Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
2004/2005 bottle. Shared at Muzzlehatch’s house on 4/16/05. Dark inky black, thick looking liquid, with a strong tan head and plenty of foam sticking to everything. Aroma of strong and lightly sour molasses, tar, oily roast and black chocolate. Flavor is thick, syrupy and rich. Salty, bitter chocolate and dry raisins and brandy liqueur. Bitter hops attack on the finish with a dark, black coffee. This is insane. Full body, well-masked alcohol, over-the-top hops. Thick, lightly creamy/oily mouthfeel. Where’s the finesse? and more importantly, Where’s the oak?? I know oak chips do not impart near as great a flavor as solid oak barrels, but this one seems to only have a light hint of vanilla and just a hint of tannins. Oh well. This could get pretty good with age.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6
This starts off with a sparkling clear body of brilliant copper under a large rocky off white head. Light perfume in the hops aroma. The flavor started sour turning an astringent bitter that ended thin and chalky. Very disappointing.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a caramel color with only a trace of a white head. The aroma is spicy and malty. The flavor is sharply bitter with nut and spice undertones. The flavor is a bit thin and dry on the finish. Not one of my preferred ESBs but acceptable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Golden-amber colour. Woody, grapefruity aroma. Flavour is rich, mainly woody and citrusy hops. Long, dry and hoppy finish. Nothing spectacular about this example.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
[Sampled at the brewery] A deep red-brown beer with a disappearing brown head. The aroma is sweet roasty with lovely chocolate notes. The flavor is sweet with loads of chocolate and some notes of dry wood.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Pour is a deep red with a small white head. Aroma is deffinatly hops with a little fruitness in there. Flavor is also hoppy with a mix of malts and citrus. More of a weak IPA than a ESP. Could use some more malts.
JK (8181) reviewed Bee Sting Ale from Great Divide Brewing Company 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5
Aroma of honey. Yellow and highly carbonated. Flavor is mostly honey. I have never tasted so much honey in a beer. Some bitter hops. Light on the palate.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
2008-08-26, draught at Cockney Pub, 9-5-8-5-17=44
Black color; the head reduces quickly, but leaving a nice lace. The aroma is a wonderful mix of hops and roasted malt, dark chocolate. Dense flavor, fat roasted malt (and caramel, malt) flavor, some cardboard, maybe glue, alcohol feeling; in the end offering notes of cookies, coffee, strong liquorice; powerful body. Prepotent bitterness, in a long final, with a lot of roasted malt. Huge.
2005-03-13, bottle, 8-5-9-5-18=45
Blackest color; dark brown thick head. Strong aroma: malt, roasted malt, light liquorice. Good structure, not too thick, not too oily; extreme roasted malt character, with coffee, liquorice; very strong hopping with hidden aromas.
Chewy coffee; extremely balanced. Give me more!
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8.5
Black with a purple head. Aroma is sweet with malt, coffee, and chocolate. Flavors of sweet chocolate, malt, coffee, and chalk.
JK (8181) reviewed Old Ruffian from Great Divide Brewing Company 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8.5
Dark orange. Aroma is powerful with hops. Flavor is sweet but with hop bitterness. Very thick and heavy. I didn’t pick up the floral elements. Bitter aftertaste.