Juniper branches provide teensy gin hint to loud 7% alcohol-fumed rust-hazed Finnish sahti. A veritable fructose rush brightens dry-hopped bittering. Juicy quince-peach-nectarine tang segues to wispy lemon dollop, sour apple pucker, and bruised cherry crinkle. Wet barnyard waft deepens rye-breaded bottom of summery medium-bodied libation.
All posts by John Fortunato
L’ALCHIMISTRE INDIA PALE ROUSSE ALE
Unassuming nickel-hued cereal grained IPA lacks character and distinction, but at least dry orange twinge, caramel malt wallow, and wheat biscuit sweetness make cameos.
L’ALCHIMISTE BOCK DE JOLIETTE
Easygoing amber-bodied bock closer to mild cream ale. Perfumed citrus entry picks up honeyed caramel malting to seize surfacing prune-raisin dryness, finishing crisp, clean and mellow.
LAKE TAHOE NUT BROWN WINTER ALE
Extremely sour raisin-fig frontage encounters vinous mouth-puckering gueuze-like grape esters before burnt coffee acridity pushes forward. Raw cocoa-chocolate malt astringency annuls tepid walnut-hazelnut inadequacy and barren winter spicing. Brewery defunct: 2003.
LAKE TAHOE HEFE WEIZEN
Unfiltered yellow-hazed pearly-headed wheat beer retains lazy citrus souring, aromatic banana nose, and fizzy lemon hop snap. But tepid profile shrinks under-whelming soapy finish. Brewery defunct: 2003.
LAKE TAHOE CRYSTAL BAY RED ALE
Acrid orange-decayed grape-soured tartness bleeds through dry pale-chocolate malting and earthen peat astringency of light brown body. Roasted barley-oats spine fortifies sharp citric hop fizzing and latent smoked wood reminder. Brewery defunct: 2003.
(LAKEPORT) TRULY CANADIAN PREMIUM LAGER
Pearly white-headed yellow-bodied lager has promising fruited malt entry tamed by citric hop wisp and threadbare barley-wheat snip, finishing feebly as dour alcohol astringency overwhelms lightly salted sweet corn stipend.
(LAKEPORT) LAKER CANADIAN LAGER
Typical crisp Canadian lager. But fresh water appeal, polite mineral graining, and coy hop bittering can’t salvage muddled lemon rot finish of below average brew. Less creamy than most Sleeman’s brews; deeper-grained than Molson Ales.
LAKEPORT PILSENER
Butterscotch-honeyed sweetness and sugary crystal malting juxtapose moderate hop bitterness by slight, trite finish. Barren apple-citrus illusions fade badly. Inconsequential German-styled pils lacks pizzazz.
LAKEPORT NOROIS DRY BEER
Simple grain flow and fizzy carbonation embellish light fruity pleasantries. But slight sweet finish and dry malt undercurrent lack firm resilience, dropping this to average macrobrew status.
LAKEPORT MONGOOSE MALT LIQUOR
Vital statistics: 8% alcohol in 32 ounce can for 99 cents. One-dimensional cloying corn malts and clinging Brussels lace never dissipate as musty barley-wheat rounds out dire diacetyl bottom. Compares favorably to France’s feeble Fritz Brau.
LAKEPORT HOLIDAY SPICE LAGER
Deep black cherry ripeness increases wintry nutmeg-cinnamon essence for rich holiday treat. Orange-bruised clove-coriander spicing underscores insurgent stewed prune penetration, pecan-pied raisin-fig sequence, and honey-glazed finish, retaining confectionery medicinal deluge.