Rich Danish royalty proves to be provocative 10% ABV dynamo with its syrupy brown chocolate creaming, milked coffee scamper and sticky anise goo leading the way over sweet-grained Maris Otter malts and lightly-charred hop bittering. Fudgy molasses, cocoa, vanilla, toffee and caramel illusions add chewy texture to mighty mocha imperialism.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
CLOWN SHOES LUCHADOR EN FUEGO
“Majestic” 3rd anniversary Imperial Stout (2016), aged in Heaven Hill and Wild Turkey bourbon barrels, drapes Mexican-styled chocolate malting and mild chipotle peppering over rum-spiced bourbon vanilla warmth. Mild coconut-toasted cinnamon, black cherry and almond illusions sweetly contrast light pepper heat below the mocha surface. A perfect nightcap.
PEEKSKILL THE HOWLING FANTODS IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Ambulance, densely full-bodied Imperial Stout gathers syrupy black chocolate creaming and black coffee-sugared black licorice overtones to rally against tarry Blackstrap molasses bittering. Wispy dark-spiced black cherry nuances and latent burgundy-port snips make cameos.
TEN NINETY MILK & COOKIES
Engagingly rich milk stout with polite ginger spicing goes beyond mere milk & cookie promise as hickory-smoked maple molasses sweetness and cookie dough yeast sugaring pick up black cherry bruise, raisin cookie respite and musty dried fruiting. Dark chocolate overtones survive wintry gingerbread seasoning. A treacly chocolate delight.
URBAN LEGEND COLD WAR RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
“Luscious” full-bodied Imperial Stout brings dark-roasted coffee and chocolate tones to dark molasses sugaring and light hop bittering. Ancillary caramel, vanilla and fig illusions add color to rich mocha complexity.
OMMEGANG SHADOW BREWER IMPERIAL STOUT
Underwhelming limited edition 2016 Imperial Stout (with quiet 9.7% ABV) brings moderately creamy brown chocolate frontage, bitter coffee followup and brown-sugared dried fruiting to barley-roasted caramel malting. Oats-charred earthen peat saturates ancillary raisin-fig-plum conflux and latent cola-hazelnut whims.
CENTRAL WATERS RYE BARREL CHOCOLATE PORTER
On tap at Ambulance, devastatingly devious dessert treat (circa 2016) layers bourbon-sugared milk chocolate sweetness atop understated oatmeal rye malt base. Bustling cocoa nibs influence increases as ancillary vanilla, anise, espresso and toasted coconut illusions penetrate oak-charred mocha finish.
BOULEVARD CHOCOLATE ALE WITH RASPBERRY
Titillating ruby-browned dark ale offers tart white-wined raspberry pucker to mild Dominican cacao nibs adjunct and cocoa-powdered chocolate malting. Bittersweet raspberry syruping picks up candied lemon-cherry nuances at casual soda-sugared center.
SANTA FE STATE PEN PORTER
Trademark Santa Fe offering renders dark chocolate roast, caramel coffee cache and sour-creamed lactose milking. Beneath, chocolate-caked cocoa, pecan, toffee and molasses illusions crowd earthen hop bottom.
PINE ISLAND BIG BROWN
On tap at Craft House, worthy Imperial Brown Ale (with well hidden 10.8% ABV) contrasts glazed pecan and hazelnut sweetness against dry hop-roasted walnut bittering. Dark chocolate respite and distant raisin-fig conflux subsumed by nuttier overtones.
ALESMITH OLD NUMBSKULL BARLEYWINE
Resounding 11% ABV full body drapes piney floral-fruited IPA hop resilience atop fudgy cookie dough malts and sweet vanilla-creamed toffee sugaring. Assertive oak-charred hop bittering confronts bruised orange succulence as well as honey-glazed lemon, orange, peach, pineapple and black cherry tang. Light sherry, bourbon, brandy and Scotch illusions scurry below.
DOGFISH HEAD BEER TO DRINK MUSIC TO TRIPEL
Multi-dimensional tripel elevates stylish coriander-spiced citric fruiting and herbal yeast rusticity with sweet orange-peeled green cardamom and peppercorn adjuncts as well as crystal-malted vanilla creaming, but desiccated by fusel alcohol acridity. Crisply clean floral fruited arrangement delivers lemon meringue, orange marmalade, banana, and mango niceties to white-peppered honeysuckle, heather, lavender, daisy, sunflower and chrysanthemum bouquet.