Brewed by Stoney Creek Brewery since ’04, this tepid caramelized German-styled lager lacks intensity from its bronzed mahogany body to its swirled tan-head. Dull hops, carbolic acidity, and displaced plum astringency ravage roasted barley spine, though herbal spicing and cola nut twinge save pithy dry-grained finish.
All posts by John Fortunato
(ATLANTIC) MOUNT DESERT ISLAND GINGER
Tealeaf-spearmint aroma matches soothing ginger empowerment and eucalyptus freshness of herbal wheat ale. Near lemongrass finish, peppery hops override affable citric-berry sweetness and unripe blueberry bitterness. Needs more floral spicing and sharper bite.
(ATLANTIC) COAL PORTER
Spectacularly robust charcoal-stained full body pours ebony with ruby-maroon highlights. Dry coffee bean frontage yields to boisterous dark chocolate bitterness thickening hop-roasted toasted oats spine. Glancing walnut coarseness sways black tar finish, yet despite rigid frothy density, clean-watered flow thaws dusky adjuncts.
ATHENIAN LAGER
Astringent grain bitterness, beleaguered hop dryness, and delicate salted butter flow provide initial sharpness countering soft water texture to sweetish rice finish. Easy drinking fodder lacks distinction.
(ATHENIAN) ALFA LAGER
Rugged skunked malt odor swamps green-bottled billowy pearl-headed faded gold Greek ‘Hellenic.’ Dissipating barleymalt flap, corn syrup scourge, and cereal grain stipend bungle indistinct sugar-hopped fizz water.
ASPEN MEADOW RED ALE
Dark amber hue opposes weakly spiced fizz-hop lightness to malt-sweetened center, becoming oily by unbalanced fruit-less finish.
ASPEN MEADOW PALE ALE
Seared Scotch mouthfeel, off-dry smoked malt underling, and drifting tobacco leaf sweetness adorn politely soured orange-lemon twist. Almond-pecan illusions found at grainy backend.
ASPEN MEADOW NUT BROWN ALE
Chestnut-hued medium body gets early tamped down hop spicing, sweet malt sequel, maple molasses surge, and mellowed nut finish. Dim chocolate echo needs creamier chewiness.
ASPEN MEADOW HONEY ALMOND LIGHT
ASPEN MEADOW BLACK & TAN
Soothing pale malt opening softened further by bland mocha and pallid nuttiness fading to acidic finish. Vanilla-chocolate suggestion lacks creamy nuance.
ASAHI SUPER DRY DRAFT PILSNER
Typical rice-aided Japanese beer goes down smooth and easy. Thin lead ingredients appear to be rice and barley. But Japan’s “Super Dry’ #1 beer is so clean it barely leaves a delicate sourdough-malted cereal graining. In one-quart can, tinny water presence outlasts corn-starched grain ebb.
(ARROWHEAD) LIGHT FEATHER GOLDEN ALE
Muted cherry-orange nose and phenol caramel malts initiate overtly foamy, puffy cumulous-headed lightweight, but simplistic grapefruit-hopped midst undermines potential. Brewery defunct: 2007.