Pete's ESP Lager
Review Date 7/20/2000
Try?
Re-buy?
Pete's Brewing, as we all know, is no longer Pete's. Pete
Slosberg sold out his interest a while back, and many of the more
interesting brews he produced through his contract arrangements were
discontinued in favor of lighter bodied beers like the ESP (Extra Smooth
Pub) Lager.
I had heard about this beer awhile before it was introduced, that it would be an attempt by Pete's to offer a more mainstream product. Before I even tasted the beer, every indication seemed to point in that direction. It is named "Extra Smooth", for one.The bottle resembles a megabrewery beer rather than a microbrew one, and the label neck has Pete expounding his love for "full-bodied brews", while at the same time declaring that he has to "mow the lawn and clean out the rain gutters", which makes him thirsty. Pete implies that this is a beer that more people can enjoy.
By this time I was prepared to taste a very light bodied beer, and when I finally popped the cap and poured the brew into my glass, the light golden colored, very fizzy appearance only furthered my suspicions. I took a tentative sniff, and was greeted by a light malt character with a touch of green-apple character. I sipped. Surprise! The beer is actually quite good, with a touch of the aforementioned green apple acetaldehyde but with a decent amount of malt and slight toastiness in the finish. Not much in the way of hops, but overall a very drinkable brew with just enough malt flavor to make it interesting. A good beer to introduce to your non craft brew drinking friends, it just might be the first step in a new direction for them. Pete's ESP Lager won't knock your socks off, but it will quench your thirst or wash down good food (it goes great with a plate of nachos smothered in cheese and spicy corn and bean salsa).
I had heard about this beer awhile before it was introduced, that it would be an attempt by Pete's to offer a more mainstream product. Before I even tasted the beer, every indication seemed to point in that direction. It is named "Extra Smooth", for one.The bottle resembles a megabrewery beer rather than a microbrew one, and the label neck has Pete expounding his love for "full-bodied brews", while at the same time declaring that he has to "mow the lawn and clean out the rain gutters", which makes him thirsty. Pete implies that this is a beer that more people can enjoy.
By this time I was prepared to taste a very light bodied beer, and when I finally popped the cap and poured the brew into my glass, the light golden colored, very fizzy appearance only furthered my suspicions. I took a tentative sniff, and was greeted by a light malt character with a touch of green-apple character. I sipped. Surprise! The beer is actually quite good, with a touch of the aforementioned green apple acetaldehyde but with a decent amount of malt and slight toastiness in the finish. Not much in the way of hops, but overall a very drinkable brew with just enough malt flavor to make it interesting. A good beer to introduce to your non craft brew drinking friends, it just might be the first step in a new direction for them. Pete's ESP Lager won't knock your socks off, but it will quench your thirst or wash down good food (it goes great with a plate of nachos smothered in cheese and spicy corn and bean salsa).
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
