Fine black-peppered version of brettanomyces-soured gose retains sea-salted coriander expectancy and tart lemon pucker while mild jalapeno burn brings some heat. Light rum barrel aging adds residual sugaring to contrast bacterial yeast influx.
Monthly Archives: September 2015
ADVENTURE GRAPEFRUIT WHEAT
Infusing tangy grapefruit juice and bitter grapefruit rind into brewers’ Americanized hefeweizen, Backpack Wheat, totally alters flavor profile. Backpack’s lemony orange-peeled banana sweetness gets overrun by hefty grapefruit influence. Like a smoothly pale-lagered Kolsch, mild citrus hop bittering, delicate wheat-dried pilsner malting and wispy green grape esters provide easygoing flow.
STRANGEWAYS LUCKY CHARMS (UBERLIN BERLINER WEISS)
‘Exquisitely peculiar’ hybridized Berliner weiss (a.k.a. Uberlin) really tastes like Lucky Charms cereal with its sugary fruiting riding above tart raspberry woodruff syruping while hiding stylishly sour lactobacillus acidity. Marshmallow-tweaked tropicalia ensues mid-palate as lemony orange, peach, mango, guava and papaya illusions gain prominence. A helluva good gimmick.
REAVER BEACH RIPTIDE ALTBIER
Despite mediocre rating, probably one of the better altbiers (a nebulous German style difficult to fully appreciate). Easygoing pilsner malting and soft Noble hop astringency create delicate bed for wispy dried fig, brown apple and apricot nuances. Serve as ‘lite’ beer alternative.
ARDENT HONEY GINGER
Smooth summertime soda alternative (with potent 7.8% ABV) tastes like sugary ginger ale with honey-spiced malt kick. Perfumed citrus subsidy and candied pineapple snip add fruity nicety.
OLD BUST HEAD SUMMERDUCK SAISON
Sufficient tropical-fruited farmhouse ale utilizes sour mash from previous batch to further energize tart Belgian saison yeast and cereal-grained Fruit Loops likeness. Light rye-spiced sourdough malting seeps thru zesty lemon spritz as well as soured mango, pineapple, grapefruit, guava, passionfruit and kiwi nuances while earthen barnyard acridity rises.
APOCALYPSE LUSTFUL MAIDEN
Triumphantly well-rounded dubbel delivers exquisite dark-fruited Belgian yeast spicing to creamy toffee-honeyed caramel malting, mild citric hop bite and sweet banana breading. Brown-sugared raisin, prune, fig and black cherry illusions override subtle almond-toasted chestnut nicety.
CROOKED RUN SHADOW OF TRUTH BLACK TRIPEL
Interestingly twisted take on candi-sugared Belgian dark ale loads French saison yeast onto polite de-husked carafa roast and lightly spiced dried fruiting. Mild marzipan, currant and raisin illusions as well as wispy chocolate-coffee snips decorate soft molasses-breaded spine.
BEER HOUND TEUFELHUNDE BELGIAN ALE
Quaintly liquored-up version (9.1% ABV) of Belgian-styled tripel features mellow tropical-fruited hop spicing, dainty white-peppered lemongrass tingle and gently wafting herbal perfuming. Lemony pineapple, mango and orange tang crests above pale malt backbone.
SPENCER DEVON SOLEIL LEVANT WITBIER
In homage to the rising sun, satisfactory summertime wit places sweet orange peel briskness atop lemony banana tartness, sugared coriander respite and light mineral graining.
WILD WOLF BLONDE HUNNY
Pleasurable honey-spiced Belgian pale ale picks up scurried citric tang over sugared wheat malting. Lemony pineapple, orange and peach juicing plus subtle white grape esters gain mild black peppering. While initial canned version lacked stylistic brevity and relied too much on glutenous raw-honeyed astringency to reinforce expectant citric rush, lemon-rotted herbal nip, light peach compote snip, delicate yellow grapefruit clip and soft-spiced hop fizz, improved 2015 bottled selection sweetens the mix exponentially.
TIN CANNON VIRGINIA BLONDE
Appealing ‘entry level’ moderation brings easygoing honeyed citrus sweetness to light caramel-spiced malting. Candied lemony orange tartness infiltrates neutral back end.