Dryer and more rustic than many Americanized wits, bringing funky cellared yeast musk to the fore alongside stylish orange-peeled coriander sweetness, picking up tangy tangerine splash as well as latent herbal persistence. Reminiscent of many fine Belgian wits first imported to America in the ’90s.
All posts by John Fortunato
LOSO BIG BUCK AMERICAN ALE
Dry pale ale stays laidback as lemony grapefruit souring, tangy tangerine zesting and white peach tartness combine with herbal rusticity above mild toasted graining.
KANE DAYDREAM WINTER BOCK
Stylishly nebulous winter-spiced bock wavers as dewy fig-sugared cocoa template and sweet bread lagering only receive muted caramelized pilsner-wheat malting.
KANE RIPPLE SESSION ALE
Mild lemony yellow grapefruit zesting and lightly soured Nelson Sauvin-hopped gooseberry, guava, white grape and guava tropicalia float above oats-flaked pilsner malts with spritzy glee. Dryly sessionable moderation just slightly less bitter (sans pine tones) than a sour IPA.
ASLIN NO BACKSIES HEFE
On tap at Taphouse 15, herbaceous luster nearly buries early banana-clove-coriander expectancy as lemon-peeled orange zesting ascends. At Pompton Craft House ’24, richer banana-clove luster, lighter lemon zesting and slight rummy sugaring reached creamier sourdough base.
LOGSDON DIVISION STREET WHEAT ALE
On tap at Ambulance, modest dry-hopped cracked wheat entry picks up salty lemon spree and wispy floral-spiced herbage but may lack stylish specificity.
LITTLE DOG GESUNDHEIT GERMAN-STYLE AMBER ALE
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, clear copper-toned German altbier retains delicate balance as dewy tobacco-roasted amber graining picks up crisp tea-leafed earthiness and floral-daubed dried fruiting over toasted bread crusting.
ICARUS FIVE YEARS & FLYING IMPERIAL BERLINER WEISSE
On tap at Taphouse 15, gunky sweet-tart fruited sour posing as an expansive Berliner Weisse brings juicy black berry, red raspberry and plum adjuncts to yogurt-like milk sugaring above heavily oated salted wheat base.
ICARUS I LIFE LAGER
On tap at Taphouse 15, mainstream lager retains ricey pilsner malting, dry maize astringency and Cascade-hopped lemon spritz above light sourdough base. Serve to blue collar drinkers.
STEEL CITY LAGER
Toasted amber grains receive sweet toffee snag and musky brown tea earthiness for dry blue collar moderation. Serve to all macrobrew hounds as better alternative.
SUTTON 215 LIGHT LAGER
Lemony orange oiling and subtle herbal hop musk drift into light mineral-grained pilsner malt stead for crisply clean moderation.
ALTERNATE ENDING ROYAL RUG PILSNER
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, excellent traditional moderate-bodied German pilsner places polite floral-spiced citrus zesting next to musky earthen dewiness above its toasted grain spine. Mild hop astringency picks up vegetal dab beneath it all. Damn fine well-designed Bavarian pils.