This week, we're tasting an organic Extra Special Bitter (ESB), the
sixth beer in our exploration of Lakefront Brewery's variety eight-
pack from Milwaukee, WI.

The ESB style hails from England. It's essentially more aggressive and
balanced than the standard bitters (somewhat hoppy light ales) of the
UK, both in alcohol and hop character, but it's not too overpowering.
Carbonation is low, and the color range leans toward the darker end of
the scale-dark gold to copper. Malts tend to be more pronounced, often
toasty and fruity, with maybe some notes of diacetyl. And despite
"bitter" being in its name, ESBs are not really all that bitter. The
key to an ESB is balance.

Lakefront Brewery Organic ESBLakefront's Organic ESB is made with
organic malted barley (two-row, Munich and caramel) and organic German
Perle hops-a spicy, sometimes minty variety. Organic beers are
becoming increasingly popular, as more and more people are becoming
aware of both health and ecological issues associated with
conventional farming. That said, far too many organic brews tend to be
boring and second-rate. Perhaps this is due to a lack of variety in
organic ingredients available to brewers? We'll save that discussion
for another day. For now, let's pour a glass and taste this one.

The Taste
The beer pours a hazy amber with red and brown hues, and yields large
carbonation bubbles and a thick, tight, foamy head with some stick and
retention. Citric aroma, grassy, with hints of lime and a soft, pale
malt beneath. Fairly smooth and creamy on the palate, but a bit
lackluster with a light carbonation scrub and watery yet even
consistency. imageThe hops come in first: a thin, rind-like citric
flavor with a faintly perceived saltiness, light herbal notes and a
bitter, grassy bite. Malt character and sweetness is pretty bland,
with a weak toasty note as the highlight. Finish is drying, with a
lingering hop character and sourness that just doesn't seem right.

Final Thoughts
Our least favorite out of the Lakefront eight-pack so far, and it
appears that many reviewers on BeerAdvocate.com agree. This is a very
weak offering. Unbalanced, out-of-place and overplayed hops, and no
sign of a malty backbone-where's the depth of malt character and
sweetness? Definitely not an ESB. Not even close. This beer not only
misleads consumers, but also is likely to leave a sour impression on
those seeking an organic beer. Lakefront risks giving organics a bad
name. Organic ESB is 5.42 percent alcohol by volume.

For more info: lakefrontbrewery.com

Respect Beer.

http://beeradvocate.com/news/stories_read/709