Sierra Nevada & New Glarus – There and Back ESB (Beer Camp 2014)
An easy drinking English-Style Bitter.
Beer Name: There and Back ESB (Beer Camp 2014)
Brewery: Sierra Nevada & New Glarus Brewing
Beer Style: English-Style Bitter
ABV: 5.6%
IBUs: 40
Size: 12 oz. bottle
Beer Advocate: 84
RateBeer: 92
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
For beer folks, Chico, CA, and New Glarus, WI, are must-see capitals on the U.S. brewing map, but getting between the two is no simple feat. There and Back is named for the planes, trains, and zeal needed to connect them. This classic English-style Bitter is a complex yet easy-drinking mix of toasty malt and a fruity, herbal hop flavor.
New Glarus is fiercely loyal to its home state, growing to one of the largest breweries in the U.S. without selling a single drop outside of the borders of Wisconsin. With those local tastes in mind, New Glarus has perfected traditional German styles and invented masterful versions of complex and intense fruit beers featuring Wisconsin-grown ingredients.
———–
An English-Style Bitter by definition is “Bitter is an English specialty, and very much an English term, generally denoting the standard ale–the “session” beer –in a English brewers range. They are characterized by a fruitiness, light to medium body and an accent on hop aromas more than hop bitters.” — So it is basically the English term for a session ale, fruity, light and nice hop aromas.
APPEARANCE:
A light copper-like color, with a nice pale head on it. It has a very approachable appearance.
AROMA:
Mild hop notes and a nice malt bill are the two main scents I’m getting out of this.
TASTE:
Honestly, I don’t like saying that it tastes coppery but it really does. A nice light hop, with a beautiful malt bill. The malts provide a really nice backbone to this medium bodied bitter. It has a lager-tasting finish, leaving that aftertaste in my mouth.
OVERALL:
Another style I am not as comfortable with. I always have a hard time rating something I don’t normally drink regularly, but regardless I can tell this is exactly what they were going for, both in flavor and in appearance. A gorgeous amber/copper color with pale head and really nice hop and malt notes.
RATING:
3 out of 5
Until the next beer:
Beer God
