On tap at Growler & Gill, soft-toned black coffee frontage gains luxurious black chocolate syruping as well as creamy fudge richness. Pleasant black-peppered cocoa and cinnamon adjuncts add distinction. Tertiary vanilla, espresso and molasses undertones bring further depth. 2017 bottled version: serene dark-roasted coffee tone and syrupy black chocolate malting gain deeper black peppering, sweeter cinnamon toasting and mild bourbon smidge.
On tap at Ambulance, uncommon peculiarity works tart black lime adjunct into light brandy-rum barrel aging. Wood-burnt smoked molasses influence sweetened by tingly cinnamon-mace-allspice-cardamom seasoning to contrast sour lemon respite.
On tap at Amazing Grapes, updated 2016 version of Kane’s Drift Line crisply integrates peanut-shelled walnut sear with coffee-oiled black chocolate bittering. Ashen tobacco, chalky cocoa and musky Brazil nut undertones reinforce hop-charred mocha frontage.
On tap at Growler & Gill, revelatory bourbon-barreled quad utilizes weizenbock-styled dried fruiting and rich caramel-chocolate malting. Sharp hop spicing enhances Belgian candi-sugared prune, plum raisin and cherry overtones as well as rum-sugared bourbon resonance. In the bottle, affluent quad provides Belgian candi-sugared fruiting with elegant bourbon warmth. Sweet bourbon syruping sweetens red cherry, bruised orange, sugarplum and fig illusions as well as toffee, caramel and vanilla undertones. Serve alongside fine barleywines as well.
On tap at Ambulance, lactic quad brings tart blackberry adjunct to Flemish Red-like cherry souring, white wine tannins and oaken vanilla niche. Rustic barnyard earthiness and laid-back rye malting graze tertiary fig-prune-peach sourness.
On tap at Ambulance, serene 5th Anniversary Bavarian weizenbock (a triple fermented 11.5% strong ale) provides light bourbon-barreled burgundy spirit to delicate honey-spiced oaken vanilla , mild sherry wining and slightly soured cherry-gooseberry illusions over subtle hop bitterness.
On tap at Growler & Gill, velvety smooth (but ultimately thin) pumpkin-spiced coffee stout stays arid as subtle cafe latte influence picks up delicate vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove adjuncts. Mild cold-press coffee bean sedation peters out over wispy pumpkin roast, finishing with a murky watered-down mocha spurt.
On tap at Amazing Grapes, refreshingly clean “Imperial” pale ale (not IPA) tosses ripe peaches into crisp citric hop bittering, unexpectedly leaving prominent yellow grapefruit overtones on the palate. Peachy grapefruit zest intensifies as tertiary pineapple, mango and lemon illusions wisp by.
On tap at The Oath, tangy yellow-paled Belgian IPA glides bright citrus zest and light grape esters into white-peppered Belgian yeast spicing. Lemony banana-clove snip and wispy vanilla-chestnut subtleties nearly lost to ascending bitter hop bite.
On tap at The Oath, aggressive citric hop bittering fades as carbolic seltzer spritz adds bubbly tingle. Lemony orange-peeled grapefruit tang rides above mild earthen bottom.
On tap at The Oath, lovely citric-laden medium body tenders syrupy pureed tangerine glaze to tangy orange-peeled grapefruit juicing and light sugar spicing for stylishly rich IPA.
On tap at The Oath, brusque lemon-peeled orange rind bittering gains piney insistence above light pale malting. “Lively citric kick,” indeed!