Nutty grain bitterness, carbolic citric-hopped sharpness, and musty toasted malt flap detain maple flicker. Result: not bold, assertive, or rich enough to matter.
All posts by John Fortunato
BERGHOFF ORIGINAL LAGER
Light-bodied amber lager with slight sourdough frontage and wheat biscuit bottom depleting minor diacetyl interference. Phenol lemon tang recalls sunny southerly pilsner.
BERGHOFF OKTOBERFEST
Indistinct creamy autumnal mediocrity bends wheat-oat toasting into dulled orange peel backdrop before seeping chocolate malt finish falters.
BERGHOFF GENUINE DARK LAGER
Receding toasted oats border casual creaminess and musty earthiness as recessive raisin fluctuation dissolves under red fruited malt souring. Lack of hop assertion further hurts hazy golden Euro-styled lager.
BERGHOFF FAMOUS AMBER ALE
Simple barley hopped amber gains wheat biscuit and burnt caramel sweetness as carbonation subsides, but acrid oxidation stumps moderate cereal grain roast.
BERGHOFF CLASSIC PILSNER
Much better on tap, where barley sweetness and fruity malt residue shine through. In the bottle, murky grains and musty malts are not fully integrated, becoming tinny lightweight dreck.
(BERGER) WHISTLEPIN WHEAT ALE
Peaceful easy lightweight with unassuming essence retains slightest hop bitterness lingering below husked grain mesh. Serve to those who dislike fizzy wine-like wheat ales to bridge gap for them. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
(BERGER) SNOWMAN SUMMER EDITION ALE
Balking at traditional summer ale traits, this fizzy seasonal lacks fruity potential but procures sugary maltose finesse. Roasted barley-hop dryness finds tangy sour citrus center atop caramelized undertones. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
(BERGER) RED RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE
Ripe fermented raspberry aroma and juicy fructose alacrity swallowed up by obtrusive fizz, nearly wiping out any wheat hint. On top of that, candied tartness and sourdough pungency sag at tangy off-dry finish. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
(BERGER) RED BANSHEE ALE
Dark brown ale with indistinct malt aroma matching elusive soft water sweetness and muted chocolate-nut flirt. Needs better foundation (thicker malted grains) to be heartier, nevertheless, quite comforting and a tad strong. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
(BERGER) INDEGO PALE ALE
Nifty fruited grain palate caresses delicate hop silk, forming mild-mannered medium-bodied middleweight. Satisfactory dry barley-oat finish gets bitter berry resonance. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
(BERGER) CHOCOLATE STOUT
Complex chocolate liqueur sass abruptly countered by dry barley roast and coffee bean bitterness. Simultaneous sweet chocolate creaminess and affluent honey accrual formulate eager barleywine nuance. Finely detailed, if overtly fizzy, finishing with sour mocha indifference. Serve to novice lager and pilsner drinkers ready to plunge into more aggressive fare. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.