Lustrous citric fruiting brightens dry-hopped 2014 maibock. Grapefruit-peeled navel orange, clementine, tangerine and lemon juicing absorbs subtle pilsner malting.
(STONE) MATT’S BURNING ROSIDS IMPERIAL CHERRYWOOD-SMOKED SAISON
Interestingly uninhibited farmhouse hybrid scatters Band-aid-like cherrywood smoke across random white-wined citrus fruiting and saison-styled lemon rotted tartness. A peculiar Imperial saison by design, its earthy wood-smoked musk effectively advances cherry-soured apple rhubarb crisping and black-peppered herbage above rubbery clay-hopped sour doughing.
SHEBEEN BREWING
WOLCOTT, CONNECTICUT
The amazing proliferation of brewpubs and breweries in Connecticut during the past few years has been extremely encouraging. Some of my favorites popping up recently include Cavalry, Back East, Half Full, Relic, Two Roads, Beer’d and nearly a dozen yet to be discovered by 2014.
One of the finest new craft beer operations, SHEBEEN BREWING, opened on Cinco de Mayo, 2013. Inside a red brick warehouse near the west-central city of Waterbury in suburban Wolcott, the parquet-floored, green-walled space features a cozy tap room (with wood tables, two serving tanks, and beautiful cobblestone row-housed Galway-inspired murel) plus expandable right side brewing area.
Entrepreneurial head brewer, Rich Visco, is a mad scientist “combining hybrids with a twist and a new aspect.” And there’s a certain wizardry to his madness. Concocting some of the most enjoyably peculiar elixirs in the Constitution State, Visco initially hooked up with established Harpoon brewer, Scott Shirley, a long-time inspiration who’d help the self-described ‘beer designer’ get off the ground.
Three fully functional direct-fire silver tanks are used to experiment with small batches. And Shebeen recently converted from a one-barrel to thirty-barrel system in less than half a year.
As my wife and I visit in mid-December ’13, Visco’s in the middle of trying an unfinished cucumber-pureeed Wasabi Ale. Upon inspection, its soft-toned approachability contrasts rice-wined saki sweetness against horseradish-like sour ale eccentricities and coriander-salted celery plainness.
“I like to be experimental making beers no one else is doing,” Visco explains. “Everyone’s got India Pale Ale’s covered so I’ve taken the next step with many other hybridized styles. We only distribute to Connecticut now, but we’re looking to expand.”
Nevertheless, Visco offers hop-heads busy medium-bodied Royal IPA. Unlike fruited American IPA’s, it’s a peaty British-styled version with chocolate-malted Cascadian Dark Ale likeness reinforced by perky Cascade-hopped yellow grapefruit seeding, black currant tartness and earthy pine resin.
Bettering Smithwick’s similar peated malt fare, Irish Pale Ale counters honeyed apple-orange fruiting with sharp hop spicing and woody hopped florality.
A transcending delight, Cannoli Ale, utilizes unsweetened Girardelli chocolate for a cinnamon-spiced dessert beer with outer-shelled cannoli flavor rocking out above orange-dried tartness, nutty hop astringency and vanilla-creamed nutmeg sweetness. Try it with glass-rimmed powdered sugar for best results.
Bacon Kona Stout brings chocolate-smoked Kona coffee overtones to bacon-greased charred hop spicing. Perfect for breakfast.
Dry cocoa-chocolate malting, dark rye breading, nutty minerality and sharp hop spicing inundate Rye Porter, a full-bodied mocha brew that provides sturdy foundation for truly sublime whiskey-aged Double Rye Porter. Its barleywine-like richness picks up molasses-sapped sherry-brandy-bourbon overtones for ultra-rich dark chocolate creaminess and chewy dried fruiting. Bruised cherry, blackberry, raisin and prune illusions infiltrate the crowded dry rye backbone.
Revisited Shebeen one Sunday afternoon in February ’14 after Hartford area brewpub tour to get two new brews.
Quaint Pineapple Wheat offered lemony pineapple tartness to candi-sugared pale wheat malting and distant peach tones.
Another understated fruit ale, copper-toned Concord Grape Saison, worked semi-dry Concord grape juicing into lemony grapefruit saison souring and black-peppered herbal whims while allowing vinous green and white grape tannins to bring forth soft champagne-wined honey mead spicing.
HOPPIN’ FROG HOPPED-UP GOOSE JUICE RYE I.P.A.
Another outstanding ‘big beer’ from increasingly popular Ohio brewery. Dry black rye malting enriches luxurious grapefruit-peeled orange-tangerine-clementine tang, sugary citric-candied lemon souring and sharply resinous piney hop pungency. Capacious floral-perfumed gooseberry bittering contrasts peach-mango-pineapple-lychee-passionfruit tropicalia.
HOPPIN’ FROG CAFE BORIS THE CRUSHER OATMEAL IMPERIAL STOUT
Absolutely mellow milked coffee sweetness pervades bitter cocoa-dried black chocolate malting and oats-roasted hop char. Endearing ground coffee midst serenaded by fudgy creme brulee, espresso, molasses and vanilla creaming as well as dried-fruited black cherry blackberry and raspberry snips.
HOPPIN’ FROG D.O.R.I.S. THE DESTROYER DOUBLE IMPERIAL STOUT
Expansive ultra-Imperial dark ale reminiscent of piney-fruited mocha-malted Cascadian Dark (a.k.a. Black IPA). Like a chocolate fondue, its black cherry-pureed blackberry, raspberry and strawberry sweetness juxtaposes the rich deep-roasted mocha landscape. In the backdrop, oats-charred hop bittering contrasts chocolate truffle sugaring. Tertiary molasses, vanilla, soy and coffee undertones add to the luxurious mix.
HOPPIN’ FROG HOP DAM TRIPLE I.P.A.
‘Colossal’ Imperial IPA contrasts expectantly bitter citric hop pining against heavy malt bill with excellent results. Well-disguised 10% alcohol astringency and creamy cookie dough yeast strengthen dark-roasted hop resin of sinewy honey-browned full body. Tart grapefruit-peeled orange rind briskness picks up zesty lemon trail. Floral-bound apricot, pear, red apple and juniper illusions brighten tropical mango-pineapple-lychee-guava conflux. Essential.
HOPPIN’ FROG HOP HEATHEN IMPERIAL BLACK ALE
Ambitious full-bodied Cascadian dark ale betters the rest thanks to richer dark-roasted chocolate malting and spicier dried fruiting. True, its loud mocha overtones outdo the recessive stewed fruits, but the pine-needled wood char and dry hop bittering penetrate the surface. Black molasses bread, raisin toast, black licorice, ground coffee, Nestles Quik cocoa and chocolate fondue illusions round out the busy mix. Tertiary pineapple, grapefruit, black grape and peach snips hide below.
HOPPIN’ FROG BARREL-AGED FROSTED FROG CHRISTMAS ALE
Extraordinary whiskey-barreled holiday ale (2014) drapes cinnamon-spiced gingerbread sweetness atop rich chocolate-fruited panorama. Brown-sugared nutmeg, coriander and allspice seasoning awaits buttery raisin breading and brown chocolate fudging. Medicinal 8.6% alcohol acridity saturated by tertiary spice rum, bourbon, cherry, fig, baked apple, vanilla and coconut illusions.
GREAT LAKES CHRISTMAS ALE
Temperate autumnal-seasoned winter warmer makes fine honey-spiced holiday moderation. Halloween-spirited pumpkin pie entry greets Christmastime sugar cookie, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove accents. Peppery hop bottom contrasts muted vanilla creaming. Sherry hints perk up delicate honey-fruited finish. 2018 version: spruce-tipped honeyed ginger resonance deepened cinnamon, nutmeg and clove seasoning.
ELEVATOR BULLY GOAT RED ALE AGED IN WHISKY BARRELS
Ambiguously complex oak-aged red ale relies on smooth whiskey tones to upend vinous wood-dried grape esters, light citric hop spicing and sour mash acidity. Dry bourbon and Scotch boozing sedates latent vanilla-caramel sweetness.
FOUNDERS MANGO MAGNIFICO CON CALOR
Winningly peculiar limited ’13/’14 release spreads sweet mango juice above and beyond candi-sugared orange, pineapple, peach, melon, kiwi, lychee and guava paradise. But it’s the hefty halapeno burn that’ll test one’s tolerance. Minor cayenne-chili peppering contrasts honeyed Graham Cracker spine.