Spring Break
Brews Clues: This weeks Ale: Magnumus Ete Tomahawkus
Dennis Mongello
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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There's nothing too special about the extra special bitter style of beer. It's not even especially bitter. Maybe ESB should stand for something else.
Even songs baste? Extraordinarily silly barber? Eventual stage barter?
None of these quite seem to fit the bill. Every sip balanced. That's the one. Despite the name, the key to an ESB is the fact that it is balanced. It is bitter, but it's also malty. Rock Art Brewery's Magnumus ete Tomahawkus takes this balance but turns everything up a notch in their "ESB2." Everything in this beer is really loud (you can tell this because it says "EXTREME" real big in all caps right on the label), yet still in balance.
The Tomahawkus pours with a half inch of foamy off-white head. The body is clean and rich copper in color. The lacing just creeps down and clings to the sides of the glass as you drink it. There is a very light boozy smell that is quickly overtaken by floral and citrus notes. The hops provide the flowery bouquet and orange smell. It's a pleasant smell, but the alcoholic aromas remind you that this is a beer in your hand.
The taste is mostly balanced except that the hops dominate the start of the aftertaste. This should not really come as a surprise, since it does have the word "bitter" in its style. Aside from the hoppy bitterness, there are mellow sweet citrus flavors provided by the malts that help cut the bitterness. They lose this battle until the finish; the aftertaste starts strong and bitter but quickly becomes more mild with sweet citrus flavors.
The beer is medium to full bodied. It is very alcoholic for the style. It has eight percent ABV as to the normal five to six percent. The light carbonation matches perfectly with the style. It feels and tastes like an American DIPA, but the flavor profile matches an ESB with everything turned up a bit. The big bitterness might make you think that this will be a tough beer to drink, but it's a lot easier going down than it seems. The clean finish really makes you want more.
It should match well with salty foods, grilled meats and carbs like fries or pizza. This is a beer that is uncharacteristically strong for its style, so while it is tasty, don't judge other ESB's by it. You might love this and hate Red Hook's ESB, or vice versa. Still, this is worth a try if you find yourself trying to decide if you should order one or not.
Even songs baste? Extraordinarily silly barber? Eventual stage barter?
None of these quite seem to fit the bill. Every sip balanced. That's the one. Despite the name, the key to an ESB is the fact that it is balanced. It is bitter, but it's also malty. Rock Art Brewery's Magnumus ete Tomahawkus takes this balance but turns everything up a notch in their "ESB2." Everything in this beer is really loud (you can tell this because it says "EXTREME" real big in all caps right on the label), yet still in balance.
The Tomahawkus pours with a half inch of foamy off-white head. The body is clean and rich copper in color. The lacing just creeps down and clings to the sides of the glass as you drink it. There is a very light boozy smell that is quickly overtaken by floral and citrus notes. The hops provide the flowery bouquet and orange smell. It's a pleasant smell, but the alcoholic aromas remind you that this is a beer in your hand.
The taste is mostly balanced except that the hops dominate the start of the aftertaste. This should not really come as a surprise, since it does have the word "bitter" in its style. Aside from the hoppy bitterness, there are mellow sweet citrus flavors provided by the malts that help cut the bitterness. They lose this battle until the finish; the aftertaste starts strong and bitter but quickly becomes more mild with sweet citrus flavors.
The beer is medium to full bodied. It is very alcoholic for the style. It has eight percent ABV as to the normal five to six percent. The light carbonation matches perfectly with the style. It feels and tastes like an American DIPA, but the flavor profile matches an ESB with everything turned up a bit. The big bitterness might make you think that this will be a tough beer to drink, but it's a lot easier going down than it seems. The clean finish really makes you want more.
It should match well with salty foods, grilled meats and carbs like fries or pizza. This is a beer that is uncharacteristically strong for its style, so while it is tasty, don't judge other ESB's by it. You might love this and hate Red Hook's ESB, or vice versa. Still, this is worth a try if you find yourself trying to decide if you should order one or not.
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