Beers similar to Vache Folle ESB

Extra Special Bitter·Canada·5.5% ABV·One of 18 Extra Special Bitters in hopIQ·

hopIQ found 10 beers that share Vache Folle ESB's caramel and bitter character. Caramel malt forms the body of this red-amber ale in the English bitter tradition, with woody and herbal hop notes layered over it and a floral perfume in the nose. The bitterness is marked for the modest strength and carries into a dry finish that keeps the caramel from reading as sweet. Brewed since 2004 and available all year.

Similar beers ranked by flavour match rather than popularity.Similar beers ranked by flavour, not popularity.

floralcaramelbitter

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10 beers like Vache Folle ESB

Bitch Creek ESB

Grand Teton Brewing

United States · Extra Special Bitter · 6%

ALTERNATIVE

73%

FLAVOUR MATCH

Shares malt character and dryness with Vache Folle ESB; adds earthy notes, but drops floral notes.

What carries overcaramelmaltybitterdryherbal

Structure: very close

Compared to Vache Folle ESBearthyrichtoastyfloral

Structure: Very close — a touch more sweetness, a touch more body.

Structure: very close

View beer Alternatives to Bitch Creek ESB

EI.PI.EI.

Opperbacco

Italy · American Pale Ale · 6.1%

ALTERNATIVE

71%

FLAVOUR MATCH

Same dryness and malt character as Vache Folle ESB, adds citrus notes, but without the bitterness.

What carries overfloralcarameldryherbalhoppy

Structure: very close

Compared to Vache Folle ESBcitrusybreadyfruitybitter

Structure: Same structure — body, sweetness, bitterness and texture all land on the same spot.

Structure: very close

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Beretta

Brasserie Dunham

Canada · Best Bitter · 4.8%

WORTH A TRY

68%

FLAVOUR MATCH

As with Vache Folle ESB, same dryness and herbal notes; adds earthy notes, a notch softer, no floral notes.

What carries overbitterdryherbalcaramelhoppy

Structure: a notch softer

Compared to Vache Folle ESBearthysmooth-drinkingdark fruitfloralmalty

Structure: Very close — a touch more sweetness, a touch less body.

Structure: a notch softer

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Gem

Bath Ales

United Kingdom · Best Bitter · 4.1%

66%

MATCH

Like Vache Folle ESB on hop character and malt character — adds fruit notes, noticeably less bitter, but without the floral notes.

Structure: less bitter, a notch softer

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Extra Easy

Tennessee Brew Works

United States · Extra Special Bitter · 5%

66%

MATCH

Mirrors Vache Folle ESB's hop character and dryness — plus earthy notes, minus herbal notes.

Structure: very close

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Chopper's

Georgetown Brewing Company

United States · Red Ale · 5.8%

66%

MATCH

Keeps dryness and herbal notes like Vache Folle ESB, adds resin notes, sweeter, drops floral notes.

Structure: sweeter, less bitter

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Crack A Window

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Canada · West Coast Pale Ale · 5.5%

66%

MATCH

A touch more resin notes, no herbal notes — dryness and floral notes as with Vache Folle ESB.

Structure: very close

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Second Street Boneshaker Amber

Second Street Brewery

United States · Extra Special Bitter · 5.8%

66%

MATCH

Alongside Vache Folle ESB on malt character and floral notes: adds toasty notes, fuller-bodied, drops bitterness.

Structure: a touch fuller, sweeter

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Fuller's ESB

Fuller's Griffin Brewery

United Kingdom · Extra Special Bitter · 5.9%

66%

MATCH

Fuller — same malt character and hop character as Vache Folle ESB, adds orange notes, fuller-bodied, but without the floral notes.

Structure: a touch fuller, sweeter

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Naughty Hildegard

Driftwood Brewery

Canada · Extra Special Bitter · 6.5%

64%

MATCH

Stronger — same hop character and malt character as Vache Folle ESB, adds citrus notes, a notch stronger, but without the floral notes.

Structure: a notch stronger

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