Steph’s New Brew Review: Green Man ESB

Green Man Brewery ESB, a 5.3% ABV Extra Special Bitter

Appearance	Rich, amber color with hints of red hues with a creamy off-white head.
Aroma	Roasted malts, caramel, nuts.
Taste	Roasted malts, caramel, slight bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel	Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall	Malty English ales are some of my favorite beers. I love the strong malt flavors of this ESB, and I could drink this all day.

Brewing up delicious beers since 1997, the legendary Green Man Brewery is located in Asheville, North Carolina. One of North Carolina’s oldest breweries, they are known for their traditional English ales as well as innovative and exciting new flavors from original brewer, John Stuart.

With the addition of a second brewery, Green Man is now brewing sour and barrel aged beers, as well as new seasonals like the Rainmaker Double IPA and the Dweller Imperial Stout. Green Man is also no longer a brewpub, allowing them to focus on production, distribution and growth.

During my trip to Asheville, we visited their tasting room on Buxton Avenue, which is laid into the brewery. In addition to their standard brews (IPA, ESB, and Porter), they also had Zebulon Blonde (American Blonde Ale), Shaft (Double Black IPA), Red Barcetta (American Strong Ale), Angus Scotch Ale, and a Spring Ale on tap. The Imperial Porter was on cask. Too many choices? You can always ask Yoda for his advice.

I enjoyed a pint of the IPA while I was there since it is their flagship ale. Green Man’s authentic English-style India Pale Ale is a delectably hoppy, yet well-balanced beer. Aromas and flavors of hoppy bitterness and floral notes combined perfectly with the flavors of traditional British malts.

You can purchase pints, merchandise, and growlers, or simply hang out by the brewing equipment or on the outdoor patio. Beer drinkers can enjoy a game of darts while munching on free pretzels with Lusty Monk Mustard. There is usually a food truck outside as well. Kids and dogs are welcome.

So what exactly is this mythical Green Man? The brewery’s website states:

A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit… the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages…”

I picked up a mixed 6-pack of Green Man beers to bring home, one of which was the ESB. This traditional English-style ale is a malty amber ale with toasted and caramel flavors. This award-winning beer is brewed with a blend of authentic British malts and hops creating a nutty aroma, full body, and a sweet finish.

Wanna pick this one up? Green Man brews can be found in select markets in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Their IPA, Porter, and ESB are available in 6-packs.
Check out… this video from Green Man Brewery.