Bolder and more assertive than typical watermelon-flavored brews, though its featured fruit loses luster against citric-spiced IPA bittering and minor fusel alcohol burn (10% ABV). Acrid watermelon rind astringency contrasts candied watermelon sugaring above rich barley-roasted cookie dough malting. Tart orange-peeled yellow grapefruit, pineapple and mango illusions waver.
All posts by John Fortunato
STONY CREEK SUN JUICE
Sunshiny ‘Belgian summer ale’ brings sour lemon bruise to sunny orange-peeled grapefruit tang above mild pilsner wheat malting. Light chamomile herbage and coriander spicing get sweetened by subsidiary mandarin orange, peach, pear and banana fruiting.
GREY SAIL CHALKBOARD SERIES SOJA SAISON
On tap at Doherty’s, dry Citra-Galaxy hop influence provides salty lemon spritz and light mandarin orange misting for palest yellow saison. Sour apple respite drifts inside crisply clean citrus stead.
DOWN THE ROAD RASENMAHER KOLSCH
Sour lemon-bruised tartness contrasts cotton-candied banana sweetness and tangy orange snip above familiar pilsner-malted Noble hop scheme. Peppy carbolic spritz adds lively citric splash.
DOWN THE ROAD PUKWUDGIE PALE ALE
Spry moderate-to-medium body raises sharp yellow grapefruit tang above light grassy hop astringency and wispy pine-needled juniper bittering. Mild passionfruit, mango and peach tones seep thru citric twang.
DOWN THE ROAD HOOLIGAN NUT BROWN ALE
Appetizing moderation gathers sour-creamed hazelnut roast, peanut-shelled walnut bittering and sugary cola sweetness above caramel-toasted chocolate malting. Wispy brown apple, brown pear and fig illusions infiltrate nutty toffee finish.
LEINENKUGEL HARVEST PATCH SHANDY
Topnotch autumnal shandy features favorable cinnamon-spiced pumpkin pie resonance and brown-sugared gingerbread continuance. Sugary nutmeg, allspice and clove accents dot the tart lemondrop background while the salty Seltzer tingle provides a bubbly soda-like flow for this choice pumpkin-forward soft drink.
CUBS WIN NL! WORLD SERIES NEXT!!
Wow! Been a Cubs fan since Randy Hundley was catcher, Fergie Jenkins pitched, Billy Williams played outfield, Ron Santo played 3rd and Ernie Banks first. I was even at the Black Cat game in ’69 when the Mets surprised the world and broke my nine-year old heart. But this time it’s for real!
John Fortunato
TIFF’S GRILL & ALE HOUSE
MORRIS PLAINS, NEW JERSEY
An exquisitely convivial sportsbar, Morris Plains-based TIFF’S GRILL & ALE HOUSE brings Classical elegance to its small central Jersey bedroom community. Serving craft beers for over one year as of my October 2016 mid-afternoon sojourn, Colonial-styled TIFF’S features 24 tapped brews and fine spirits to go alongside craft burgers, gourmet sandwiches and quesidillas.
Multiple TV’s line the walls at the twin L-shaped 12-stool slate-top bars while the right side wooden dining tables recall a family-styled British pub. A well-kept red brick front deck features black metal furnishings and a private second-floor party room is also available.
Upon my initial visitation, three previously untried brews struck my fancy (fully reviewed in Beer index). First up, sessionably soft-toned summertime suds, Jersey Girl Hefeweizen, will best suit light thirsts as its lemony banana-clove essence gets watered down. Next, Evil Genius Stacy’s Mom Citra IPA brought sharp citric bittering and dry wood tones to sugar-spiced pale malting. Before departing, Clown Shoes Galactica IPA hit my mouth with a lip-smacking lemony grapefruit and orange bittering, floral hop spicing and honeyed malts. 60-ounce beer towers are available for heartier thirsts.
www.tiffsmorrisplains.com
GIGANTIC SABOTEUR BALTIC PORTER
Finally, a perfect Baltic Porter rich with flavor and never overcome by murky stylistic propensities like desiccated mocha powdering and uncertain earthen hop dankness. Instead, this enlightened Saboteur delights the tongue with rich black chocolate syruping, thick molasses fudging and chewy cookie dough malting, adding a profound milk stout dimension to the reluctant Baltic style. Dark toffee, burnt caramel, sugared cocoa, chocolate cake, dark rum, cafe latte, hazelnut coffee, dried cherry and anise tones abound above oats-dried charcoal hop bittering. Highly recommended.
STONE XOCOVEZA MOCHA STOUT
Epic winter-spiced 2016 stout loads heavenly Atomic coffee roast atop pasilla black peppering as well as fudgy cocoa, sweet vanilla, pasilla black peppering, cinnamon and nutmeg adjuncts. Cedar-smoked mocha resonance allows subsidiary black chocolate syrup, chocolate cake, bruised black cherry and chewy anise illusions to envelop rich coffee overtones. A creamily decadent dessert treat.
STONE COFFEE MILK STOUT
On tap at Growler & Gill, streamlined medium roast coffee bean setting picks up mild milk-sugared sweetness and lightly embittered hop char for off-dry English-styled stout. Moderate dark chocolate creaminess and barren nuttiness waver beneath.
