Resilient ruby amber Belgian-styled dubbel amps up burgundy-barleywine essence with candi-sugared cocoa-caramel malting, sharply spiced prune-fig thrust, chocolate-covered raisin transience, pureed cherry tease, and tertiary blackberry bramble. Curtailed port-rosé illusions come and go. Earthy peat bottom secures frangible smoky wisp. Brewery defunct: 2016.
All posts by John Fortunato
BOAKS MONSTER MASH IMPERIAL STOUT
Excellent Russian Imperial contract brewed by High Point Brewery (makers of fine Ramstein wheat beers) holds its own against heavy competition. Persistent dried-fruited roasted chocolate malts gain brown-sugared maple molasses sweetness that envelops sticky anise, chocolate liqueur, chicory coffee, vanilla bean and clove illusions. Minor burnt oak dryness evens out thick-bodied ebony-hued stout. Brewery defunct: 2016.
BLUETONGUE TRADITIONAL PILSENER
Robust soft-watered Czech-styled Aussie dry body may be richer than respected Brooklyn Pilsner and compares most favorably to first-rate Eastern Euro competition. Opulent earthen grained bittering, doughy glutinous malt sweetness, corn-husked straw grass reminder, and sneaky applejack-grapefruit snip deep-six any negative solvent-like oxidation. Wavered citric-floral Saaz hopped sharpness, white peppered spicing, and green tea spree randomly tingle tongue.
BLUE RIDGE SUNRAGE SOUR MASH ALE
Brusque pale-clouded honey-fermented ale aided by syrupy corn-malted cocoa powdering. But residual moldy orange mustiness and root vegetable tinge may be off-putting to lesser acquired tastes. Impending tart grapefruit-lemon bitterness enlightens sour yeast heft of subtle fresh watered peculiarity.
BLUE RIDGE STEEPLE STOUT
Brewed in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, hoppin’ mad stout delivers explosive carbolic fizz to alcohol-laden liquid. Roasted barley, dusky malts, and rye wheat counter unusual wine-like tendencies perfectly. Dark chocolate-y coffee grain bitterness rounds out robust finish. Expansive for such a sweet, sticky stout (and not too far removed from excellent Red Hook Black Stout).
BLUE RIDGE SNOWBALL’S CHANCE WINTER ALE
A dearth of gritty grains hurts up-front appeal of caramel malt-dominated winter brew. Only a hint of spice peeks through moderate bitter hop finish (where grassy wheat husk retreats).
BLUE RIDGE PORTER
Weighty black chocolate permanence and dry cocoa bean thrash sustain bittersweet mocha diffusion countering charred grain finish of medium-bodied porter. Milked coffee soothe overtakes dry nuttiness along the way, lowering high-octane appeal.
BLUE RIDGE GOLDEN ALE
Flaked barley-oats opening gains slight wheat reticence juxtaposing faint orange-tangerine-nectar illusions. Earthy grain backbone pervades frisky Cascade hop briskness of medium-bodied goodie.
BLUE RIDGE E.S.B. RED ALE
Toasted hops waft through roasted barley palate as sweet spruce-maple oeuvre and smoked mocha sedation contrast brisk orange peel bitterness. Grassy wheat chaff intersects muted chocolate-cocoa midst, turning styptic by flustered floral tea finish.
BLUE RIDGE AMBER LAGER
Mild grain essence provides relaxing front-end while lingering spiced hop bitterness and delicate malt sweetness inform dry doughy finish of coppery medium-bodied Old Vienna-styled amber lager. Quite splendid!
BLUE POINT WINTER ALE
Dubious seasonal brings nut-bread appeal to dried fig-peach swatch and funky vegetal wisp, but blandly sweet caramel malting finds no footing and lazy hazelnut finish lacks expected clove-nutmeg resolve. ’09 re-tasting: harsh honey-dripped cinnamon-toasted gingerbread seasoning receives bristly-hopped astringency.
BLUE POINT TOASTED LAGER
Former top-shelf golden amber steam-styled lager placed pleasant hop-charred citric bitterness, smooth Scotch-kettled sweetness and captive mineral-grained cereal roast atop toasted almond alleviation. This was not your grandfather’s lame piss, but instead a full-bodied, assertive microbrew closer to classical British lager. ’06 re-tasting: displaced phenol bittering imparts offensive flavor supplanting almond-cereal conflux. Disturbingly, ensuing ’07 on-tap sampler at Patchoque’s Brick House Brewery confirmed loss of quality.