David Brockington's Tasting Notebook

Blue Ridge ESB Red Ale

Initial Impressions:

This beer presents an interesting case, especially when juxtaposed against the ongoing debate surrounding the use of stylistic-based criteria in reviews. If I were a "style nazi" of the ilk created and critiqued by style critics, this beer would be reviewed as an ESB and it would probably not do so well. This approach could be justified by reading the bottle label, which waxes somewhat eloquently about Bitter being the "national drink of England" and briefly reviews the various guises that bitter assumes in its native land. The brewery is attempting to connect this beer with the tradition of English bitters, and as such a comparison with, say, Fullers ESB is thusly warranted.

Of course, Blue Ridge ESB is nothing like Fullers ESB, and such a comparison would not be sporting. The label also makes rather oblique homage to American interpretations, including the moniker "Red Ale" following the name and the pride the brewer takes in its use of "choice Pacific Northwest hops."

In short, after sampling this beer I decided to review it as an American Amber rather than as an ESB. The beer pours a brilliant dark amber in my Blue Ridge mug. A nice rocky white head forms and lingers, leaving that oh-so-nice trail of lacework down the side of the glass.

Nose:

A moderate hoppiness is in the forefront, but I could not determine the variety. The hoppiness is supported by a light malty aroma, with a hint of caramel malt.

Flavor:

The body is a bit thin. The first flavor is a delightful hop flavor, again variety indeterminant, that quickly slides into a moderately malty middle. The finishes with a lingering hop bitterness and caramel notes. A slight astringency, perhaps from the bittering hop, makes an early appearance but quickly fades.

Final Analysis:

A nice American Amber, and the best Blue Ridge beer that I have had so far. The hoppiness was good for an Amber, although the preferred signature of the 4C hop was absent. Maltiness was good, but I would have preferred a bit more presence of the crystal note. The initial appearance of astringency faded quickly enough to not detract from the experience at all.

In the aggregate, Blue Ridge seems to be a cleaner brewery than they were three or four years ago, with most of their beers now hovering around the three-star range. While they are surely quaffable, and in the right context I would be a repeat customer, there is nothing exciting about the Blue Ridge beers that I have sampled. With Dominion and Victory overlapping the Blue Ridge market, it would be difficult to wean me away from those two breweries.

Rating: ***1/2

(Very Good on my 5-star scale)

Copyright 1998 by David Brockington, all rights reserved.
Seattle, USA
 Comments? Fire off some email: dbrock@u.washington.edu

[Back]" Return to Notebook Contents Page

Review #67