On tap at Ambulance, oak-aged sour saison (a foraged farmhouse ale) brings vinous white wine esters and tart lime splurge to sourly sweet raspberry adjunct. Lollipop-like raspberry sway picks up Sauvignon Blanc nip with musky tannic leathering.
All posts by John Fortunato
HACKENSACK ACHTER KOLSCH
On tap at River Of Beer, dry champagne-salted fizz prickles mild lemony orange spicing and herbal respite above mineralized pilsner malting.
NESHAMINY CREEK PUSHING DAISIES KOLSCH
On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, crisp springtime golden kolsch with light frothy cream lets salty lemon spicing invite champagne grape spritz and light Tettnang hop herbage to grassy hop astringency over delicate white crackered pilsner malts.
CATSKILL JOHN O’ THE BIRDS HEFEWEIZEN
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, hazy straw yellowed hefeweizen retains lighter mouthfeel despite stylishly higher 6% ABV. Subtle brown-sugared banana bread sweetness and mild clove spicing allow lemon-soured dried plantain stint and wispy herbal tinge to contrast vanilla wafer flouring at its sourdough bottom.
SULLIVAN’S IRISH GOLD
Brisk English-styled pale ale from Ireland coalesces amber grained cereal malt sweetness, dewy peat mossing and toasted bread crusting, recalling an Irish Red Ale in many aspects. Ascending East Kent Golding hop herbage brings snappy bitterness to slightly caramelized barley roast finish.
TOX ERGOT
Summery American wheat beer with “coriander and citrus” and puffy white head embraces sunshiny lemon zesting and dried mandarin orange snip above pallid white wheat bed. Lemon juice continuance brings mild acidity and candied lemon tartness adds slight mouth pucker, but coriander spicing lacks.
JACK’S ABBY LAVENADE LAGER
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, ‘zesty lemon lavender lager’ stays sunny as limey lemonade frontage picks up sweet lavender florality. Tart lemon juicing ultimately wins out.
WILD EAST LEMONDROP LAGER
On tap at Ambulance, dry Lemondrop-hopped pale lager needs zestier lemony grapefruit splash. Lemon pit bittering consumes mandarin orange lilt, green tea tannins and herbal respite.
OAKFLOWER LAMMY HELLES LAGER
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, dry helles lager attaches corny rice sugaring to contrastive musty barnyard rusticity and muskily dark floral Noble hops, leaving gluey malt pasting.
SIXPOINT THE CRISP PILZ
On tap at Pompton Craft House, ’24 updated German-styled light pilsner retains fizzy lemon spritz, maize-dried minerality, grassy hop astringency and sugary pilsner malt base.
CHECKERSPOT HILLBILLY GOLD PILSNER
Crisply dry German-styled pils retains musty barnyard rusticity, maize-dried mineral graining, musky herbal lemon fizziness and dark floral whims, bettering less solid-bodied moderations.
AQUATIC FOSSILIFFEROUS BBA BARLEYWINE
Debonairly mellow Makers Mark bourbon influence could use a push – but caramelized whiskey warmth, candied butterscotch serenity, leathery oaken vanilla tannins and dewy cellar funk stay elegantly subtle upfront atop lightly spiced brown chocolate base. Mild Amaretto, plum wine, prune pudding, dried cherry and roasted chestnut illusions waver. Confectionery fruit-pasted Fig Newton finish seals deal.
