Keg at Big Rig Brewery, Ottawa (as Big Rig Extra Special Bitter, 5.6%) Clear bronze colour, small head. Fruity caramelly nose with pears and toast. Mid dry with medium body and rounded mouthfeel. Toasty and grainy, pears and spice. Mid bitter finish.

Decent bitter. Pours reddish amber. Average carbonation. Good for style, with balanced hop and malt. Actually a nice full palate, especially on finish. Even a faint hint of smokiness or something. Tap at brewpub.

Growler from the brewpub. Pours a hazy amber colour with a nice off-white head that stays long and gives out great lacing. Beautiful nose of grainy cereals and caramel to balance things. Medium-bodied with a oily mouthfeel. The hop shows up in the taste, creating a little bitterness over the caramel malt with some grass. The grain and fruit come out in the finish. I seem to prefer this ESB to the Mill Street Father John’s one I had a few days ago.

A dark reddish amber ale with a thin off white head. In aroma, a grainy nutty malt with faint grassy hops, boring. In mouth, a grassy nutty malt with light boiled veggies, faint hops, boring. On tap at Big Rig, Oct. 22 2012.