Daringly complex dry-hopped pale lager moves beyond stylistic limitations with its heightened vodka-like 7% alcohol volume, zesty citric intrigue, lingered herbal notion and perfumed lavender florality. Musty yeast funk brings earthen fungi peculiarity to lemon-peeled grapefruit, orange, clementine and navel orange tartness as well as black-peppered lemongrass, basil and sage herbage. Mineral-grained German pilsner malting provides soft base. On tap at Track 84, sunny lemon spritz and mild orange tartness endear grassy-hopped herbage.
MAINE KING TITUS PORTER
Another inspiring offering (circa 2013) via fabulous Maine brewery. Splendid mocha-smoked Baker’s chocolate, cacao nibs, dark chocolate and espresso overtones embitter the front end while oats-flaked molasses breading, brown chocolate, cookie dough and gooey anise sweeten the back. Ashen hop-charred pine resin deepens the finishing bitterness of well-integrated medium-full body. On tap at Julian’s, dryer cocoa-chalked black coffee and darker chocolate malting received minor sour cherry snip.
BLACK DIAMOND FRACAS IMPERIAL RED ALE
Elegant Imperial Red Ale places grapefruit-pined stewed prune, ripe raisin, black cherry, pineapple, peach and nectarine illusions above delicate floral hop spicing. Creamy molasses-sapped caramel malting sweetens the juicy fruitiness. Not far removed from a lighter malt-billed summertime barleywine.
FOOLPROOF BACKYAHD IPA
Wonderfully easygoing canned IPA brings brisk grapefruit, orange, tangerine and pineapple tang to polite grassy hop bittering, sugary crystal malting and bread-crusted backdrop. Ashen charcoal bitterness gains strength by the piney citric finish. Crisp mineral water adds refreshing base.
16 MILE POST-APOCALYPSE PORTER
Reliable chestnut-browned porter brings just the right amount of dark cocoa powdering to wispy dried habanero-like Guajilla peppering. Dark chocolate bittering and coffee bean uprising deepen mocha entry. Ashen nuttiness overwhelms advertised orange zest influence.
UNITY VIBRATION KOMBUCHA RASPBERRY BEER
Inconsistent gluten-free fruit ale with pinkish yellow hue sacrifices fungi Kombucha tea influence for messy overall profile. Raspy candied raspberry tartness doesn’t integrate well with cloying corn-sugared artificial flavoring or contrasting limestone-soured lemondrop pucker. Vinous white vineagrette sequence clashes against tertiary watermelon-cranberry nuance. A nearly dismal malt beverage.
EPIC #10 BARLEYWINE
Summery bock-like golden barleywine (circa ’13) plies brown chocolate-spiced hop tingle to caramelized butterscotch sweetness and dark molasses breading. Sherry, pineapple and cherry liqueur illusions flutter below.
NARRAGANSETT PRIVATE STOCK IMPERIAL BOHEMIAN PILSNER
Pleasant well-rounded moderation brings salty sugared fruiting to grassy-hopped sedation. Mild orange peel bittering brightened by subtle lemon zest briskness as well as spiced peach, apple, melon, red grape and pineapple juicing. Earthen grain minerality, dry-wooded snip and slight herbal notion play tertiary roles for debonair boho.
(EXPLOSION) BOOM BOHMERWALD’S MAJESTY LAGER
Desultory Czech pale bock unfolds slowly and haphazardly. Glutenous rye malting falters as buttery whiskey seeps into the light honey-spiced midst. Supposed oak-chipped smokiness barely registers and cloy beet sugaring is questionable.
FEGLEY’S RUDE ELF’S RESERVE BELGIAN STYLE ALE
Dynamic 2013 limited edition Belgian-styled spice ale perfectly blends autumnal apple-candied pumpkin pie sweetness with luscious wintry holiday seasoning. Chewy caramel malt sugaring receives tingly cinnamon-gingerbread-nutmeg-coriander-allspice Christmastime splendor to consume wispy orange-dried bing cherry, bruised banana and white rum aspect. Medicinal 10.5% alcohol astringency hidden beneath rich flavor profile.
FEGLEY’S BOURBON BARREL INSIDIOUS IMPERIAL STOUT
Adding greater complexity and further character to an already captivating Imperial Stout, oak-charred bourbon barreled version ((% alcohol) nonetheless retains a subtler groove. Soothing bourbon vanilla influence complements dark-roasted chocolate malting and gooey fudge richness. Baker’s chocolate, chocolate liqueur, spicy Belgian chocolate, chocolate truffle and milky coconut reinforce heavenly mocha theme. Bruised black cherry and raspberry nuances sweeten its soft-toned mocha serendipity.
TWISTED PINE RASPBERRY WHEAT
Washed-out fruit ale retains reserved raspberry tartness over sedate honeyed wheat backbone. Soapy carbolic fizz drenches ancillary lemon-soured Jolly Rancher nuances of watermelon, cherry and green apple.