Pervasive eye-squinting white grape vinegaring, salty lemon liming and mild gooseberry tartness receive tartly kettle-soured lactobacillus yeast to further desiccate the front end of moderate Berliner Weiss. Beneath the surface, acidulated malts increase lactic thrust. Tertiary lime zest, green apple and melon rind illusions whir.
Stylishly mellow Imperial IPA celebrates West Coast brewers’ 22nd anniversary with soft-tongued approachability. Lemony grapefruit-orange tang comes as expected, livened up by pineapple, mango and peach tropicalia as well as dank pine resin and herbal notions. Mild caramelized oats create gentle base.
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.
On tap at Growler & Gill, juicy mandarin orange, tangerine and bruised orange tang integrated into assertive hop profile of strong 9.4% ABV IPA. Lemon peel bittering contrasts ancillary nectarine, cantaloupe and orange sweetness at the backend.
Gloriously well-balanced 21st Anniversary Imperial IPA contrasts bitter piney fruiting against sweet spruce-sugared tropicalia as viscous amber-hazed yeast sinew creates sticky texture. Sharp orange-peeled ruby red grapefruit, pineapple, mango, tangerine, peach and tang briskly burrows thru richly creamed caramel-candied cookie dough malts. Boozy 9.8% ABV warmth lingers lightly below fascinatingly fruitful fodder.
On tap at Cloverleaf, nifty collaboration between USA’s Stone, UK’s Beavertown and New Zealand’s Garage Project utilizes delicate Down Under fruiting and mild chili peppering for unique India Pale Ale (with muted 8% ABV). Calming tropical fruiting gains mild habanero burn while advertised “colossal hop character” only results in moderate bittering. Subtle kiwi and yuzu adjuncts allow lemon zest, pineapple, orange, grapefruit and mango illusions to coexist alongside waxy plasticine swipe.
Pleasurable dry-toned IPA-like piney fruiting gives West Coast pale ale a certain luster. Juicy grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering stays moderate as easygoing passionfruit, mango, pineapple and nectarine illusions sweeten the back end alongside honeyed cereal grains and mild floral daubs.
Divergent li’l IPA refrains from typical fruited pine styling for milder sourdough-like Challah breading. Subdued floral-spiced fruitiness lingers with lemony orange-candied pineapple and peach wisps. Thin and pallid up-front, retaining pleasingly sweet baguette resonance and musty grain seepage.
On tap at Plank Pizza, botanical amber-coppered ‘gin-like elixir’ brings fragrant cologne-perfumed sweetness to ginger-rooted juniper berry freshness above honeyed pale malting. Continual mild juniper bittering contrasts delicate peach, pineapple, grapefruit and red apple illusions. In the bottle, singular stylish blend gains piney spruce aspect for ginger-dried juniper bittering, gaining brisk lemon-peeled grapefruit, pineapple and orange tang.
“Massively dry-hopped Crimson IPA” celebrates music and arts education program in brewer Greg Koch’s hometown with great results. Juicy grapefruit, orange and pineapple tang gains lightly spiced caramel toasting to contrast lingering Mosaic-Cascade-Amarillo hop bittering (and vodka-like whim). Beneath, crisply clean spruce and pine tones provide evergreen freshness for up-front tropical fruiting as well as apple, cherry and pear subsidies.
On tap at Growler & Gill, “decadent” mocha-affected India Pale Ale overloads the sharply perfume-hopped yellow grapefruit spicing and lemony orange respite, allowing the creamy black coffee and dark chocolate blend to diminish more than expected.
On tap at Growler & Gill, well-designed dark ale collaboration between three respected Virginia breweries brings black-malted dark chocolate richness, walnut-smoked cocoa powdering and vanilla bean creaming to recessive raspberry-blackberry adjuncts. But its mighty mocha magnitude and dry hop-charred hop bittering almost completely hide the dark-fruited nature.