An awesome beer!

This is Deans Brothers Brewing Co.'s flagship brew. The history of this beer began in 1980 when Bill Deans, at the age of 18, moved to England for a year with his English girlfriend, Philippa Jane, and discovered English Ales & the Pub scene.

During this time, what really caught Bill’s attention was the quality of the beer they drank in England, and how different that beer was from the mass-produced, highly carbonated yellow stuff he had been accustomed to in the States. (Keep in mind, the microbrewery movement hadn’t yet occurred in the US – at that time only San Francisco’s Anchor Steam provided a domestically brewed alternative to the likes of Bud, Coors, Miller and Mickey’s Big Mouths!).

Ever the inquisitive one, Bill yearned to understand why the beer in England tasted, well, just better than what he was used to back home. He learned about the hops, the barley malt and the yeast that was used exclusively in English style ales. He also learned about the brewing process itself, and prior to his return to the States, he had the opportunity to learn how to brew traditional English Pale Ales.

When Bill moved back to California in 1981, he found that the ingredients he needed for his traditional pale ales were not yet available in America and had to arrange for the majority of his ingredients to be shipped to him from the UK.

As a homebrewer, Bill brewed this ESB solely for his personal consumption. His authentic English ales raised more than a few eyebrows with his friends in the US who were accustomed to the relatively weak, watery beers made with adjuncts like corn and rice that dominated the American beer scene in the early 80’s.

But Bill didn't care what others thought of his beer. He brewed this ESB the way he wanted to drink it – the way it tasted in the pubs – the way he was taught to brew it.

Fast forward to today, and it’s safe to say Bill was a visionary well ahead of his time, as the taste and appreciation for quality beers and ales is at an all-time high (and growing!) in the US.

True to form, all the ingredients used in our ESB today are still 100% British (except for California water). We use only the most expensive malt available (Maris Otter) and only the two finest whole English Hops available (East Kent Golding & English Fuggles) to make this awesome Extra Special/Strong Bitter Pale Ale.

This recipe hasn't changed in over 25 years. This is still the beer that Bill fell in love with in 1980 and drinks everyday. The only difference is that now he shares it with others!

Enjoy!

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