Curious hybridized amber ale takes time to develop flavor-wise as sharp cinnamon-spiced apple cider mingles with brown-sugared oatmeal sweetness – picking up mild crumb cake likeness. Musky hop astringency relegates ginger-spiced orange peel, peach and tangerine smidge as well as latent nutmeg seasoning.
Monthly Archives: October 2015
UINTA HOP NOSH IPA
Decisive well-rounded medium body spreads sunshiny yellow grapefruit tang above mellow piney citric hop bittering and cozy cereal-grained caramel malting. Modest pineapple, orange, mango, peach and clementine tropicalia brightens sugar-spiced sweetness, zesty lemon tingle and soft floral accents. Perfect as crossover for softer-tongued pale ale lovers since hop bittering’s kept in check.
UINTA JACKED B NIMBLE IMPERIAL BLACK PUMPKIN ALE (AGED IN BOURBON)I
Rampaging bourbon-barreled pumpkin ale highlights dark-roasted mocha malting and brown-sugared gingerbread sweetness. Pumpkin-spiced cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice seasoning enriches bourbon vanilla uprising as well as cherry cordial nip and delicate red grape respite at brown chocolate-dominated finish.
NEWPORT STORM R.I.P.UMPKIN
Straight-ahead pumpkin pie-like sweetness meets standard autumnal criteria for crisp-watered moderate-to-medium body. Cinnamon-spiced brown sugaring contrasts subtle gourd earthiness and wispy aspirin acridity as ginger, nutmeg and allspice tingle the tongue.
RED HOOK OUT OF YOUR GOURD PUMPKIN PORTER
Musky dark-roasted mocha malting allows bittersweet coffee-oiled black chocolate chalkiness to overrun pumpkin pie-spiced sweetness and earthen gourd astringency.
SAUCONY CREEK MAPLE MISTRESS IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE
Though its varied flavor profile could be more pronounced and the roasted butternut squash adjunct placed higher in the mix, delicious autumnal offering lets sweet maple syruping and “pirate rum” spicing rise above explosive carbolic fizz with exciting results. Brown-sugared candied yam contrasts pumpkin meat earthiness before gingerbread, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar cookie, vanilla and molasses illusions further sweeten the pumpkin rum cake center of well-integrated dessert treat (with well hidden 10% ABV).
REVIVAL BUSHIDO PUMPKIN ALE (WITH SAKE YEAST)
Ambitious autumnal hybrid winningly obtains sugary rice-wined sake yeast for genuine ginger-spiced pumpkin pie sweetness (stimulated by ethyl 9% ABV lacquering). Subtle lemongrass and rose hips adjuncts add herbal nip to brown-sugared pumpkin pie heft as well as spiced sake minerality. On tap at Doherty’s (2016), sweet pumpkin pie spicing gained light butternut-squash earthiness to contrast brown-sugared gingerbread, cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkling.
PARKWAY RAVEN’S ROOST BALTIC PORTER
Light and watery by stylistic standards, dry Baltic Porter backs up mildly creamed coffee-roasted black patent malting and silken dark chocolate powdering with damp earthen hop char. Bittersweet soy-milked mocha swerve, dark-roasted barley crisping, murky dried fruiting and delicate cola nuttiness fade fast.
FOOLPROOF PEANUT BUTTER RAINCLOUD PORTER
Autumnal “pumpkin disrupter” hybrid loads dehydrated Nuts ‘N More dark-roasted peanut butter onto flagship Raincloud Porter’s lean mocha stead. Oily peanut influence fades alongside oily coffee bittering and dark chocolate desolation. Needs richer body, fuller flavor profile and more complete finish for better results.
NARRAGANSETT ALLIE’S DONUTS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PORTER
Infiltrating old-styled Narragansett Porter with Allie’s Donuts is a fine idea, but chalky cocoa nibs adjunct and laid-back caramel malting relegate pastry-like chocolate caking. Dark-roasted mocha influence and light hop char fade to soapy backdrop, leaving barren black cherry fruiting in the dust.
ELYSIAN PUNKUCCINO COFFEE PUMPKIN ALE
On tap at Plank Pizza, monumental cappuccino-inspired pumpkin ale brings chocolate-roasted Stumptown coffee bean eruption to pumpkin-spiced cinnamon, nutmeg and gingerbread sweetness, picking up creamy vanilla sugaring and cookie dough thickness at burnt caramel center. Tertiary hazelnut, espresso, cocoa, Graham cracker and creme de cacao illusions also invigorate rich autumnal dessert treat. Try in lieu of pumpkin latte.
BELL’S NEPTUNE THE MYSTIC
Complex, bold, adjunct-heavy Imperial Stout douses creamy brown chocolate spicing with advertised oats-sugared maple molasses syruping, black peppered cayenne burn, dried fruited raisin-date conflux and dry dandelion-rooted hickory bark without getting muddled. Ashen hop char contrasts dominant chocolate-caked sweetness while tertiary star anise, cocoa, vanilla, hazelnut and cola nut illusions increase intensity. Out of this world.