Middle Ages Beast Bitter
This ESB (Extra Special Bitter) displays the subtle copery hue of "Old Gold." Its mighty depth of flavor will awaken taste buds and complements "pub" fare such as lamb and game. It is a natural accompaniment with spicy foods. Bronze medal winner at the 1998 World Beer Championships.
3.3
171 reviews
Syracuse, United States
Community reviews
Bottle from Half Time. Pours amber gold with a creamy off-white head. Aromas of floral hop over mild roast malt. The flavor is intense and mild at the same time. Strong floral, but not very bitter; strong caramel but not very sweet. Somewhat spicy. I’m fairly certain the style is nailed here. Unless the flavor is too intense for our brethern over the pond. Oh to be in England.
Got this bottle on beer tour east with Dan. Light to medium golden amber color. Relatively true to style, closer to most English ESBs than American ones. Lightly carbonated. Floral aromas and a full on hop bitterness dominate. That’s why I don’t drink many of the bitters.
12 oz. bottle. Pours a lightly hazed golden amber with a large, fluffy off-white head that lasted beyond mid-glass and left ample lace. Mild aroma of caramel malt along with just a hint of citrus. The flavor is a solid dose of malt, a bit dry, followed by some moderate hops bitterness. Medium bodied. Solid beer.
Bottle. Whoa! This fills my glass with 4 fingers of foam upon pouring about 2 ounces; it looks like meringue. When the foam eventually subsides, the beer itself appears clear orange. Aromas of dull lemon peel, citrus, a little sour malt, and apple. Flavor is bitter grassy hops, apple peel, and lingering bitter grapefruit rind. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but that uber-foam was off-putting.
Middle Ages Beast Bitter is a very clear and very lively amber ale with a huge, fluffy, off white head that has outstanding retention and lacing. It looks like there’s a scoop of ice cream on this beer. It has a very wooden aroma. It kind of smells like an old attic. There is a note of toffee-like sweetness and tart green apple in the nose. It’s pretty light bodied and very smooth. The finish is dry, a little watery and a little chalky. It’s amply bitter-- wooden and herbal. The tart green apple note is present in the taste. It’s slightly sweet but the bitterness keeps it in check. The aftertaste seems fruity. It’s not totally pulled together, but it’s a pretty inoffensive session ale. It kind of seems like a home brew.
Gold-orange pour with very large foamy head with a lot of carbonation. Nose has lotsa hops, with floral notes and honey. Taste is sweet and strong.
Impeccably clear. Healthy, puffy head. Excellent light orange color. Lots of carbonation and a good lace. This is a very attractive beer.
Very aromatic fragrant hops. Wonderful piney scent. Flowery hops and beautiful ester-y smell. So enticing.
Lovely woodsy hops, yet somehow they do not overpower. It’s a lovely malt/yeast base to counteract the hops, and ground them. Like a mild IPA but one where the hops don’t feel the need to slap you in the mouth. Just outstanding.
Creamy and with good body, pleasant aftertaste with no film left over. This is a magnificent brew. It’s hoppy but doesn’t make a fetish out of it. Subdued but lets you know the hops are there.
Had on tap at the brewery and also bottled. Pours a nice red-brown color, off-white head went away quickly. Aroma slightly floral, hops also, it was really nice. It was smooth and light, not too complex, but with the slight bitterness that was expected. Overall this is a solid beer, I would try this with again with a meal.
Bottle courtesy of Cletus. Pour hazy orange-golden with lasting white head. This is odd for the style, but I like it. Nose of grassy hops, some fruit, maybe some strawberry notes? Something sour? Tasty, and quite refreshing, though I’m not sure what it is, exactly.
Nice beer. Caramel malt, citrus hops andva touch of honey in the aroma. Flavor has a good dose of caramel but even a better hit of citrus. Nice.
Aroma is of hops, smells like an IPA. strong flavor of hops and grass. palate is clean and refreshing.
It pours a cloudy orange amber color with no head at all. The nose is nice and aromatic with caramel malt and floral hops. It is a very bitter and sweet. You can taste the citrus hops. The taste fades quick but it is a strong flavor.
On tap at the Middle ages brewery tasting room. Some hops detectable in the nose. Good full flavor definitely a bit on the bitter side.
Dateless bottle. Pretty orange-tinged beer with nice head. Body has some heft to it, while flavor has a nice hop punch. Kind of woody hops, but I also detect some grapefruit. Dry finish, and some warming i the ribs to boot. The hops are there, it’s just a question of whether you like the flavors they add.
Bottle Pours a hazy copper with a lasting off white head. Has particles and floaters in it. Produces decent lacing. Aroma is bitter, citrus, pine, and caramel. Has a good carbonation. The mouthfeel is good. The flavor is mildly hoppy. A crisp beer. Has a watery texture. A fairly good finish with a funky aftertaste. It is good though. Has a light to medium body. This is a pretty good beer. A real nice picnic beer with ribs.
Bottle consumed after setting the first four hop poles in the hop yard. Nose is mostly hops but was interfered by all the smoke from the brush pile fire the wife and I had going. A deeper amber with a thin soapy head. A light malt body that is quiclky overtaken by the bitter, biting, non floral hops Drippy, thin lacing surrounds the glass in fine lines. Finish is the same top down hop charge as the majority of the beer. A bit unbalanced but a pleasant bitter nonetheless.
Bottle. Pours an amber body with a white head. Some light caramel, floral notes, bitter with a mild earthy with citrus notes. Lightly nutty. Simple and sessionable.
Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Golden orange in color with a good sized cream colored head. Aroma is of orange, pine, hops and a lot of grapefruit. Taste is of grapefruit and hops.
Bottle thanks to Bu11zeye. The smell is fruits, malts, hops, a little paint. The looks is hazy , golden in color with an off white head. The taste is watery, low bitterness, malts, fruity.
(12oz. bottle) Pours a clear golden orange body with a small white head. Aroma of grapefruit, caramel, floral, orange, and light apricot. Flavor of hops (citrus, floral), lightly toasted bread, and caramel malt.
bottle thanks to bu11zeye. poured a clear gold with a white head that lasted. aroma of grass, some fruity hops, and some slight spice. flavor is grassy and citrus. light body and high carbonation.
Very high CO2 (like a Coke), light grass, well done and unoffending, but not terribly special or surprising.
Bottle thanks to Bu11zeye. Pours a light amber with white head. Aroma is floral. Flavor is very floral, hoppy, small bitter. Mouthfeel is light=med. body, high carbonation. Overall, it’s ok.
bottle thanks to bu11zeye, yellow in color with alcohol and cutie tangerine nose, flavors are light bitter citrus
Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Pours with a large, frothy white head and a hazy golden body. The head sticks around for a long while. Aroma of nectarine and more citrus hops. Taste is watery and very bitter throughout. Not really balanced or good to the style. Lively mouthfeel and watery bubbles. Interesting beer.
bottle thanks to bu11zeye. light amber pour with a thick beige head. nose of hops and sweet malts. great on the palate with a smooth bitter flavor.
Orangey gold. Nose is a little lemon, butter, some green hoppiness, English malt. More bitterness than the nose lets on, with toffee & caramels to balance. Very tingly carbonation.
Audible pop when bottle opened, pour was very heavy head, mostly head in fact, like when a homebrew is primed too much. As head dissipates it is rocky with a decent lacing. Grainy aroma, a bit of pine. Palate is toffee with some dry resinous notes. Decent.
surprised not a higher rating. amber color, with whte foam, flavor is nice strong english hops and well balanced malt sweetness. i really enjoy this beer
Bottle: Pours a hazy deep copper amber with a fizzy fading off white head. Earthy nose with some odd esters, softly sweet crystal malt notes, and a mild herbal hint. The palate is nice with soft/rounded carbonation. Nice British feel to the flavor. Toasted biscuit malt character with a mild caramelized sweetness precedes a nice hop character which incorporates both American and British varieties. Some fruity suggestions of sweet orange-like citrus notes and a touch of mustiness from the yeast. The finish is mildly peppery hand has a flowery dryness into the late palate. A nice interpretation of a British Bitter. Slightly underrated in my opinion.