All posts by John Fortunato

THESE GUYS BREWING COMPANY

January 2, 2019United States BrewpubsNORWICH CT, THESE GUYS BREWINGJohn Fortunato

NORWICH, CONNECTICUT

A few doors down from Epicure Brewing in the historic harbor town of Norwich, THESE GUYS BREWING COMPANY resides inside the space once occupied by an 1890’s-built Prohibition Era pub. Its bronze stamped tile ceiling, rustic wood columns and exposed pipes bring back the feel of yesteryear while brewer Becka Alberts (formerly a Willimantic Brewing apprentice) crafts easygoing fare to go alongside healthy portions of pub food. A few well-chosen outside brews such as Allagash Wit are also available.

Open since August 2015 (and moving to larger facility in Marina at America Wharf), These Guys 15-seat front bar (with corner TV) serves several four-seat tables and a quaint solarium-draped back dining room.

During my mid-December ’18 dinner excursion, imbibed five stylishly well-rounded brews (crafted at the hidden back tanks) to go alongside nachos, butternut squash and guacamole.

First up, approachable straw-hued moderation, Effed Up On Pils, brought peated corn whiskey snips to delicate yellow-orange fruiting, sweet oats-sugared pilsner malts and pithy Hallertau-hopped herbage.

Unfiltered American-styled wheat ale, Batch 100, stayed placid as mildly spiced citrus tones gained grassy hop astringency. light white wheat malting and wispy herbal notions.

Polite autumnal seasonal, Lil Narwitch Imperial Pumpkin Ale, pleated yam-spiced pumpkin roast into lemondrop-candied souring and caramelized pale malts.

Semi-sweet milk chocolate creaming eased into Kaiser Willie Oatmeal Stout, leaving ancillary dark-roasted coffee, cocoa nibs and espresso illusions to saddle toffee-spiced rye malts.

Before heading out, stylishly mild Timeout Corner Barleywine (a bashful 10% ABV collaboration with nearby Outer Light Brewing) placed tingly toffee-spiced sweetness alongside caramelized almond-buttered baked apple sedation.

theseguysbrewing.com

LEELANAU ANTIDOGMA STOUT AGED IN BOURBON BARRELS

January 2, 2019Beers A-ZLEELANAU BREWING, oak-aged stout, sour stoutJohn Fortunato

Seemingly unvaried takeoff of brewers’ Illuminati (bottle conditioned at Jolly Pumpkin) tosses wild yeast bacteria into bourbon-aged stout, creating sour-fruited raw molasses template over leathery cocoa musk. Dry whiskey waft consumes the nose as oaken cherry-vanilla tartness nearly conceals tannic red wine vinegaring and dry bourbon-burgundy whir while curdled soy milking gains lactic mocha edge.

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SLOOP BOURBON BEAN BAKED BARREL AGED OATMEAL MILK STOUT

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zbourbon stout, sloop brewingJohn Fortunato

On tap at Ambulance, subtle dry bourbon aging creeps into light-roast coffee bean thicket. Serene bourbon coffee continuance enjoined by milk chocolate sweetness, mild espresso trinket and slight vanilla wisp. Benaeth, brown-sugared oats sweeten against ashen hop char.

PIPEWORKS VERY BERRY ABDUCTION IMPERIAL STOUT

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zimperial stout, PIPEWORKS BREWINGJohn Fortunato

Tart strawberry, raspberry and blueberry adjuncts leave mildly sour mouth pucker alongside bittersweet cacao-nibbed vanilla bean influence. Subtle Blackstrap molasses tinkle sharpens sour-candied berry tartness.

RIVER HORSE CRAIC

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zirish stout, RIVER HORSE BREWERYJohn Fortunato

On tap at Stone & Rail, outstanding Jameson whiskey-barreled Irish Stout layers luscious vanilla and coffee beaning with bittersweet dark chocolate syruping. Tertiary toasted coconut, marshmallow and hazelnut illusions slip behind luxurious mocha-bound bourbon vanilla richness. An Irish coffee alternative.

OMMEGANG KING IN THE NORTH BARREL-AGED IMPERIAL STOUT

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zimperial stout, ommegangJohn Fortunato

On tap at Curley’s, richly creamed bourbon-aged chocolate spiciness stays rambunctious above cedar-burnt hop char. Sturdy vanilla-beaned coffee influence and chewy raw molasses gunk deepen mocha resonance. Latent walnut sear contrasts sweet burgundy wisp beneath the bold bourbon chocolate dessert surface.

INTERBORO APPROVED STOUT

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zcoffee stout, INTERBORO SPIRITS & ALESJohn Fortunato

On tap at Ambulance, dry brown-malted ground coffee nuttiness and wood-burnt hop char regale Irish Stout-like tendencies. Underlying scorched earth soiling seeps inside ancillary black chocolate, espresso and cocoa tones to its barley-flaked mocha bottom.

WEYERBACHER 23 GOLDEN STOUT

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zgolden stout, WEYERBACHERJohn Fortunato

Heady golden stout loads cascara, coffee and cacao nibs adjuncts over pale malt base. Bittersweet husk-dried coffee cherry tartness (cascara) confronted by slightly harsh ethanol burn (of 11.1% ABV). Espresso coffee finish lets chocolate-spiced vanilla sweetness gain mild influence.

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CARTON PRIMOODONNA LACT-OAT PORTER

January 2, 2019Beers A-ZCARTON BREWING, imperial porterJohn Fortunato

Bustling carrot cake-inspired porter (in collab with Bolero Snort) goes way beyond rarefied hybridized style. Creamy dark chocolate syruping adds bittersweet crescendo to carrot-sugared walnut flouring. Ancillary Sambuca, Kahlua, creme brulee, Turkish coffee, cinnamon bark and vanilla illusions as well as cherry-pureed dried fruiting climb aboard in the midst above lactic milk-sugared oats base.

$Primoodonna - &telier - Untappd$

FOOLPROOF VANILLA ESPRESSO RAINCLOUD PORTER

January 2, 2019Beers A-ZFOOLPROOF BREWING, vanilla porterJohn Fortunato

Expressively full-bodied porter brings creamy vanilla enchantment to espresso-milked ground coffee bittering. But soon, roasted coffee distinction overwhelms any discernible vanilla beaning. Way below the surface, caramelized toffee sugaring smothered by Blackstrap molasses, tobacco chaw and charred walnut bittering to its recessive oats-malted base.

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THREES VOLUNTARY EXILE BARREL-AGED BALTIC PORTER (WILLETT)

January 2, 2019Beers A-Zoak-aged baltic porter, THREES BREWINGJohn Fortunato

On tap at Ambulance, bourbon vanilla spicing enlivens Willett-aged Baltic Porter. Dark chocolate syruping drapes ancillary molasses cookie, cocoa nib biscotti, Black Russian, sweet Swisher cigar, milked espresso and chocolate pastry illusions as well as nifty plum-date dried fruiting. Meanwhile, Willett Kentucky bourbon influence and creamy vanilla-chocolate conflux never flounder.

FAT ORANGE CAT BLOOD ORANGE BILLY INDIA PALE ALE

January 2, 2019Beers A-ZFAT ORANGE CAT, new england ipaJohn Fortunato

On tap at Poor Henry’s, pureed blood orange adjunct lightly affects New England-styled IPA. Bitter Mosiac-hopped lemony grapefruit sharpness overrides blood orange tartness as timid wood lacquering provides musky counterpoint to delicately creamed vanilla froth.

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