Not nearly as aggressively bitter as most alimony sufferers. Mild copper-hazed IPA anchors floral-hopped citric spritz and sour green apple tartness to sticky mocha malting. Though not as creamy, strong, or daring as California’s more familiar pine-needled IPA fare, seasoned pale ale fans will enjoy it as a lighter, cleaner alternative.
All posts by John Fortunato
BUDWEISER AMERICAN ALE
Adequate rocky tan-headed chestnut amber pale ale (given boost by costly ’08 ad campaign) maintains dry spice-hopped barley-roasted theme, but distant lemon-peeled orange-singed fruiting gets diacetyl. Caution: befuddling ‘full body’ labeling.
BUCKLER NON-ALCOHOLIC PILSNER
Musty yeast-scented clear-bodied Heineken ‘light’ maintains white bread signature, gentle hop fizz, crisp water flow, and wheat toast finish for amiable simplicity bettering most astringent or metallic non-alcoholic rivals.
(BRUNEHAUT) ABBAYE DE SAINT-MARTIN BRUNE
Mocha-fruited hazy brown ‘abbey dubbel’ with lucid port-burgundy nose enriched by sweet ‘n sour prune-dried chocolate frontage. Raisin-date-fig midst and ester-y black grape footnote fight back dank cellar mustiness to sharp nutty bottom, insulating lactose malt sinew.
BRUMMEN LAGER
Mediocre pale-yellowed lager lacks sufficient grain character and jaunty hop fizz, settling into watery blandness by lackluster lemony hop finish.
(LITTLE KING’S) BRUIN PALE ALE
Swell barley-toned pale ale with buttery malt pleasantry, candy-coated chocolate elegance, and mild prune undertones. Exquisite crystalline water suits moderate-bodied softie worthy of pilsner or lager crossover.
BRUGSE ZOT ALE
Carbolic champagne fizz nearly overwhelms candi-sugared yeast zest and honeyed butterscotch modesty of middling pale ale. White peppered hops spice up lemony clementine-pear-peach tang and musty horse-blanket reminder. Wavered banana-clove clip and bitter orange rind snip need deeper penetration.
BRUGSE TRIPEL ALE
Buttery whiskey malts relax grain subtleties, but inconsequential adjuncts and moderate-bodied character keep this too light for tripel designation.
BRUGSE STRAFFE HENDRIK BLONDE
Explosive carbonation (typical of Belgian ales) blew the cork right off the bottle when protective cap of puffy white-headed pale yellow ale was unsealed. So it was not necessary to have corkscrew handy. Caramelized wheat sweetens dapper yellow-fruited resonance and tingly candy spicing to tart apple core. Let it swirl ’round your tongue for full effect.
BROWN’S RAUCH BIER
Lacking robustness of better German rauchbiers, this Hudson River knockoff gets soapy when promisingly stylistic Band-Aid waft, beechwood char, and cured meat barrage prove fleeting. Instead, bland lemony orange sourness overwhelms dwindled salami, sausage, and glazed ham illusions.
(BROUGHTON) OLD JOCK ALE
Hearty dark ale richly flavored by sharp-grained mocha malting, plump raisins, and hazelnut. Smooth carbonation settles as bouquet of flowery hops coat the tongue. Tad flat cocoa finish negates creaminess.
(BROUGHTON) MERLIN’S ALE
Dank grain-malted prune-hued ESB leads sweet barley inlet and bitter hop undercurrent down into blandly soft-watered Scotch basin. Distant nuttiness caresses unassuming mineral grain finish.