Revelatory golden-hued medium-bodied Imperial IPA, named after naturalist philosopher, maintains silken flow despite creamy thrust. Cotton-candied caramel-crystal malts align with lemon-sugared red apple, brown pear, purple grape, apricot, and tangerine fruiting as well as pineapple, mango and passion fruit tropicalia. Mild grapefruit peel bittering illuminates pine needled floral hops securing perfectly balanced, highly celebrated West Coaster.
Monthly Archives: December 2009
(GORDASH) HOLY MACKERAL SPECIAL GOLDEN ALE
Heady Belgian-styled golden-hazed medium body (brewed for Florida’s Gordash Beer Company in South Carolina) brings vanilla malt creaminess to fungi-soured Belgian yeast endurance. At midst, peppery Saaz hop bitterness and musty barnyard funk counter durable cotton-candied butterscotch rummage, wavered apple-apricot-pear fruiting and clove-coriander-spiced banana bubblegum whim. Delightful maraschino cherry ripeness, zippy cinnamon-gingerbread dalliance, and supple Cognac finish prove affirmative. Busy mix never falters. On tap at Plantation’s Hurricane Grill & Wings, sweeter honey-fruited thrust receives herbal twinge.
(SHIPYARD) THE ELEVEN BROWN ALE
Inviting thin-headed brown-hazed ‘smooth dark ale’ brings expressive nuttiness to roasted caramel alleviation. Oily hop-charred peanut-shelled walnut bittering counters meandering macadamia-hazelnut sweetness above cocoa-dried mocha malting. Ashy peat recess and metallic twinge obstruct nebulous vanilla-sarsaparilla spell.
(GORDASH) HOLY MACKERAL MACK IN BLACK IMPERIAL BLACK ALE
Interesting Schwarzbier-like Black Ale (brewed for Gordash Beer Company) adds inconspicuous pomegranate juice to sticky anise plunge, sour fig-prune surge, and grain-roasted stove-burnt coffee swell. Black cherry, dried fig, and purple grape nuances prompt Muscat or port wine appeal. Smoked mocha malts permit cola nut, walnut, and Brazil nut illusions to enter the 8% alcohol fray. On tap, deeper coffee-burnt licorice resilience is felt.
(INDIAN RIVER) NATIVE LAGER
Astringent citric-hopped phenol-spiced straw-hued light lager gets watery fast. Diluted candy-soured orange rind and lemon peel bittering tops sullen grain tepidity and corn-oiled gloom. Parched lime-like acidity and skunked vegetal waft overwhelm frail finish.
BARON SCHWARZBIER BLACK LAGER
Murky cocoa-soured astringency, lousy compost waft, and nasty vegetal spell ruin dried prune-fig souring as well as Muscat wine appeal. Mired in nebulous day-old black bread funk, this warbled German-styled brew seems unbalanced, spreading inconclusive black grape, fennel, and pumpernickel illusions across rotted bock-like variance to phenol finish.
PIKE ENTIRE WOOD-AGED STOUT
Robust 9.5% alcohol-fueled tan-headed brown-bodied barrel-aged slow sipper allows welcoming sherry opening to invigorate hop-oiled grain-roasted cedar-burnt bitterness and cocoa-powdered prune-dried raisin puree and black cherry illusions. Chewy molasses-sapped black coffee, brown chocolate and vanilla bean notes surface above warming burgundy-bourbon finish of outstanding full-bodied winner.
FLYING FISH EXIT 1 BAYSHORE OYSTER STOUT
Brewed with fresh oysters to add hop-toasted dryness and mocha malt creaminess to black chocolate-y dark-roasted coffee theme. Chewy molasses richness picks up cedar-burnt charcoal-tar bitterness and black cherry souring, receding to smooth bourbon-burgundy finish that’s smoothly robust.
ELYSIAN NIGHT OWL PUMPKIN ALE
Rich amber-hazed autumn seasonal with cookie dough-like yeast sinew and honey-roasted mocha malting receives sharp hop-spiced gourd acridity, revealing cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and gingerbread resonance adjacent to pumpkin pie crusting. Rigid phenol finish depletes tertiary sugared fig, almond, chestnut, and pecan illusions. Engaging dessert fodder. On tap at Biggie’s – 2016, sweeter gingerbread-spiced pumpkin pie template perseveres as spritzy lemon snip crackles.
BOULEVARD DOUBLE-WIDE INDIA PALE ALE
Initially, fruited aroma hits nose and infiltrates spruce-y pine hops. First sip reveals tangy apricot-apple-pineapple zest countering sharp grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering. Harsh nuttiness and juniper berry add to bitterness as alcohol burn assaults creamy caramel malt sweetness.
(BOULEVARD) LONG STRANGE TRIPEL
Luxuriously spectral Grateful Dead-inspired Belgian-styled tripel counters candi-sugared fructose sweetness and coriander-clove spicing with dusky fungi-like earthiness in uniquely balanced bottle-conditioned fashion. Thick yeast sediment creates heavy viscosity as luscious white ale confections such as gin-like juniper, buttery Chardonnay, and red-purple-black grape illusions settle above herbal white-peppered green tea sash. Apple blossom, pink grapefruit, and overripe peach regalia welcome luscious tropical cornucopia (pineapple-mango-cantaloupe-banana) to juxtapose oncoming cider-y sourness until grassy horsehide-rawhide dryness presents farmhouse barnyard funk to the mix. Beware: well-hidden 9% alcohol whir will spin heads.
(BOULEVARD) THE SIXTH GLASS QUADRUPEL ALE
Respectable auburn-hued Belgian-styled quad ‘for the mature connoisseur’ retains winter warming brown ale character to medicinal wintry holiday finish. Unmistakable Belgian yeast funk deluges chocolate-spiced sugared date, stewed prune, brown banana, black cherry, bruised orange, and overripe peach illusions fortifying plush Grand Marnier-Cognac-Chardonnay trifecta as well as tertiary spiced wine, dry port and dark rum flirtations. Chewy molasses-like caramel malting completes the score. Boasting more depth and richness than Boulevard’s superfine Long Strange Tripel, this round-tripper’s a true homerun.
