On tap at Plank Pizza, fulsome (11.1% ABV) quad with Concord grape and fig juice adjuncts plus grains of paradise peppering retains Belgian candi-sugared sweetness. Grape-jammed fig spicing gains black cherry tartness at the burgundy-dried fruitcake finish.
Chameleonic dry export stout (with creamily tan head frothing above rich mahogany body) lets hickory-smoked bacon, country ham and maple syrup adjuncts pick up lovely peat-seared cedar char and dark-roast hop oiling to relegate black chocolate malting. In the recess, hickory-smoked cured meat frontage transforms to unlikely black cherry pureed tartness.
On tap at River Of Beer, peculiar jasmine rice-based herbal lager connects cologne-perfumed Thai spicing to Citra-hopped Kaffir lime zesting and minty lemongrass as lightly kilned pilsner malts provide cushy base. Try in lieu of sake.
Eccentric pastry-styled blonde ale gathers ground coffee bittering for creamy vanilla-glazed powdered sugaring of splendid Tiramisu knockoff. Coffee-caked center gains orange blossom-honeyed influence as well as cannoli, nutmeg and eggnog illusions (and infrequent black pepper burn).
On tap at Beef Trust, sturdy rum-barreled English-styled barleywine brings black cherry pureed tartness and sweet bourbon vanilla spicing to rummy molasses sapping. Tertiary red-wined brandy, port and merlot sweetness adds further warmth to fruit-spiced rum finish.
On tap at Taphouse 15, creamy peanut-buttered Void of Light variant retains dark-roasted nutty mocha richness. Rich peanut butter setting given black coffee, cocoa and chocolate resilience to invigorate walnut-seared charred hop bittering.
On tap at Bronx Alehouse, mildly dry farmhouse-styled grisette aged on French oak-barreled Sauvignon Blanc lets floral-herbed tart fruiting linger subtly above smooth mineral-grained white wheat malting (reminiscent of a light pilsner). Kaffir limed white wine souring gains delicate ‘Asian pear, gooseberry and lychee’ illusions at the phenol-spiced midst. Serve to saison, gose and Berliner Weiss fanatics.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, thin barrel-aged sour ale infused with ginger and mint knocks off a Mint Julep. Lemon-twisted souring adds candied coating and outlasts ginger-mint combo. Serve as accessible crossover to poo-pooing sour ale contingent.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, moderately sour Berliner Weiss adds key lime tartness to bitter lemon-bruised salting, light brettanomyces bacteria and lactic yogurt whim. Mild green grape vinegaring ups the overall sourness.
BRONX, NEW YORK
Veteran brewmaster Chris Sheehan built a solid reputation at now-defunct Manhattan hotbed, Chelsea Brewing, then Newark’s Port 44 and Woodbridge mainstay JJ Bitting before hooking up with entrepreneurial New Yorkers Kieran Farrell and Dave Lopez to devise GUN HILL BREWING COMPANY. One of the guiding lights leading the charge for the resurgence of Bronx borough breweries (alongside Bronx Brewery), Gun Hill began operations May 22, 2014.
Located inside an industrial warehouse space on Laconia Avenue between an auto shop and plaster caster, the ambitious one-room brewery takes its name from nearby Van Cortlandt Park’s Revolutionary War battle. An unpretentious neighborhood joint with a large garage door entrance, high ceilings, cement floors, three picnic tables, three community tables and a large backroom brewing area, Gun Hill Brewing immediately grabbed hold. A 12-seat bar with several taps services walk-in customers while hundreds of kegs generate appreciable beer pub action throughout the Empire State.
On a warm March ’16 evening, I get to try six well-designed elixirs with a few friendly locals.
Sessionable flagship, Gold, an easygoing golden ale, plied pilsner-like pale malts and earthy bark-dried Noble hops to floral-perfumed lemon tones, picked up French-breaded toasting along the way. Though it’s descriptively oxymoronic, mild English strong ale, Who Spelt It, Dealt It, brought oats-dried spelt wheat flouring to sugar-spiced crystal(?) malting and grassy hops.
Endearing Simcoe-Citra-hopped mainstay, India Pale Ale, elevated its brisk lemon-dried grapefruit peel and orange rind bittering to dry pine lacquer in a crisply clean-watered setting.
Another charming medium body, Cherry Tree Red Ale gained a resilient red cherry-candied tartness above sweet honeyed wheat malts and mellow fruit-spiced hops.
Cascadian dark ale lovers will want to quaff Black Waves IPA, a mocha-doused medium-full body draping day-old coffee, dark chocolate and dry cocoa above oats-charred ashen hops while dried-fruited fig, apricot, brown pear and quince illusions stabilized beneath the surface.
For dessert, Void Of Light Foreign-style Stout emitted dry dark chocolate malting and cocoa-powdered coffee roast above moderate wood-charred hop bittering.
Right off the main thoroughfare of Gun Hill Road, this unassuming Bronx oasis will satisfy a wide range of beer enthusiasts with its sanguinely seductive sedatives.
gunhillbrewing.com
Excellent black forest-caked dessert treat. Ample chocolate fudging gathers alongside black cherry-pureed sweetness to contrast milder hop-charred earthiness. Subtle chocolate truffle, coconut, black cocoa, molasses and hazelnut undertones reinforce rich mocha splendor.
