An Extra Special Beer
Written: Sep 10 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Delicious Malt; Crisp hop finish
Cons: Cons? Can't find a single one!
The Bottom Line: Belk's is a near- perfect example of an ESB. The price is high, but all good things demand more of your money.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Belk's ESB |
Anderson Valley Brewing Company is a regional craft- brewing operation located in Boonville, California that produces eight different styles of beer that are sold in bottled form, along with some other specialty products that are available only on draft in a limited area. I have enjoyed all the products that Anderson Valley produces, having already sampled four or five of them. Today’s review is on one if the brewery’s flagship products. It’s called Belk’s Extra Special Bitter, a beer brewed in the tradition of an English style bitter.
Basic Characteristics of This Beer:
Belk’s ESB pours to an orange/tan color with a cloudy body and a sturdy head of foam that isn’t huge, but at least retains itself throughout the drinking experience and it leaves lace all along the sides of your glass as you drink. The aroma is interesting and enticing, with hints of citrus, spice, and biscuits.
This beer is brewed in the style of an English bitter ale, and it has taste characteristics that one would expect on this style, with a few surprises. First, the taste of toasted barley malt covers the palate with a sweet sensation, followed by a rush of hop bitterness in the finish. There are also some hints of citrus flavor, from the hops. The hop and alcohol bitterness is expected, but the sweet malt taste came as nice surprise, adding tremendously to the overall flavor.
The aftertaste of this beer is hoppy and fruity, and it lingers for about 30 minutes after drinking. The beer is a little stronger than others, weighing in at 6.8 percent alcohol by volume, which adds a distinct kick to the finish.
Food Compatibility:
A beer this good can easily be consumed all by itself and provide hours of maximum enjoyment. But it’s also a good beer to pair with certain types of food. I would recommend popping open a bottle or two to drink with your next serving of grilled meats, like pork, beef, chicken, etc. It would go very well with most any heavy, meaty dish from stew to a New York Strip Steak. It would even match up nicely with simpler fare like a burger and fries.
Final Thoughts:
Anderson Brewing has created a gem with this beer! I have sampled many English- style bitters in my time, and I would have to rank this one in my top five. And that list includes bitters brewed and bottled in jolly ‘ol England itself.
You expect a beer like this to taste bitter, so I wasn’t at all surprised that it placed an emphasis on the hop taste. But what I found pleasantly surprising is the equal emphasis on the sweet, delicious malt, adding a dose of toasted/biscuit- like taste to the beer. Don’t get me wrong- the bitterness is still the dominant taste sensation. But the quality malt definitely rounds it out and makes it complete.
Anderson Valley has been rewarded several times for its brewing expertise, and Belk’s ESB has claimed several of these awards. The highest honors bestowed on Belk’s ESB include three Gold Medals in the World Beer Championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) and two Gold Medals in the Great American Beer Festival (1994 and 1995).
Belk’s ESB is an excellent example of this style of beer. The hop bitterness will not be acceptable to everyone, but if you’re someone who enjoys this style, you won’t be able to get enough of Belk’s Extra Special Bitter. It’s an excellent glass of beer!
Recommended:
Yes
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