Unusual combination of Band-Aid aroma, cotton-like foam, and judicious chocolate sweetness cannot make up for lackluster nuttiness. Accommodating dough-like persistence and scarce wood tones keep this passive watered down moderation somewhat interesting.
All posts by John Fortunato
BASS PALE ALE
Highly regarded, widely touted amber-red ale with formal, efficient palate novices will appreciate alongside professionals. Rich caramelized grains embolden long lasting bittersweet (never harsh) finish confronting dry hop relief. Hidden beneath creamy butterscotch fizz lies subdued black cherry hints. On tap, its silky flow, sinewy yeast pleasantness, and sweet malt overtones rate a perfect five. In the bottle, yeast residue is lost. Canned version relies on ester-y apple nose, burnt sugar frontage, and dry grain backbone, turning tinny by caramel finish.
BASS COUNTRY CHASE ALE
Smooth medium-to-full-bodied Country Chase celebrates the first hunt of the season, matching terrific Bass Pale Ale caramel malt character to smooth red-orange fruiting. Pleasant hop-spiced bitterness calibrates sweet stone-fruited quince stint. Strong dark ale just a tad less distinct than brewers’ world renowned Bass Pale Ale.
BARREL HOUSE RED LEGG ALE
Eye-squinting oaken cherry tartness and tangy orange pith souring give ultra-dry copper-hazed Flemish-like red ale blunt acidity beleaguering ester-y white grape parch, green apple acridity, and dehydrated fig recess. Funky earthen grains secure soft-tongued grassy-hopped citron prickle.
BARREL HOUSE HOCKING HILLS HEFEWEIZEN
Breezy banana-peeled clove-coriander spicing whirs softly above sweet pastry-like malting. At midst, creamy butterscotch impression enjoins vanilla wafer illusion and tangy orange seltzer spritz to counter rising lemon candied sourness.
BARREL HOUSE DUVENECK’S DORTMUNDER LAGER
Dank fungi basement waft shouldn’t prohibit true blue-collar drinkers from discovering dry medium-bodied flaxen fluid. Raw honeyed lemon rind souring and unripe orange tartness stay above hushed hop spicing. Herbal ginger, eucalyptus, and lemongrass illusions counter sweet glutinous egress.
BARREL HOUSE CUMBERLAND PALE ALE
Bitterly spiced Cascade hop easement leads to toasted honeyed oats sweetness flowing alongside juicy apricot-tangerine-grapefruit tang. Dry citric-grained finish enticed by woodsy pine comb tinge.
BARREL HOUSE BOSS COX DOUBLE DARK I.P.A.
Bold scarlet-hued spruce-wafted full body with varied complexities makes for heady elixir. Harsh hop-charred spicing and metallic alcohol-burned bitterness cattycorner chewy cereal-grained caramel-chocolate malting up-front. At midst, sticky cotton-candied anise tenacity cushions red apple ripeness and sherry-burgundy-barleywine heft, overcompensating gooey cherry puree, rum raisin, and stewed prune illusions. Chestnut, hazelnut, and butternut fade in and out.
BARONS LAGER
Dreary golden-cleared Helles-styled lager dumps cloy honey malt stickiness atop barren Saaz hop astringency. Putrid lemony green apple center, glutinous corn whiskey shoddiness, and dirty earthen bottom beleaguer dankly dry medium body further.
BARONS BLACK WATTLE SEED ALE
Seemingly improved in its better 2015 version, pasty sorghum-whey graining picks up cocoa-dried toffee influence and dewy cellar-like dankness without getting peculiar. On less impressive first passing (2008), advertised hazelnut, chocolate, and coffee influence compromised by phenolic herbal hop-charred bittering and off-putting cooked vegetable spell of auburn dry body. Native Aussie wattle seed fuses mineral-grained nicety to quaint barley roast, sour white grape tartness, red apple skin nuance, and dry rye-tobacco evasion, but weak mocha finish impedes.
BARLEY ISLAND DIRTY HELEN TAVERN-STYLE BROWN ALE
Astringent copper body – less chocolate nutty than similarly styled, richer English ales – burrows citric souring and coarse hazelnut acridity through sweet barley-oats. Dirty earthen wood ebb conceals strong-brewed unsweetened ice tea illusion, distant herbal notion, and fluctuant burgundy respite.
BARLEY ISLAND BOURBON BARREL AGED STOUT
Flattish opening seems watery, lacking depth on initial impact. But mildly hop-embittered mahogany body picks up steam and never looks back. Bourbon-soaked milk chocolate, vanilla, and roasted coffee midst proves elegant. Delicate black cherry, espresso, walnut, and dark floral illusions settle beneath. Compelling bourbon whiskey finish seals the deal.