BUTLER, NEW JERSEY

German philosopher Friedrich Neitchze’s timeless adage, ‘whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,’ seems appropriate describing High Point Wheat Beer Company’s steady rise in the face of a thankfully bygone era when generic lagers ruled the roost, crowded store shelves, and saturated indiscriminant guzzlers.

Creating its inaugural Bavarian-styled beers under the Ramstein banner a few years before the majority of impressive brewpubs started penetrating America’s rank and file, owner Greg Zaccardi’s small Butler brewery…

On tap, moderate-bodied Belgian-style pale ale (formerly known as Zotten) retains lemony grapefruit theme above peppery Cascade-Centennial hop spritz, herbal tea meditation, and reclining rosemary-thyme spicing. Honeyed malt sweetness caresses hard-candied peach, pineapple, and banana subsidy.

Wintry ruby-browned dry-bodied Black IPA (circa 2011) lacks distinct flavor profile and emphatic up-front thrust of similarly styled ‘Cascadian’ suds newly marketed across America. Ashy resinous earthiness may be the culprit, overriding piney-hopped grapefruit-peeled juniper bittering, tenuous rye-breaded barley roast, relegated fig-spiced date-prune swoon, and latent cola-walnut wisp. Reluctant dark-malted powdered cocoa murkiness and slick coffee-burnt waver lurk beneath.

Stylistically lighter than expected. Distant dark-roasted peanut-shelled walnut, macadamia, and Brazil nut sharpness depletes dark-sugared oats-flaked caramelized toffee sweetness. Soapy molasses-draped cocoa-chalked coffee grounds reside below overestimated, but not insubstantial, wood-conditioned dry-bodied smoothie. On second passing, soft rye-breaded mochaccino-cappuccino creaming picks up wet-papered oats toasting, sweet hazelnut drift, and oyster-shelled crustacean nuance.

In a fair world, seasoned Swedish trio, Peter Bjorn & John, would’ve been big pop stars. An eclectic combo fashioning engagingly melodic hook lines with a keen eye looking towards rock and roll’s glorious past, these versatile Scandinavians bounce between various familiar contemporary styles while stuck just outside stardom’s short and narrow reach. In spite of it all, they don’t really care all that much about worldwide takeover.

Of course, PB&J did experience a modicum of international fame when their…

Mild dry-bodied golden-hazed Earth Day tributary needs better malt-hop profile to be suitable summer session stash. Tingly orange-dried lemon zest softens sugar-candied pale malting, earthen mineral graining and wispy floral-hopped bittering to muted honeyed wheat finish. A somewhat trifling unfiltered ale.

Pour slowly thick ebony-hued full body or risk carbolic implosion. Heavy coffee-roasted espresso mouthfeel enriches hop-charred wood burn, tobacco chaw tarring and resinous pine acridity, reinforcing Blackstrap molasses bittering over black cherry, blackberry, and raspberry flirtations – but stylistic chocolate sweetness lacks. Black currant and juniper berry sharpness increases smoky ashen pine pungency. Serve to bolder dry stout enthusiasts.

Another dull clear-bottled beige-yellowed light-bodied Latin lager only Corona lightweights can stand. Mild corn-husked astringency contrasts equally intolerable cloying malt liquor musk and solvent sulfuric sash. Peppy carbolic hop fizz disrupted by blunt oxidization and spoiled cabbage patch.

Perfectly descriptive limited edition maple wheat ale (updated circa 2011) brings candied black cherry cough syrup thickness to ascending molasses-sugared raspberry, raisin, and prune swoon. Thick Vermont maple syrup drapes creamy wheat-honeyed caramel malt richness, increasing dried fruited depth to crowded medicinal finish.

Classy Spanish cedar-aged IPA crafted to pair with cigar. Never too bitter and highly approachable, its bright cane-sugared tropical fruiting sits atop floral spice-hopped pine needling of rich copper-hazed Floridian. Aromatic cigar wrapper aromatics complement endless fruitful adjuncts. Pineapple, mango, kiwi, guava, passion fruit, peach, and cherry rampage across lingered lemon-seeded grapefruit bittering. Perfect as summery after-dinner sipper.

Easygoing straw-hazed yellow-fruited springtime session beer stays refreshingly smooth. Thematic honey-glazed lemony tartness picks up mild orange rind bittering above delicate grassy-hopped mineral graining, picking up minor vegetal astringency to white wheat backbone. Briskly carbolic seltzer fizz helps keep things light and airy.

Decent stylistic selection lacks full-on mocha thrust. Pleasing coffee-burnt dark chocolate entry contrasts oaken hop-charred bittering and nutty reminder. Black cherry, prune, anise, and cocoa nibs deepen chicory-espresso midst, but an ersatz plasticity undermines tranquil bourbon wake. Tertiary soy, fennel, and celery illusions randomly drift by. On second passing, lactic acidity relegates French oak chip aging to dramatic bourbon-burgundy afterburner. Palm kernel-oiled cocoa buttering, chocolate-covered malt ball (a.k.a. Whopper) scamper, and black licorice gumming swirl across vanilla, raisin, hazelnut and macadamia…