.
Tried
on 07 Mar 2014
at 17:52
7/10
Tried
on 04 Jan 2014
at 20:32
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
12oz bottle from Wegman’s, King of Prussia, PA. A reddish copper pour with a scummy cream head that laces the glass nicely - certainly looking like a cask ale; the aroma is richly vinous and appertisingly plummy; after a smooth sip, the taste explodes in the mouth - there’s some purple fruit, treacle toffee, brazil nuts and soft roasted malts; before a dry finish with some woody hops. This has to be the best English ESB style ale I’ve found in the States - it reminds me of the Fuller’s Vintage Ales.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Sep 2012
at 12:55
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottled. Amber colour with a small slightly off-white head. Aroma is herbal, floral and mild grassy notes along with some crystal and bready notes. Flavour is crystal, caramel and some slight bready notes along with a mild nuttyness. Also some nice bitter floral and grassy hops in it. Stronger than the usual UK ESB, but otherwise quite true to the style (in a British way).
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Aug 2012
at 10:43
6.5/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Feb 2012
at 22:00
6.2/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Weak peanut aroma. Hazy copper, medium yellow head, full glass coating. Nutty, sweet oak flavor. Mouthfeel is a little stinging. Bitter walnut skin finish. Nice balance. Rustic and sessionable, but not my favorite.
Tried
on 02 Dec 2011
at 10:29
5.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Imported from my RateBeer account as Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA) (by Yards Brewing Company):
Aroma: 4/10, Appearance: 4/5, Taste: 6/10, Palate: 3/5, Overall: 12/20, MyTotalScore: 2.9/5
6/10/2011 on tap @ Yards Brewing Company (2011-532)
Dark amber to brown beer, beige head, unstable, adhesive. Aroma: mocha, sweet caramel, bit of urine. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: malts, some caramel, sour berries, forrest fruits, hop bitter. Aftertaste: sour berries, dry hops.
Aroma: 4/10, Appearance: 4/5, Taste: 6/10, Palate: 3/5, Overall: 12/20, MyTotalScore: 2.9/5
6/10/2011 on tap @ Yards Brewing Company (2011-532)
Dark amber to brown beer, beige head, unstable, adhesive. Aroma: mocha, sweet caramel, bit of urine. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: malts, some caramel, sour berries, forrest fruits, hop bitter. Aftertaste: sour berries, dry hops.
Tried
from Draft
on 06 Oct 2011
at 09:01
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Refrigerated bottle poured into a shaker. Pours light brown/ copper with half inch off-white head. Good lacing, well carbonated, and hop aroma. Taste is roasted malt and earthy dry hop finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Sep 2011
at 18:03
5.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 4.5
Bottled at Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Deep ruby, mid sized head. Fruity black currant and hay aroma. Mid sweet with clean, blown up mouthfeel and medium body. Hay complimented by cane sugar. Near inky bitterness. Lack of malt softness in combination with sweetness and high bitterness kills drinkability.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Aug 2011
at 10:33
5.9/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Sample @ Iron Monkey, Jersey City, NJ
Pours murky amber with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, caramel, alcohol and fruits. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
Pours murky amber with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, caramel, alcohol and fruits. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
Tried
on 09 Jul 2011
at 12:50