beermelodies

TWO BROTHERS DOG DAY DORTMUNDER LAGER

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:15:58 +0000

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.

THOMAS HOOKER WATERMELON ALE

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:09:16 +0000

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.

TERRAPIN REUNION ’10 BELGIAN STYLE SCOTCH ALE

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:04:19 +0000

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.

SAMUEL ADAMS COASTAL WHEAT ALE

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:01:02 +0000

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.

RIVER HORSE HIPP-O LANTERN IMPERIAL PUMPKIN

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:58:01 +0000

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.

(NECTAR ALES) NECTAR I.P.A.

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:09:20 +0000

Crisply fruited amber-hazed medium body brings creamy caramel malting to floral-spiced apple-sliced peach-pineapple-tangerine tang. Wood-hopped alcohol-soaked usurpation counters sweet cereal-grained spine. Perfect as a crossover for pale ale and adjunct lager softies.

COLD SPRING MOONLIGHT ALE

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:06:49 +0000

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.

(CLIPPER CITY) HEAVY SEAS SMOKE ON THE WATER

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:01:20 +0000

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.

BROWN’S WHISKEY BARREL AGED PORTER

John Fortunato — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:58:32 +0000

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.

LIARS ANGUS ANDREW TRIES SURVIVING CITY OF ANGELS’ ‘SISTERWORLD’

John Fortunato — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:39:01 +0000

Rangy world-traveling Australian-reared vocalist-guitarist Angus Andrew came to America in the ‘90s, settling in New York City to form the Liars with a few aspiring local musicians. Now residing in the Los Angeles area betwixt Venice Beach native, Aaron Hemphill (guitar-synths), and Highland Park resident, Julian Gross (drums), Angus recently moved out of his second floor apartment (atop a medical marijuana dispensary) after a few dangerous crimes informed the Liars latest undertaking, Sisterworld. Yet these post-punk revivalists have always relied…