Grand Teton - Bitch Creek Extra Special Brown

Tonights review is from Grand Teton.  A well known and respected brewery out of Colorado.  Dunz and I have been reviewing these guys and enjoying their beer since the start of our blog.  We are continually impressed with our experiences as we try the Grand Teton brews that are new to us.  Tonight, GTs take on the "ESB" is new to me.  Lets see how it fares.

ESB is generally an acronym for Extra Special Bitter.  Grand Teton has taken this and bastardized it in the only appropriate way a craft brewery can!  This Extra Special Brown is a deep dark amber with a voluminous tan foam.  A pungent aroma of citrusy hops plows full sails ahead in front of any malt characteristics you would have expected with a brew this dark.  Any remaining aromas are back-filled with toasted bread and caramel malt.  The flavors represent the aromas to a 'T'.  Plenty of American hops to go around.  A solid, creamy and smooth base malt of toffee, toasted bread and light chocolate support the massive hop explosion in my mouth.  The bold citrus flavors that are well known in West coast IPAs somehow find their way into Bitch Creek.  Its unexpected, but certainly welcome.

Overall - Bitch Creek threw me off a bit.  It took me a bottle or two to get used to the unusual amount of hops within this brew.  American Brown Ales are mostly hoppy but this one is taking it to the extreme.  I like it!  The name Extra Special Brown is earned here.  Plenty of bitterness to go around while also keeping the beer balanced and easily drinkable.  I believe this is a year round offering so be sure to grab a sixer next time you are in the mood for a solid American Brown!