Holy bouncing Buddha, it's American Craft Beer Week! And what better way to kick it off, than by enjoying a (fairly) local ESB, the Laughing Dog CSB?
The CSB monicker has a fairly amusing back story to it. Apparently the namesake Laughing Dog had a tendency to greet people by sniffing their crotches, and was thus called the Crotch Sniffing Bastard. Dogs will be dogs, I suppose.
Odd name aside, the Laughing Dog is not a bad ale at all. It's not super exciting, but has a bit more kick and depth to it than many ESBs. It pours a nice amber color with a bit of head to it and minimal lacing.
The nose gives a kick of toffee and caramel that carries over into the flavor. There aren't much of a hop punch, but the CSB's sweetness and lingering bitterness gives the ale a rounder flavor than what I had expected. This really feels like a beer that would great with a good falafel. It's very refreshing.
Laughing Dog has made better beer and certainly more exciting ones. The CSB, though, is nice and refreshing, and a good way to start of the week with.