Name: Alaskan ESB
Style: English Special Bitter
ABV: 5%
Today I've got a seasonal release from Alaskan Brewing but I'm not quite sure if it's a winter or spring seasonal release as I picked this up a couple of weeks ago. It's an ESB-style ale and I only started seeing this on the shelves fairly recently. Judging on the reviews I've seen on Beer Advocate, it's released once every 2-3 years for a limited time; Talk about cutting it close!
Alaskan ESB pours a fairly clear amber color with some moderate looking carbonation and a thin filmy head that leaves behind no lacing.
The aroma starts out with some nice floral hops, toffee, Munich & Pale Malts, biscuits and yeasts. For an ESB it's rather hoppy smelling.
The flavor profile is fairly similar to the nose with a couple of differences. Upfront are floral hops, biscuits, Munich Malts, light toffee sweetness and a mild encompassing bitter hop flavor. The aftertaste consists mainly of floral hops and some light pale maltiness. It tastes fairly similar in some ways to an English Pale Ale!
The overall palate is fairly light and the carbonation comes off as just a couple of notches above mild, giving it a fairly crisp quality.
I don't like throwing the term "Sessionable" around too often, but I would classify this beer as such. It's fairly low in terms of alcohol volume yet it's flavorful enough for one to enjoy. It also possesses something that many Sessionable Ales lack: an aftertaste, and a good one at that. I don't know how long Alaskan Brewing will keep this around so pick this up while you still can!
Alaskan ESB - 8.5/10
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