Musty sweet-scented golden reddish dunkelweizen retains prompt roasted nut dryness, wheat-cracked toasted barley backbone, and soft hop-spiced bottom. Moderate bitter mocha finish gets spicy nip, caramel clip, and black molasses hint troubled by overriding diacetyl sourness.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
DAB DORTMUNDER DARK LAGER
Traditional tea-colored eggshell-headed Dortmunder lager offers dry Scotch frontage to soft-grained wheat-toasted hop-roasted mildness, but tinny metallic finish and delusional nutty bittering lower potential. Best consumed from 1-gallon pony kegs, where delicate sweet and sour malting juxtaposes polite hop bitterness above watery texture for refined elegance.
CZECHVAR PREMIUM LAGER
Finally available on these shores by 2001, the original Czech-based Budweiser pilsner (a.k.a. Budvar) is now sold in America as a ‘lager’ for greater consumer access. Consistent spice-hopped bitterness and fizzy carbonation tantalize up-front as reclining barley roast and subtle crystal malting boost full-bodied character. With much more sweet yeast thickness and grain penetration than nearly all of its pilsner-lager competition, this Bud’s first class and totally efficient.
CUSQUENA PREMIUM LAGER
Seltzer-like clear-yellowed white-headed Peruvian with subtly aromatic corn-sugared crystal malting and propulsive lemony hop zip sinks to oblivion as straw wheat backend dries out. Sourdough challah breading and maple-sapped black licorice taunt save it from being completely ordinary. Too cloy and less soothing than most South of the Border lagers.
CUSQUENA DARK LAGER
Peculiar seim-flat maroon-hued moderate body remindful of sweet milk stout brings syrupy maple smokiness to dry cigar leaf pleasantry, rain-drenched charred redwood spell, and dry pulp tinge. Thin watery finish depletes brown sugar caress and tar-like backdrop. Don’t be fooled by its beautiful chocolate aromatics. Creamy caramel-chocolate center gets overbearingly cloy, ruining relaxing mood. Also sold as Cuzco Dark Peruvian Lager.
CUGINO PALE LAGER
Chameleon-like extra smooth Italian-styled pale lager gives faded chocolate roast mildness and sharp toasted hop chiding an overripe orange-peach tease. Skittish caramelized backdrop, shaky corn-barley base, and butterscotch-toffee sedation need better assertion. Brewery defunct: 2004.
CUGINO LIGHT LAGER
America’s first Italian-styled brew, a flaccid pale lager, suffers from musty sourness, cloy corn malts, and dank gluten finish. Scotch notes tingle caramelized wheat base. Brewery defunct: 2004.
(CROPTON) CROPTON’S CALAMITY ALE
Sharpshooter Calamity Jane pictured on label of cascade-hopped smoothie also known as Uncle Sam’s Bitter. Easing whiskey malt opening briskly enjoins sweet and sour yeast resonation, but astringent bitterness depletes some moderate-bodied character.
CROPTON RUDOLPH’S REVENGE WINTER ALE
Expectant winter spiced aromatics too weak for watery prune-dried winter seasonal. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice barely register above resinous floral hop bitterness of murky butterscotch-hued ruby-highlighted winter warmer. Meager barleywine illusion sneaks in.
CROPTON MONKMAN’S SLAUGHTER BITTER ALE
Sophisticated tan-headed Band-aid-wafted brown ale consumed by cascading carbolic bubbles, consistent coffee-stained sourness, and roasted barley malting. Dark floral hop bitterness enhances buttery berry tartness to dried prune finish for regal Brit delicacy deserving attention.
CROOKED RIVER YULETIDE ALE
Wintry-spiced brew with merry berry startup, soda pop fizz, Coca-Cola swallow, and unexpected clove seasoning needs more convincing finish since fruitiness dries up, sweetness subsides, and deflective acidic undercurrent baffles.
CROOKED RIVER PUMPKIN HARVEST ALE
Aromatic pumpkin pie sweetness gathers bitter-hopped gourd essence punctuated by cinnamon-nutmeg spicing. Sharper and richer than most pumpkin ales, though sweeter honeyed spicing would be welcome.