Soothingly crisp limited edition hop celebrator (with unintrusively bawdy 10% alcohol volume) merges expectant citric tropicalia with elevated Eldorado hop grassiness. Piney orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering contrasts candied pineapple-peach-mango-orange medley, creamy caramel malt sudsing and syrupy honeysuckle-flowered sweetness to biscuit-y backend. Minor alcohol burn found at frolicsome fruited finish of self-proclaimed ‘Golden One.’

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

Located at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Hartford, CITY STEAM BREWERY may be the most versatile New England gastropub. On an overnight May ’12 jaunt, my wife and I (with dog, Roscoe, in tow) stayed across the river from the ‘Insurance Capital of the World’ in a cheaper East Hartford hotel, traversing the one-mile Founders Bridge to once more peruse one of Connecticut’s finest craft beer havens.

Tucked inside the bustling metropolis next to the Constitution State’s…

Overreaching experimental smoked ale clashes peppery rauchbier-like meat curing against cake-frosted doughnut likeness for a peculiar mix that runs out of steam by its worn-out finish. Beechwood, cherrywood and hickory smoked malts make initial impression, contrasting pastry-like pancake battering, aromatic vanilla sweetness and syrupy maple sinew. Applewood-smoked bacon, glazed ham and charred cedar illusions get lost amongst crowded concoction in conspicuous bright pink bottle.

Heavenly sweet stout brings rich chocolate truffle theme to cocoa bean midst and coffee-dried niche. Utilizing Munson’s creamy milk chocolate as an effectual adjunct, fine dessert treat picks up crème brulee, vanilla ice cream, caramel latte, chocolate mousse, mochaccino and espresso undertones to contrast moderate dry-hopped char for an addictive sweet-toothed chocolate lover’s delight.

Respectable mocha-bound dry body placates powdery dark chocolate with caramel-roasted brown breading and dark-spiced hop resin. Dried-fruited black cherry, purple grape, prune and plum undertones pick up Blackstrap molasses sinew. Sarsaparilla, cola nut, hazelnut and vanilla illusions hide beneath.

Worthy 2012 limited edition Baltic porter hybrid plies cocoa-dried chocolate malting and black coffee bittering to subtle blood orange peel bittering that’s pleasingly overwhelmed by peaty mulch composting. Dark chocolate-roasted cocoa nibs influence fortifies dusky mocha finish.

Excellently sessionable Belgian witbier with hybridized India Pale Ale fruit spicing retains soft-tongued smoothness. Strong grapefruit peel tartness and white-peppered piney hop bittering contrast tropical fruiting. White peach, mandarin orange, pineapple, mango and tangerine illusions sashay across honeyed crystal malting. Perfect crossover for lighter thirsts readied for mildly stronger fare.

Calm moderate-bodied English-styled pale ale brings dainty citrus spicing to mild vanilla honeyed creaminess. Soft peppery hops prickle zesty lemon fizz, honeysuckle orange blossom snip and abrupt herbal tea nip to doughy almond-pasted backend. Fine summertime session beer perfect with mixed nuts and varied cheeses.

Sessionable straw-paled light lager betters most stylistically similar moderations. Mineral-grained hop spicing and lemony spritz contrast rugged Eastern Euro-like corn-sugared maize-dried malt liquor smudge. An astringent bittering and tertiary grassy hay earthiness counter its backend doughy lightness.

Strong limited edition (2012) wheat wine brings citric splendor to weedy green-hopped black peppering and musty earthen leathering. Lemon-peeled grapefruit rind bittering seeps into mild orange zest as well as tertiary white peach, mango, pineapple and pear illusions. Gin-soaked juniper bite soaks dry wooded midst to wheat-breaded backbone.

Self-proclaimed ‘easy drinking ale’ is actually a sidewinding sessionable summertime salutation corruptively balancing bitter with the sweet. Stylistically bold raw-honeyed medium body develops weirdly. Glutinous honeyed wheat astringency attacks corn-oiled diacetyl buttering and tempered fungi musk up-front. Soapy midst disturbs ancillary Scotch-rye notch, musty peat blotch and rotted cantaloupe-melon-banana splotch. Soured honey musk retains nasty bitterness, overriding gluey beeswax sweetness. Confusingly inconsistent flavor profile undermines medium-bodied dog. 

Splendidly designed and well-balanced limited edition (2012) Belgian-styled pale ale counters sour lemon-seeded hop bittering with candied crystal sugaring. Bubblegummy banana-clove sweetness and lemony orange zest perk up tertiary basil-thyme herbage. Musty black tea peppering seeps into dank Belgian yeast fungi below citric regalia.