On tap at Meddlesome Moth, juicy lemon and orange peel tang sparks sessionable pale ale. Light resinous pine bittering, musky mineral graining and tropical pineapple-mango-guava snips seep below sunny citric surface.
PANTHER ISLAND ALLERGEEZ
Easygoing unfiltered wheat ale brewed with honey, chamomile flowers and rose hips gains perfume-spiced citrus zestiness. Fine eclectic liquid cure for allergies.
TUPPS AMERICAN WHEAT WITH HONEY
On tap at Taverna Rossa, middling wheat ale drips sweet and sour honey adjunct over delicate grassy-hopped yellow fruiting and cream ale-like corn grits(?). Mild brown tea-like musk and raw-grained malt dryness relegated.
ARMADILLO BRUNCH MONEY
On tap at Taverna Rossa, respectable stout-inspired golden ale succulently combines creamed coffee capaciousness with sweet maple-sugared vanilla and bittersweet black chocolate malting for rich pancake-battered brunch time dessert. Ancillary toasted coconut illusions waver.
ARMADILLO HONEY PLEASE
On tap at Taverna Rossa, easygoing pale body utilizes bittersweet wildflower honey, subtle cinnamon-sugared mesquite beans and mild hop bitterness to engage lagered yeast. Blood orange tartness and oaken vanilla smidge backup.
SAINT ARNOLD 5 O’CLOCK PILSNER
On tap at Flying Saucer – Garland, sessionable Saaz-hopped Czech-styled pilsner brings musty maize-dried earthiness, muskily perfumed floral dankness and grassy lupulin oiling to doughy biscuit base, leaving zesty lemon spritz dancing on the tongue.
903 CERVEZA POR FAVOR
Crisply clean Mexican-styled light lager utilizes maize-flaked lager yeast and dry cereal graining to provide easygoing South of the Border haven. Mildly hop-embittered lemon lime spritz provides carbolic fizzing.
BRECKENRIDGE SNOW GLARE HOPPY WHEAT
On tap at Biggie’s, lush yellow grapefruit tang embittered above malted wheat sugaring. Floral citrus-spiced sweetness and candied orange-tangerine-pineapple conflux sour lemon-lime licks for tropical medium-bodied wheat ale. As crisply refreshing as its label.
THE BRASS TAP CRAFT BEER BAR
ALLEN, TEXAS
One of the finest craft beer haunts in the Dallas area, THE BRASS TAP resides at the northern end of the interurban city of Allen. A freestanding red brick edifice with wide open interior space, The Brass Tap set up shop, August 2015.
A well-rounded selection of 100-plus draught beers fill the stainless-steeled taps at the 20-seat left side bar. The maroon-walled backdrop and studio lighting heighten the caliginous black ceiling.
Along the back wall, there are several black-boarded beer drinkin’ categories defined as Repeat Offender, Guru, Snob, Aficionado and Rookie. The high-ceilinged open space includes pristine wood tables and chairs. Drink and food specials are listed below the TV’s at the bar.
On my initial April 2018 journey with wife and youngest son, quaffed several fine Texas brews such as Rahr & Sons Paleta de Mango, Buffalo Bayou Sam’s Wake and Bake Blonde Ale, Great Raft Old Mad Joy Baltic Porter, Lone Pint Knecht Ruprecht II Porter, No Coast Agricultured Rye Porter, Blue Owl Admiral Garvitas Sour Imperial Stout, Lakewood The Temptress Imperial Milk Stout and Braindead Party Pooper Strong Ale (all fully reviewed in Beer Index).
www.brasstapbeerbar.com/allen
FLYING SAUCER DRAUGHT EMPORIUM
GARLAND, TEXAS
Proud beer-centric restaurant chain, FLYING SAUCER DRAUGHT EMPORIUM, opened its waterfront operation in Garland, Texas, during 2007. Over a decade hence, this Lake Ray Hubbard-bound establishment continues to thrive.
Inside an expansive freestanding red brick building next to Hooters and Primo’s, Flying Saucer’s busy interior is filled with plastic UFO-like saucers, brewery insignias, elegant china and glazed wood furnishings. An outside deck and windowed pale green-shingled porch (with block wood antique tables and red slate floor) sit alongside the waterside.
Visited April 2018 on a windy Saturday afternoon, its impressive 80-plus draughts don a penny-backed wall unit. A stainless-steeled kitchen alongside the curly 30-seat bar serves anything from pork bellies to goat cheese salad. A large bottled-canned beer selection fills a fridge. There’s a definite sportsbar atmosphere.
During my hour-long stay, quaffed previously untried Texas brews St. Arnold’s 5 O’Clock Pils, Martin House Friday IPA and Wild Acre Billy Jenkins Dunkelbock as well as Utah’s Epic Son Of A Baptist Stout (all fully reviewed in Beer Index).
www.beerknurd.com
EQUILIBRIUM GENERAL RELATIVITY STOUT
On tap at Ambulance, milky chocolate syruping and coffee-sugared moderation pick up nutty hop-charred bittering over serene oats malting. Mild molasses-smoked cocoa smidge and tardy burgundy, brandy, blackberry, black cherry and anise illusions play possum.
STONE TOTALITARIAN IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT
Invigorating jet black full body veers from molasses-licked brown chocolate roast to bitter oak-charred hop sear. Syrupy chocolate caked midst picks up ancillary cocoa nibs, vanilla, coffee, black licorice and cinnamon bun illusions. Boldly righteous.