Dank-smelling golden-hued German-styled light body brings unwanted metallic twinge to washed-out phenol-hopped citric-berry lark, benign sourdough breading, and ascending nut grain bittering. Impenetrable caramel malting needs better assertion and leathery straw-hay earthiness gets acrid. Off-putting corn-oiled splotch blotches floral-spiced alacrity.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: TWO BROTHERS BREW. CO., WARRENVILLE, IL.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: THOMAS HOOKER BREW. CO., SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Worthy ‘strangely refreshing’ fruit ale perfect as easy-drinking light-bodied poolside fodder. Juicy Jolly Rancher watermelon theme maintains sweet thrust above dainty hop-fizzed strawberry Seltzer spritz to cereal-sugared wheat-honeyed spine. Tangible lemonade tartness works its way into artificial melon flavoring. Serve to anyone with a sweet tooth.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: TERRAPIN BEER CO., ATHENS, GA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Incipient American-brewed Belgian-styled Scotch ale (perused in 2010) makes good impression. Deep amber-hued medium body brings dry Scotch malting to hop-spiced cherry-pureed banana-breaded purple grape wining. Candi-sugared fungi-like yeast sinew provides obligatory Belgian ale character to sour-mashed apple chutney ascension as well as tertiary pine nut, hazelnut, and chestnut illusions.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SAMUEL ADAMS BREW. CO., BOSTON, MA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Fair golden-hazed lemon-peeled sour-candied light body lacks expectant banana-clove theme of better German-styled hefeweizens. Sparkling lemon-lime fizzed Seltzer watering and wispy coriander-ginger-spicing provide crispness but glutinous wheat-malted stickiness becomes cloy. Dish-watered soaping voids acidic yellow-fruited whim. Lackluster lawnmower fodder.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BUCKS COUNTY BREWERY, LAMBERTVILLE, N.J.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Splendid sharp-hopped mulling spices bring autumnal seasoning to smashingly rich, creamy, full-bodied dessert beer (arguably as indispensable as Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale). Ripened pumpkin theme envelops large cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-gingerbread contingent and tertiary banana-bruised apple-candied black cherry tang. Syrupy medicinal thickness outlasts vegetal gourd sway at expansive pumpkin-spiced finish.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: NECTAR ALES, PASO ROBLE, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: COLD SPRING BREWING, COLD SPRING, MN.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Enormous 32-ounce can brings tinny metallic derision to slick caramel malting and phenol-hopped acridity of understated, lackluster porter-bock mix. Despite boasting ‘glacial mineral water,’ crispness lacks. Obliging brown-sugared cocoa-powdered chocolate roast overrides ashen cola-walnut singe consuming astringent purple grape, prune, and cherry whimper, weakening to chalky mocha tartness. Slight barleywine lick detected at blah dried-fruit finish. Serve to less discriminating brown ale consumers.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: CLIPPER CITY BREW. CO., BALTIMORE, MD.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Decent mahogany-hued flesh-headed smoked porter benefits from milky dark chocolate roast but frail maple-singed coffee-stained hop-charred coarseness, minor black grape-cherry-apricot fruiting, and sweet vanilla ice-creamed dab seem expendable – unable to provide sufficient backup. A desiccated chocolate milkshake.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BROWN’S BREW. CO., TROY, N.Y.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Enormous whiskey-dried warmth muted by dark-roasted caramel malting and hop-charred oaken vanilla nicety. Shockingly low 5.7% alcohol makes presence felt as cherry jubilee, chocolate cake, and buttered cocoa illusions reach boozy bourbon finish. Nutty restraint softens coffee-burnt plum-anise latency. Perfect for softhearted slow-sipping snifter snobs as well as light porter aficionados.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY, MILTON, DE.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Originally brewed in collaboration with Italy’s Birra Del Borgo, this busy adjunct pilsner may seem pricey but it’s enticingly original. Immediate candi-sugared yellow-fruited impetus receives herbaceous floridity above grain-roasted spunk. Bitter grapefruit rind tartness lingers through resinous black-peppered juniper slipstream countering honey-glazed peach-nectarine-pineapple tang. Wafting dark floral seduction accentuates herbal fruit-spiced theme.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BARON BREWERY, SEATTLE, WA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: ANCHOR BREW. CO., SAN FRANCISCO, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Celebrating sensational microbrewer’s milestone anniversary with bold hoppy pale ale, this voluptuous full body offers luxurious fruited sweetness, buttery caramel creaminess, and expansive floral potpourri. Lemony grapefruit-peeled apple-peach-pear tang usurps earthen herbage and grassy-hopped pining to cereal grained bottom. Crisp clean-fruited finish retains bright zest.

