Sessionable IPA retains vibrant lemony grapefruit-orange tang and sharp citric-spiced hop bittering above mildly lingering aspirin-like astringency. A mellowed-out and toned-down IPA lighter thirsts will find approachable.
All posts by John Fortunato
SHINER WICKED RAM IPA
Centrist Anglo-American IPA connects West Coast grassy citrus hop bittering and caramelized wheat malting to Brit-styled dank grain pungency and dewy earthiness. Moderated grapefruit-pineapple tang picks up herbal twinge and gluey grouting.
NEW BELGIUM RANGER IPA
Subdued fruit-spiced entry brings easygoing appeal to moderate IPA. Well-balanced pineapple, grapefruit, orange, mango, peach and tangerine tang picks up sugar-spiced pale malting above soft white-breaded biscuity bottom. Tamped-down Cascade-Chinook hop bittering and dank pine sedation provide subtle contrast. Serve to heartier pale ale lovers.
NEW BELGIUM/ DE KONINCK FLOWERING CITRUS ALE
Worthily zestful collaboration between Colorado mainstay and historic Belgian brewery, De Koninck, makes for perfect floral-citric summertime moderation. Lemony key lime effervescence gains tart edge above sweetly fragrant hibiscus and rose pedal illusions. Light citrus-daubed blueberry souring and wispy strawberry-tinged Mistral hop influence play backup.
NEW BELGIUM FAT TIRE & FRIENDS FAT WILD ALE
On tap at Julian’s, mild (despite wild tag) sour ale collaboration (with nearby Colorado brewery, Avery) brings subtle brettanomyces acidity and light horse-blanketed barnyard leathering to herbal-tinged tropical fruiting. Honey-dipped grapefruit, orange, mango, tangerine, peach, pineapple and mango illusions drift in and out of musty palate. Sessionable sour ale suffices.
DOGFISH HEAD SEA QUENCH SESSION SOUR ALE
Sessionable beige-yellowed sour ale provides brisk lime peel and black lime adjuncts to coriander-spiced sea salt brininess for interesting Kolsch-Gose-Berliner Weiss blend. Sweet-tart mandarin orange-like effervescence glides across fresh lime parch. Not as dryly mouth-puckering as bigger, bitterer sour ales.
CROOKED STAVE COLORADO WILD SAGE BRETT SAISON
On tap at Poor Henry’s, soft-toned sour ale “brewed with wild sage and lemongrass” maintains brisk lemon-limed carbolic spritz over brettanomyces-affected earthen barnyard parch. Aromatic sage sweetness softly surfaces to complement lemon candy, lemon zest and lemon custard illusions (as well as dried plum wisps and spicy coriander wisps). A fine herbal-spiced fruit-soured original.
LAGUNITAS AUNT SALLY DRY-HOPPED SWEET TART SOUR MASH ALE
“Unique” dry-hopped wild ale loads lactobacillus acidity onto lemon-peeled pineapple, guava, mango, peach and papaya tartness and lightly vinous green grape souring. Musty barnyard leathering, musky sour mash and earthen hops increase dry rusticity.
BALLAST POINT PIPER DOWN SCOTTISH ALE
Impressive Scottish Ale coalesces stylish barley-roasted Maris Otter malts, dark-roasted chocolate scamper, dewy peat earthiness and sharp hop spicing. Brown-sugared molasses sweetness contrasts mildly bitter walnut astringency beneath the surface.
AMAZING GRAPES CELEBRATES JERSEY BREWER ANGRY ERIK IN AUGUST HEAT
Increasingly popular Pompton Lakes-based craft beer and wine store, AMAZING GRAPES (now BEEF TRUST as of June 2017), now serves wings and other finger foods as well as other ‘modern American comfort food’ (such as pastrami, roast beef and pizzas) to go with its exquisite selection of tapped, bottled and canned beer.
This August ’16, Lafayette, New Jersey’s amazing ANGRY ERIK BREWING showed off its wares on tap as magically delicious bourbon-barreled Vanagandr, richly rye-spiced Hel Crow Imperial Red, maple-syruped King Knut Brown, juicy fruited Troll Baby Pale and key lime-pied coconut eccentricity American Limey (all reviewed below) led a terrific Tap Takeover enjoyed on an early Thursday eve while watching the Olympics.
ANGRY ERIK VANAGANDR (BOURBON BARREL AGED)
On tap at Amazing Grapes, impressive bourbon-aged brown ale picks up rum-spiced sweetness over chewy caramel malting and fig-sugared dried fruiting. Syrupy brown-sugared Belgian yeast influence resonates alongside soothing bourbon vanilla exquisiteness.
ANGRY ERIK KING KNUT BROWN ALE
On tap at Amazing Grapes, sinewy rum-spiced maple syruping drapes dried orange-cherry-apple fruiting, sugary toffee malting and crisp tobacco roast. One maple-glazed step beyond standard brown ale fare.
