Old 121 Brewhouse Co-Owner and Head Brewer Sam Nicholson Talks Old 121 ESB

We spoke with Old 121 Brewhouse Co-Owner and Head Brewer Sam Nicholson about Old 121 ESB.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This is a recipe I created homebrewing over 10 years ago that has been refined over the years.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
I will argue until I'm red in the face that ESB is one of the best styles of beer, and that's the reason why I love the beer. It's equal parts malt, hops and yeast in a way that other styles just don't stack up to.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Tastes how beer should taste.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
This is a sentimental beer for me. It was the first homebrew recipe I really worked at making better and also was the most awarded homebrew beer I made. When I first started working at Old 121 as an intern (before taking over as Co-Owner), it was the first recipe of my own I got to scale up on the commercial system. It was then the first beer brewed after taking over as an owner before it was introduced as a year-round flagship. The icing on the cake was the 2024 World Beer Cup gold medal we won while attending CBC this year. A pretty surreal, full-circle moment.

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