On tap at Broadway Dive, well executed bourbon-aged Scotch Ale (12% ABV) brings creamy caramel-malted bourbon vanilla pleasantries to rummy molasses sugaring, syrupy dark chocolate richness and light peat-smoked whiskey dalliance. Resinous oak-charred hop astringency contrasts multiple sweet-toothed attributes. In the backdrop, toffee, toasted coconut, cola nut and molasses undertones speckle dried-fruited bruised cherry, plum, raisin, currant and black grape illusions.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, sensational Imperial Milk Stout layers whipped creamed Mascapone custard atop rum-soaked ladyfinger impression and fudgy brown chocolate malting (while nearly bettering Terrapin’s ambitious Moo-Hoo dessert treat). Subsidiary creme brulee, maple molasses, chocolate cake, toasted coconut, cherry cordial, vanilla wafer and wheat-honeyed sweetness receives powdered sugaring. For contrast, rich coffee bean bittering gains prominence alongside milky Yoo-Hoo chocolate syruping. Serve to all sweet-toothed fanatics.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, robust dry-bodied dark ale loads dark-roasted chocolate rye malts onto earthen Chinook hop char and burnt walnut bittering. Rampaging black coffee, burnt caramel and raw molasses illusions make deep impression upon bittersweet dark chocolate richness.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, Napa Valley-barreled red wine esters positively affect tart saison yeast fruiting and desiccated barnyard acridity of nifty offshoot. Lemony yellow grape acidity, puckered orange juicing and zippy apple cider bite receive sedate black peppering beneath vinous Cabernet Sauvignon influence.
Impressive orange honey-blossomed weizenbock drapes maple molasses syrup atop bruised banana, plum, prune, red grape and black cherry fruiting as well as chewy chocolate malts. Charred oak bittering stays below surface alongside subtle chestnut roast and Cafe Dumond chicory coffee snip. At finish, gentle port and burgundy tones color fondue-like dried fruiting.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, locally roasted Benfatto Coffee beans provide easygoing creamed espresso entry above wispy hop char. Milk-sugared light roast coffee splendor picks up mild vanilla bean bittering and possible cinnamon snip.
On tap at Ambulance, affluent sweet stout packs dark-roasted black chocolate malting atop luxurious bourbon-burgundy warmth and burnt caramel creaming. Incidental black licorice, dark cocoa, fudge brownie, hazelnut coffee and vanilla undertones reinforce chocolate-y dessert treat.
On tap at Ambulance, richly creamed mocha-bound full body (limited edition 2015 release) may not live up to its heady moniker, but the results are fine. Though lacking expectant bacon-greased surety and smoky maple molasses intrigue, nutty black chocolate thickness and roasted coffee bittering gain prominence with full-throttle luster. Sweet chestnut-hazelnut conflux and bitter walnut char receive minor candied maple glaze overridden by demanding mocha assault.
Festive 2015 Christmastime brown ale blends “caramel and dark fruit malts,” picking up sharp hop astringency (50 IBU’s) and wily alcohol burn (7.7% ABV) to briefly overwhelm burgundy-dried fruit spicing. Dewy tobacco roast and dark chocolate mildness caress sugarplum, date, fig and raisin illusions as well as sweet orange peel spell. Subtle nutmeg, ginger and fennel wisps waver below.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, tremendous 20th anniversary strong ale (with pulverizing 17% alcohol burn) rides the lightning. Bourbon-licked Maraschino cherry, cantaloupe, peach, nectarine and pineapple fruiting spreads above whiskey-sweetened rum spicing, honeyed caramel spicing and serene chocolate malting. “A big old cherry chocolate liquid birthday cake.”
On tap at Ambulance, “aggressively hopped English-styled blonde barleywine” retains affluent candi-sugared tropical fruiting above lilting caramel malting and wispy 12% alcohol burn. Sweet Sangria wining affects IPA-like orange-grapefruit-pineapple-lemon fruiting as well as sly cantaloupe, honeydew, melon, nectarine and tangerine undertones of fine 2015 vintage.
On tap at Ambulance, explosive Imperial IPA “detonates” as perfume-hopped grapefruit peel bittering, phenolic alcohol pungency and musky pine resin camouflage pale crystal malt sugaring. Dry grain husk provides strong backbone for floral-spiced citrus capacity and tropical peach-mango conflux. On tap at Growler & Gill, crackling Citra-Mosaic-Sorachi hop fruiting persisted into wax-candied honey sweetness to contrast dank juniper pined bittering.
