Monthly Archives: March 2013

FLYING DOG GRUIT

Beers A-Z
Sufficient Scottish gruit (based on an ancient recipe utilizing lavender instead of hops) brings stylistic herbal florality to ample dark-roasted chocolate malting and smoky pine notions. Graphite-like acridity seeps into dark-spiced lavender minting and tethered heather flowering. Muffled black licorice tease persists. Intense mocha palate will please dark ale lovers. 
 

HARDYWOOD CHOCOLATE HEAT (DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT)

Beers A-Z

“Luscious yet piquant,” correctly states the label for this well-rounded dark ale. Ample dark chocolate bittering and light cacao nibs powdering contrast creamy brown chocolate sweetness above reserved hop-charred chile habanero peppering. Musky bourbon, burgundy and Muscat wining seep into the backdrop alongside tertiary red cherry and anise snips, sidewinding its massive mocha-milked conviction.

 Hardywood Chocolate Heat

PRISM BITTO HONEY

Beers A-Z
Astringent hybridized India Pale Ale places raw-honeyed acridity above stylistic Amarillo-Cascade hop pining, grapefruit-peeled orange tartness and juniper berry bittering. Floral-spiced maple sugaring sweetens the backend just slightly. But styptic aspirin-like parch overwhelms caramel malt base and takes away from the citric fruiting.
identifies the Bitto Honey

PRISM RED ZONE

Beers A-Z
Busy medium-bodied spice ale (based on an Irish Red Ale) brings wintry brown-sugared cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice seasoning to sinewy maple syrup sugaring. Gingerbread undertones run thru ancillary chestnut-cola conflux, brown chocolate spell and sarsaparilla nuance. Mushy flavor profile needs more aggressive nature. Guaranteed better on tap as bottle produced inordinate plumes of fleshy foam.
 
Prism Brewing Company Red Zone

RATTLE N HUM

BEER PUB
 
 
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK
 
Reminiscent of a roadhouse-styled Irish sports pub, RATTLE N HUM opened for business, July 2008, and quickly became one of New York City’s premier beer-centric bars. A narrow wood-paneled, black-walled dive at a 33rd Street boutique spot with flashy banners, painted brewery insignias, strewn tap handles and other beer-related paraphernalia, Rattle N Hum is the brainchild of respected beer impresario (and original owner) Patrick Donagher. A bright green, yellow and red sign boasting Rattle N Hum New York City welcomes thirsty patrons at the wooden entrance.
 
Finally getting to visit this highly regarded beer haven for Happy Hour (11 AM to 7 PM weekdays) on a slushy Thursday afternoon in March ’13, I was thoroughly impressed with the magnitude of passion and commitment towards developing craft beer appreciation. Daringly parading the nifty slogan “No Crap Beer On Tap,” this relished hotspot features 40 draughts, 2 hand-pulled casks and 120-plus bottled selections. On the back of the beer menu is a thorough event listing and worthwhile ‘how to taste beer’ section. Flights of four 4-ounce beers for $10 allow customers to sample new brews they might not otherwise experience.
 
Sitting across the right side 15-seat bar (with four TV’s and large chalkboard listing tapped selections), my wife and I settle into the largest booth before the place gets really crowded. Several businessmen grab the front benches while a few couples sit at the rear and side community tables. Behind our heads along the wall are several hand-painted beer insignias promoting Founders, Speakeasy, Lagunitas, Boulder and BrewDog. On the rear wall, a map of the United States contains several flags denoting where today’s current tapped beers originated.
 
As Etta James’ eternal lovestruck ballad “At Last” plays in the background, I dive into two previously untried libations (Singlecut Billy Full Stack IPA and Bronx Black Pale Ale) while my wife sips Sierra Nevada Kellerweiss (reviews in Beer Index). We split the enormous Taco Tower appetizer and hope to try artisanal cheeses, quesidillas and sandwich wraps at a future date.
 
On top of the nearly religious dedication to well-crafted beers, there’s a certain intimacy prevailing over this big town Beer Mecca. Tourists, beer enthusiasts and NYC’s notorious bridge and tunnel crowd all find a home at Rattle N Hum. Just get there early ’cause it does get filled ’round dinnertime and weekend evenings.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CARTON G.O.R.P.

Beers A-Z
Trail Mix-inspired strong ale (a.k.a. Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) successfully parlays grains, nuts and dried fruits into a robust liquid snack. Creamy black chocolate frontage overshadows dehydrated peanut butter powdering and bittersweet black raisin stead, but mocha porter-based full body retains thickening dark-roasted chocolate malting that reinforces rich black coffee bittering as well as peanut-shelled Brazil nut, walnut, hazelnut, and hickory undertones.  
 
carton brewing logo
 
 

BRONX BLACK PALE ALE

Beers A-Z

On tap at Rattle N Hum, intense tan-headed mahogany-bodied hybrid relies much more heavily on rich coffee-beaned dark chocolate roast than contrasting pale ale fruiting. Creamy cocoa-dried chocolate and vanilla malting finally allows serene orange-grapefruit bittering and modest guava-mango combo to flourish towards the nutty mocha finish. Not far removed from an Imperial Stout.