Monday, February 1st 2010 ESB Special Ale (Ska Brewing Company) Ska Brewing out in Durango, Colorado jumped on the "canned" wagon pretty early on and has been doing very well ever since. I'm really hoping to see some more offerings in cans from them soon. From the Ska site: "This English Special Bitter is our "Special Ale". Special because it was the second canned microbrew in the nation (after Dale's Pale Ale). Special because the galena hops and pale ale malts create a crisp first sip, a hoppy tongue, and a malty sweet finish. Though "bitter" is part of the name, "better" would be a more accurate term. Fresh and lively, this canned beer suits the needs of any outdoor enthusiast. Like it says on the can: Fish, Luau, Golf, Raft, Togboggan. Ska Can!" Here we go... Pour - peachy brownish-orange, sort of murky and hazy with a tight, thick off-white foamy head.
Aroma - malt extract, yeasty and lemon and/or orange peel. This is a tough beer to really place as far as the aroma goes. Its not overly strong smelling and the aromas I do get are all pretty basic.
Taste - initial tastes are tangy sweet malt, caramel, a bit of orange along with slight hints of aged hops. Not too sweet and not too bitter, this one falls right in the middle. Some bready or biscuity flavors are in the finish along with some butteriness.
Overall - A blend of malty sweetness and tangy bitterness this is a very easy drinking option to the all too familiar Amber Ale. Not bad but nothing overly exciting.
Would I buy more of it? - this can came into my hands through a friend in North Carolina. They are yet to distribute their beers up here in Massachusetts. But, if I could buy it I'd probably go with their other canned offering first.
Note - Ska Brewing also cans their Modus Hoperandi IPA and True Blonde Ale. I highly recommend both if you can get you hands on them!
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