On tap at Biggie’s, mighty fine high octane 2017 (11% ABV) version of Christmastime Belgian dark ale boasts heightened ethanol esters, darker rub red hue and intensified Bing cherry essence as well as more refined wildflower-honeyed astringency. Distant cinnamon, clove and allspice seasoning sweetens treacly backend alongside sugarplum, cocoa and pine nut nuances.
On tap at Taphouse 15, welcoming hybridized Belgian Dark Ale (sans “cherries and honey” of original Christmastime elixir) retains syrupy dark fruiting and candi-sugared Vienna malt spine. Sugar plum, fig, date and raisin illusions pick up sinewy orange-bruised liqueur warmth. Just a tad dryer and less complex than Troegs Mad Elf.
Brisk pink grapefruit-juiced mango tang gains sour lemon rind pungency and downplayed piney hop bittering above crystal pale malting. Herbal chamomile influence and ancillary orange-peeled guava, pineapple, tangerine and cantaloupe illusions support bittersweet mango tango.
On tap at Growler & Gill, velvety nitrogenated milk stout brings delightful Hershey’s dark chocolate syruping to cocoa-spiced vanilla adjunct above barley-roasted oats spine. Mildly creamed chocolate sweetness delicately caresses soft-watered pleasantry.
Stylish brown-sugared pumpkin pie spicing given ginger-minted freshness as well as a lemony champagne twist (emanating from French saison yeast). Ample cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and coriander seasoning sweetens light vanilla creaming to contrast roasted pumpkin vegetalia.
“Alluringly” rounded tripel-styled golden ale retains candi-sugared Belgian yeast sweetness, abundant rum-spiced fruiting and candied caramel malting to contrast herbal white-peppered hop respite. Luscious sugar-spiced cinnamon apple, orange brandy, banana daiquiri, bruised peach, honeyed pear, pineapple and champagne illusions deepened by fusel alcohol warmth.
Durable Belgian-styled dubbel drizzles brown-sugared raisin, fig and sugarplum conflux and molasses-candied chocolate malting atop sharply spiced peppery hop herbage. Bruised apple, brown pear, toffee, cocoa and dried cherry illusions sweeten its back end.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, ‘nimble giant’ is just that! Guileless lemon-peeled yellow grapefruit tang brings zesty fruit juicing to moderately bitter piney hop resin and sweet crystal malting of spry medium body. Floral wisp serenades ancillary mango, pineapple, passionfruit, papaya, peach and tangerine tropicalia.
Refreshingly familiar middle-of-the-road pale ale brings relaxing orange-peeled yellow grapefruit bittering to juicy cantaloupe-honeydew-nectarine-mango tang and grassy floral-spiced Cascade-Mosiac hops. Easygoing tropical fruiting sits atop muted caramel malt base and mildly herbal white peppering.
Piercing piney prominence seeps through loud grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and honeyed-floral accrual. Sharp hop bite really brings out salient spruce sapping settling to juicy peach-melon-nectarine-pineapple tropicalia. A savory delight!