Epuni Street ESB

Garage Project may have a reputation as the frontrunners when it comes to modern releases, but they’re no strangers to the classic styles.  Even so, to see an ESB (5.5% ABV) of all things from GP was a surprise — and a welcome one.  Toasted biscuity malt with dried apricot and wet earth on the nose, followed by big crunchy malt with an orange citrus lift and dry, firmly bitter finish.  A distinctly New Zealand take on ESB that’s drier and more robustly bitter than the English model.  It’s excellent as it is, but I’d love to see what it could do on a hand-pull (as it was served at the Garage Project taproom last year), or even a nitro can.