On tap at Hoover’s, ‘invigorating’ nutty coffee frontage gains black chocolate resilience over blackened hop char for creamily mocha-bound full body.
All posts by John Fortunato
EVIL GENIUS NEW PHONE, WHO DIS? CARAMEL MACCHIATO PORTER
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead – Haledon, sumptuous caramel macchiato-aligned porter picks up richly creamed mocha molasses sweetness and slight cedar-charred hop roast. Burnt caramel sauce drapes sticky toffee-candied sugaring and less prominent dark cocoa-chocolate bittering. A hint of vanilla beckons at the caramel latte finish.
EVIL TWIN SAY NO MORE! IMPERIAL PORTER
On tap at Taphouse 15, lovely dark-roast coffee frontage gains bittersweet dark chocolate fudging and light black peppering in enjoyable semi-rich setting.
CHATHAM DOPPELBOCK
On tap at Ambulance, rangy bock brings mild brown-sugared dried fruiting to caramelized Vienna malting, brown chocolate sweetness and dewy wood-soaked foliage. Spiced fig, date and plum tones crystallize at the finish.
GAVERHOPKE EXTRA
Bustling brown-bodied Belgian dark ale (with well disguised 12% ABV) loads spicy dried fruit pleasantries atop dewy cellar funk and vinous grape must. Rum-soaked raisin sweetness, oaken cherry tartness, dry burgundy-sherry wining and hard-candied citrus souring combine for dauntless medium body.
ALLAGASH FLORETTE
On tap at Ambulance, dry-hopped hibiscus petaled tropical fruiting picks up estery green grape tartness and leathery oaken cherry snips above honeyed pale malting. Mildly acidic lemon-dropped hibiscus flowering zestily represented.
DECIDUOUS LOLLIPOP FOREST SOUR ALE
On tap at Ambulance, lactic milk sugaring sweetens tart raspberry-strawberry adjuncts above salty limestone-soured green grape tannins and puckered lemon twist, leaving modest citric acidity in the back end. A superior lollipop-candied sour ale approachable enough for magnanimous crossover appeal to lighter thirsts usually less interested in ‘sours.’
DOGFISH HEAD VINIFEROUS IPA
Briskly vinous Reisling/ Viognier grape must gains zesty lemon limed tartness and resinous pine sneer above mild oats-flaked malts of moderately acidic, hazy beige yellowed IPA hybrid. Dry white wine finish stays plush as subtle grapefruit-peeled mandarin orange, passionfruit, melon rind and honeydew illusions push forward its tannic yellow grape souring.
GRIMM SHADOW WORK DARK SOUR ALE
On tap at Ambulance, blended mixed culture sour ale (with sedate 12% ABV) coalesces tart oaken cherry Flemish red ale to date-dried Flemish brown ale with great success. Lightly acidic green grape tannins and piquant raspberry wisps seep into dried fruited pleasantry.
GRIMM HYPERFOCUS MOSAIC DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Ambulance, citric Mosaic hop influence provides mild lemony mandarin orange, yellow grapefruit and mango tang to relegate herbal-tinged earthen pine slither. Waxy tropical fruiting gains grout-y wet graining by floral citrus finish.
MIKKELLER NYC BRO! MORE MANGO IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Ambulance, ‘bold’ mango-infused IPA utilizes sweet orange-peeled grapefruit tang to contrast sour limey spell. Briskly ripe mango influence settles right alongside stylish citrus zesting above pine-needled clay hops and sugared pale malting.
ALEWIFE SELF DECAPITATION IMPERIAL IPA
On tap at Ambulance, crisply clean tropical fruited moderate-medium body stays zestfully bright. Lightly embittered yellow grapefruit entry gains tangy pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, guava and mandarin orange flourishes above modest vanilla-spiced pale malt sugaring.
