Moderators: Oggar, Badfellow, Mr Boozificator, Artful Drunktective, mistah willies, NYDingbat, oettinger, Judge
Good call, Rune.rune wrote:Hey, wait a minute, it's the autumnal equinox.
They've never made an oktoberfest beer have they? The xmas ale that I've tried was rather good.
Thanks, Junkman. Hopefully you will not be disappointed. The brewery has always prided itself on being "ahead of the curve" in beer trends, but each of their offerings are always refined and sublime. I hope you enjoy.junkman wrote: I will look for the Anchor though on your recommendation.
Word. It's subtle perfection puts many IPAs to shame.Rooster wrote:I love the Anchor Summer beer almost as much as I love their July 4th Liberty Ale.
Gauge Macfearson wrote:I will continue to buy local from those I know to be truly local.
Unsure, sir. Yuengling is not to my taste, and Dogfish Head I still have yet to grasp intimately. Judging by Dogfhish Head's high esteem among beer ratings, I'd say closer to the latter. They make Yards ESA in bottles and I will send you and the lady some if I may.Barca wrote:Heh, forgot I responded to the RR thread.
Give us a more detailed review of the Yards, I've never even heard of it.
Are we talking good Yuengling level or Dogfish Head level?
The “Bitter” beer style is one that few people seem to be paying much attention to these days. Perhaps it is the distinction between “ordinary” bitter or the “extra special bitter” that confounds brewers and consumers alike. Or, it may be that the pale ale style pretty much covers the bitter area in people’s minds. Brewers here in the USA would rather, it seems, concentrate on the latest new fangled fruit beer, an ultra hopped pale ale or introduce another lager to compete with the masses of lagers on the market.
Bitters are highly drinkable ales, carrying some of the characteristics of the pale ale, but with less of a “hop kiss” and more of the added sweetness from a considerable malt base. The “ordinary” bitter is one with a lower alcohol by volume (ABV) content (usually around 3.5 percent) which makes it a preferred tradition for a round or two.
The “extra special bitter” style, however, has an interesting history as it is a beer style derived from one specific ale, Fuller’s Extra Special Bitter from Great Britain. Originally introduced in 1969 as “ Winter Bitter, “ Fuller’s renamed it “ESB” when they later made it a year-round offering. It is a stronger version (5.5 percent ABV and above) of the so-called “ordinary” bitter. The beer’s reputation is such that other brewer’s have adopted it as a style of its own. [See Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide, page 177, for a detailed description of Fuller's ESB.]
Thankfully, some brewers in the USA have attempted and delivered their own highly stylized and nuanced ESBs, such as Yards Brewing Company of Philadelphia. Yards (http://www.yardsbrewing.com) has been in business since 1994 and has steadily expanded both in size and offerings. They currently produce nine different brews (6 year round, 3 seasonal).
Yards states their purpose on their Web site thusly:
“Yards ALES are brewed in the tradition and style of English and Belgian Brewers with a Revolutionary American interpretation. All of our beer is naturally cask and bottle conditioned to bring you as close to the original characteristics of each style that we brew.”
With their version of the ESB, which they offer under the moniker Extra Special Ale, they have impressed me with an ale that delivers all the characteristics of an ESB that I enjoy: a full bodied ale with a taste profile that evenly walks the malt/hop continuum and features a beauteous copper color. Yards ESA is a good looking bitter with a firm head of beer lace and a floral note that hints at a different kind of fragrance; an intoxicating mix of cedar, pine, grass, and flowers.
The mouthfeel is a definitely to the full bodied side of the things. The malt sweetness is firm and strong throughout, almost to the taste of butterscotch. The sweetness is wrestled into submission at the finish by a an equally strong zest of hops; a tart bitterness lingers at the finish as the two taste extremes mix. It is a surprisingly “tasteful” beer, even with the odd fragrance that permeates the ale.
Yards insistence on making bottle-conditioned ales can not be overlooked as an added strength. Yards ESA is bottled conditioned, meaning a small amount of yeast and sugars are added prior to bottling. The ale undergoes a secondary fermentation as the yeast remains active in the bottle and “conditions” or naturally carbonates the ale over time. Bottle conditioning also allows the buyer to store the beer longer if desired.
It is a thoroughly enjoyable ESB and an intriguing session choice (four stars). At about 6-percent ABV, Yards ESA can have something of a latent kick to it as well. I would recommend this as a rather intriguing opportunity to introduce other beer fans to an interesting beer style and taste experience.
What I especially like about Yards products, is that not only are they one of the few brewers here in the USA that have a real sense of the historical importance of ale here in the states, but that they have found a way to take that historical focus and use it to deliver some really well done ales that match or exceed contemporary offerings. By keeping to their stated goal of continuing with a colonial emphasis on the beers they offer, they deliver beer lovers a “history lesson in a glass” as well.
At $6.99-7.50 a six-pack, Yards ESA is probably not an everyday beer, but it certainly can be an “extra special day” beer.
(Note: It is now available at the Phillies new ballpark so beer and baseball remains a perfect marriage.)
