On tap at Ambulance, ‘enticing’ 10% ABV weizenbock drips sweet honey upon pastry-fruited entry, creamy caramelized toffee mass, cotton-candied sugaring and mild spice-hopped peppering. Honeyed sugarplum, stewed apple, apricot, cherry, brandy, banana, mango, cantaloupe and melon illusions spread thru full-bodied barleywine-like dessert.
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK
One of the finest Upper West Side watering holes in Manhattan, GEORGE KEELEY’S serves classic Irish and American pub fare alongside some of New York’s best craft beer on draught.
Just off 83rd Street on Amsterdam Avenue, the cozy neighborhood hangout’s 20-seat mahogany brass-railed bar features 20-plus taps, a large mirrored George Keeley mural and several distinguished liquors. Ten left side tables oppose the bar and multiple TV’s provide a sportsbar atmosphere and a Dogfish Head sign above the front door proves their commitment to craft beer.
The jukebox plays classic rock while I consume six previously untried brews (reviewed in Beer Index) with my friends Steve and Jeremy during a hot summer night in June ’17.
East Coast Amber Lager and Bamberger Mahr’s Ungestpundet Hefetrub represented the pilsner-lager contingent. Captain Lawrence Clearwater Kolsch, LIC Beer Project Primrose Saison and Modern Times Fruitlands with passionfruit and guava were soft-toned faves. KCBC Extremely Dangerous Precedent Double IPA proved worthy but Gisberga Reina De Aragon Porter seemed unfinished.
On tap at Ambulance, superb 9th Anniversary English-styled old ale aged in bourbon barrels (with heightened 16.1% ABV) brings luscious cherry-bruised sherry wining and caramelized crème brulee sugaring to the fore. Sweet bourbon vanilla midst allows ripe raisin, plum, raspberry and peach tones to deepen its candi-sugared vibe.
On tap at Ambulance, rich 3rd anniversary dessert sure-shot (at dangerously disguised 13% ABV) harmoniously drapes creamy caramel-sauced brown chocolate syruping upon oak-aged ancho chili-peppered espresso and vanilla bean adjuncts. Subsidiary Black Forest cake, fudged brownie, light-roast coffee, crème brulee, toasted coconut, maple molasses and glazed hazelnut illusions fortify trusty pepper-smoked mocha sweetness.
On tap at Ambulance, rapturous honey-sweetened smoked stout brings campfire-like cherrywood smoke to fudgy dark chocolate malting. Creamy caramelized honey drapes cocoa-powdered midst and smoked mocha core as well as tertiary vanilla, marshmallow and hazelnut illusions. Liquified candy bar.
On tap at Liberty Craft House, easygoing coffee-infused pale ale is first Southern Tier satellite brew for Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week. Smoked coffee bean entry gains mild lemony orange tartness above dainty mocha malting.
Dry nutty resilience rides above black chocolate malting and mild charred hop bittering. Harsh nut sear brings tarry walnut and singed Brazil nut illusions to the surface – embittered by raw molasses astringency, Muscat grape musk and dry burgundy snip.
On tap at Liberty Craft House, luxurious 22nd Anniversary ale loads dark chocolate syrup upon advertised vanilla-sugared nutmeg and cinnamon spicing as well as sweet orange peel zest. Dry bourbon, sherry and Scotch undertones deepen resolve of robust 11.1% ABV dessert treat.
On tap at Ambulance, luscious fruit-soured ale finishes like a raspberry-filled dark chocolate cake. Lightly soured raspberry candy tartness gains Belgian-like candi sugaring to contrast plum-dried lemon pucker above raw wheat-oats spine.
On tap at Liberty Craft House, tantalizing tripel caresses cotton-candied banana bubblegum sugaring with tangy mandarin orange spicing and mild coconut tones above moderate floral-tinged grassy hop bittering. Well-hidden 8.6% ABV gains astringency over time.
On tap at George Keeley’s, salty lemon-rotted orange souring and floral primrose oiling lie above pasty-like lager malts. Dried oats, alfalfa and spelt graining protects light citric souring.
On tap at Ambulance, worthy Belgian witbier maintains sweet orange-peeled tang, zesty lemon spritz, trusty banana-clove resonance and sugary vanilla creaming. Lemony mandarin orange, tangerine and grapefruit illusions add further citric splash.