Workmanlike ale drapes cake-like malts over busy orange-berry tang, cracked wheat richness, honeyed biscuit affluence, and rye-pumpernickel hint. Tamped down hops temper backend.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
BERKSHIRE STEEL RAIL EXTRA PALE ALE
Bruised lemon tartness tucked inside soured wheat-maize fleece and light barley tease of hazy golden medium body. Malt-y cocoa finish emerges beyond candied citric insinuation and restrained peach-pear-apple wisp.
BERKSHIRE SHABADOO BLACK & TAN ALE
Whether or not fully convincing as a surprisingly light black & tan (mixing Drayman’s Porter with Hoosac Tunnel Amber), there’s plenty to appreciate. Chewy vanilla-chocolate sweetness weaves through permeating honeyed wheat spine, brown sugar glaze, milky chocolate souring, and minor hazelnut haze before enduring raisin-prune-fig expansion dominates hazelnut coffee-influenced finish of glowing copper amber curiosity. On tap at Doherty’s, fudgy caramel-burnt brown and black chocolate sweetness as well as mild coffee tones embrace fruit-spiced pale malting.
BERKSHIRE RIVER ALE
Creamy prune-hued alcohol-battered dark ale perks fig-raisin-fruitcake emphasis with nutty caramel cluster and sugary toffee tinge as peach-pear confluence ascends. Earthy bottom deepens hard water texture.
BERKSHIRE LOST SAILOR INDIA PALE ALE
Valiant butterscotch-glowed flagship IPA brings expectant tangerine-clementine-apricot juicing to malt-sugared candied yeast sweetness, deferring dubious hop-spiced bitterness, orange-oiled tartness, wood-toned sentiment and dry floral punctuation underpinning dewy mineral graining and slight herbal tea-like eucalyptus freshness. Tangy pear, quince, and grapefruit esters add further fruiting.
BERKSHIRE GOLD SPIKE ALE
Arguably, the best American Kolsch beer. Mild grain pleasantry persists beneath lively fruited hops, revealing ripe banana, tangy grapefruit, brisk lemon, and white peach cadences for zesty moderate-bodied summer stylist. Honeyed wheat bottom picks up cornbread suggestion.
BERKSHIRE DRAYMAN’S PORTER
Versatile full-bodied porter retains blackish Guinness Stout-like appearance, big brownish beige head and aromatic mocha malting. Heavy coffee bitterness, rich espresso penetration, creamy cookie dough jaunt, and sweet hazelnut slip ride atop toasted oats sustenance. Powdery cocoa finish stays firm long after initial swig.
BERKSHIRE COFFEEHOUSE PORTER
Intriguingly robust mahogany-hued tan-headed porter preserves deeply embittered single-minded coffee bean roast from tongue-tip to bottom-throat. Chocolate latte creaming proffers burnt caramel, maple, hazelnut, cola and espresso supplement, sheltering heavy java influence, off-dry toasted hop subtlety, and creamy vanilla retreat for impeccable black coffee alternative.
(BERKSHIRE) BERKSHIRE’S CABIN FEVER ALE
Tawny winter warmer luring orange-peach-grapefruit tang, plum-cherry dash, and honeyed tea linger to eloquent floral backdrop. Cinnamon-nutmeg-coriander spicing tucked inside citric glaze.
BERGHOFF SOLSTICE WIT
Friendly light-bodied summer seasonal maintains tangerine-peach-grapefruit promenade, gaining wispy hop fizz enveloping green apple souring. But citric malt conviction turns phenol as quiet cracked wheat presence fades.
BERGHOFF PALE ALE
Nutty grain bitterness, carbolic citric-hopped sharpness, and musty toasted malt flap detain maple flicker. Result: not bold, assertive, or rich enough to matter.
BERGHOFF ORIGINAL LAGER
Light-bodied amber lager with slight sourdough frontage and wheat biscuit bottom depleting minor diacetyl interference. Phenol lemon tang recalls sunny southerly pilsner.