Special ESB Ale
SKA Brewing in Durango, Colorado, United States 🇺🇸
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular Out of Production|
Score
6.23
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This English Special Bitter is our “Special Ale.” Special because it is one of only a handful of canned microbrews in the nation. Special because the Galena hops and pale ale malts create a crisp first sip, a hoppy tongue, and a malty sweet finish. Though “bitter” is part of the name, “better” would be a more accurate term.
Fresh and lively, this canned beer suits the needs of any outdoor enthusiast. Like it says on the can: Fish, Luau, Golf, Raft, Toboggan. Ska can!
Fresh and lively, this canned beer suits the needs of any outdoor enthusiast. Like it says on the can: Fish, Luau, Golf, Raft, Toboggan. Ska can!
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5.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
Can 12fl.oz.Unclear medium orange colour with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, grain, hay, toasted, caramel, oxidie malt, light to moderate yeasty, fruity, old furniture. Flavour is moderate sweet and light to moderate bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20120617]
Tried
from Can
on 08 Jul 2012
at 01:13
4.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 4
A friend brought some of this over to the house - I’m a little surprised I haven’t rated it before, as I am pretty sure I’ve had it - anyway - lightly hazy orange - fizzy pour - husky, abrasive maltiness and sharp, highly acidic bitterness - hop flavor is off - kind of cheesy and garlicky - astringent finish - pretty bad - my friend must be punished.
Tried
on 01 Jul 2012
at 19:44
5.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Can at Bishop’s Arms, Malmö, Norra Vallgatan; bb May 2011 (so it seems)
Hazy golden to light amber color. Aroma of malt and some hop. Some malt and caramel flavor, dry mouthfeel, strong bitterness, but overall unfresh; some candi sugar in the final, and also a light metallic touch.
Unimpressive.
Hazy golden to light amber color. Aroma of malt and some hop. Some malt and caramel flavor, dry mouthfeel, strong bitterness, but overall unfresh; some candi sugar in the final, and also a light metallic touch.
Unimpressive.
Tried
from Can
on 17 Jun 2012
at 11:18
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Can. Creamy off-white good mostly lasting head. DArk yellow colour. Moderate malty and hoppy aroma. Grainy notes. Moderate bitter flavor. Average moderate bitter finish. Oily palate.
Tried
from Can
on 15 Jun 2012
at 14:19
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Can pours clear deep copper with thin off white head. The aroma is sweet with malts and hard candy like citrus as well as snippets of spicy hops. I also get a touch of grapefruit here and there too. The taste is sweet and sugary with malts and rolling into floral and bitter spicy hops. These notes don’t seem to work too well for me as the floral hops don’t play well with the sort of spicy hops and grapefruit citrus like hoppy notes.
Tried
from Can
on 01 Jun 2012
at 16:29
6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
Sample, VANØ Bergen tasting @ Hanne på Høyden. Pours clear orange, with a small, disappearing head. Aroma is nice flowery aroma hops and caramel malts. Flavour is a lightly burned caramel, and a somewhat disappointing hoppy bitterness. Finishes of with a light burned malt.
Tried
on 21 May 2012
at 11:34
5.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 3.5
Tap @ Euclid Hall. Clear, copper orange appearance with an off white head. Grassy, herbal, earthy hoppy, slightly toasty hoppy aroma. Toasty malty, light toffee, somewhat bitter, lightly floral, earthy hoppy flavor with a somewhat bitter finish. Bleh.
Tried
from Draft
on 11 May 2012
at 15:38
5.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 3
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Can:Upon opening the can it made an abrupt burping sound instead of the usual "pssst sound" that cans make. It probably means nothing, but I felt it was worth mentioning. The aroma is a pretty unpleasant mixture of hay and swampgrass. Cloudy orange, medium sticky head. Weak hay flavor initially, but it builds to a stronger finish of warm toffee. Slightly thin.
Tried
from Can
on 29 Apr 2012
at 18:34
6.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Can. Amber colour with an off-white head. Aroma is malt, fruit, peaches, hop. Flavour is malt, fruit, peaches, hop, pine. Medium to full body. Nice/OK beer.
Tried
from Can
on 27 Feb 2012
at 21:34
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
0.355l can @ Henrik, Bergen. A near clear orangish beer with a nice medium sized heavy lacing off-white head. The aroma is caramellish with some butterscotch and some light grassy hints. Average carbo levels and a mild oily mouthfeel. Nice and rounded flavors. Malty without being malty. Does that make sense? Nice and light bitterish flavors and it's missing that english-boring esb character that often can be, yeah, a bit boring. Nice hoppy flavors with quite a bit of sweetness as well. Dry mouth in the aftertaste. Solid!
Tried
from Can
on 06 Dec 2011
at 05:10