Approachable summertime lightweight (in a can) loses carbolic luster and sour pucker of draft version, but coriander-spiced saline spritz maintains crispness alongside lemony strawberry rhubarb tartness and lightly perfumed rosehips adjunct.
All posts by John Fortunato
CROOKED CURRENT BREWERY
PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND
Inside an old red brick industrial mall with green doors, CROOKED CURRENT BREWERY came into existence during 2016 when Narragansett-raised brewmaster, Nichole Pelletier, and entrepreneurial businessman, Jason Lourenco, combined forces. Proudly obtaining the title of “smallest brewery in the smallest state,” this friendly dive features a gigantic right-walled Crooked Current sign, cozy left side tasting bar, slanted white-walled ceiling, several cool caricature drawings, painted wood floor and exposed ducts.
Packed to the hilt on a freezing afternoon in February ’17, my wife and I grab a counter and consume samplers of each three fine offerings currently available on draught.
First up, tropical Kiwi-bound fortified New Zealand IPA #3, where subtle passionfruit, pineapple, mandarin orange and grapefruit pith tartness sits atop alder wood-lacquered hop bittering.
Bringing its stylized vanilla-chocolate-strawberry flavoring to the surface, Neopolitan Brown Ale allows tart raspberry, plum and prune subtleties to affect its coffee-grounded earthen hop bottom.
Another dessert treasure, White Stout, brewed with cocoa and coarse ground coffee, picked up a sweet-spiced vanilla tingle, powdered sugar-glazed donut bumrush and lemon rind-embittered coffee snip (as well as a green tea spot), finishing a l’il like a coco caramel latte.
crookedcurrentbrewery.com
HOPPIN’ FROG SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS CHOCOLATE MARTINI
On tap at Growler & Gill, lovely collaboration with Norwegian brewer, Lervig, inspired by a “super-tasty” chocolate martini cocktail, interlocks scintillating brown chocolate creaming with bourbon vanilla sweetness, picking up creme brulee richness. Subsidiary dried cherry, toasted coconut, chalky cocoa and sugared spices gain traction.
BELL’S TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY BARREL AGED 355 EAST STOUT
On tap at City Tap – Cleveland, rich whiskey-bent Imperial Stout spreads subtle barrel-aged Traverse City bourbon sweetness across milky brown chocolate fudging, dark-roast coffee beaning, vanilla-spiced creaming, dark cocoa leaning and cola nut preening. Luxurious.
DEPARTED SOLES MODCUP OF SOLE MILK STOUT
On tap at Plank Pizza, Jersey City brewer hooked up with local ModCup Coffee to make mild milk stout with midrange cold-brewed coffee roast upending bittersweet black chocolate complement and dark-roast nut remnant. Lightly creamed mocha nut char at finish reminiscent of dry Irish stout. In the can, mild coffee bean roast, dry espresso sashay, distant nuttiness and tarry black licorice licks define light-bodied collaboration.
TROEGS NITRO CHOCOLATE STOUT
On tap at Growler & Gill, velvety nitrogenated milk stout brings delightful Hershey’s dark chocolate syruping to cocoa-spiced vanilla adjunct above barley-roasted oats spine. Mildly creamed chocolate sweetness delicately caresses soft-watered pleasantry.
PIPEWORKS COCONUT JONES DOG COCONUT CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT
On tap at Growler & Gill, engaging milk-sugared brown chocolate fudging further sweetens toasted coconut, glazed vanilla and cacao nibs adjuncts. Tertiary toffee, Kahlua, hazelnut coffee and creme brulee notions add impressive backdrop.
KCBC RAINMAKER STOUT
On tap at Growler & Gill, dry cocoa-powdered dark chocolate frontage retains black-malted bittering, mild coffee roast and nutty respite.
TERRAPIN TART CHERRY WAKE ‘ BAKE COFFEE OATMEAL IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Plank Pizza, mighty dark-roast Jittery Joe’s coffee bittering and cocoa-dried black chocolate residue pick up tart Montmorency cherry juicing atop hop-charred molasses oats base.
VICTORY BLACKBOARD SERIES #4 OATMEAL PORTER WITH HAZELNUT
On tap at City Tap – Cleveland, fine mocha nutty resilience spreads atop maple-sapped oats toasting and mild hop char. Dark chocolate, toffee, burnt caramel and cocoa illusions sweeten sassy hazelnut adjunct.
PERRIN NO RULES VIETNAMESE IMPERIAL PORTER
On tap at City Tap – Cleveland, elegantly sweet bourbon oak aging provides warmth for creamy turbinado-sugared brown chocolate, vanilla, coconut, espresso and Vietnam coffee ascendency. Below the surface, fudged brownie, molasses, cinnamon and granola illusions add further pleasantries.
BENNY DUNKEL DARK LAGER
Stylishly washed-out canned version of weary dunkel. Dry sherry, sour chocolate and barren nuttiness flicker above toasted grain base.
