On tap at Ambulance, soft-toned medium body from Mystic’s “Hop Experiment Series” (with well-hidden 8.6% ABV) drapes sugar-spiced caramel malting with dank hemp-hopped oiling, leaving lemony grapefruit, peach and orange tones to illuminate the bittersweet symphony.
On tap at Ambulance, exclusive Barrier offering (2nd anniversary 2.0 version) brings dry citrus-spiced hop pleasantry to caramelized barley-rye malting. Mild hop astringency benefits lemony orange tartness and bright grapefruit juicing contrasting spun-sugar cotton candy sweetness. Sessionable sunshiny day fare fine as introductory IPA crossover for lighter thirsts.
On tap at Triton, up-front pine needling embeds sharp lemon-limed yellow grapefruit and orange rind bittering as well as hemp-oiled hop resin and floral-spiced whim above recessive oats-dried spine. A dry medium body for stony hot-weathered hopheads.
On tap at Triton, “enticing” fruited novelty initially strikes the senses with sweet pineapple juicing, becoming mildly tart above light hop astringency. Sugar-candied pineapple theme overrides wispy mango-orange-tangerine tang, getting cloy in a fizzy ginger ale-like manner over the course of several sips. A dessert beer for pineapple pie eaters.
On tap at Ambulance, mighty fine Belgian strong pale ale maintains soft tone as juicy nectarine, cantaloupe, banana, honeydew and pineapple tang gains zesty lemon twist above honeyed wheat biscuit spine. Capacious candied citrus follow-thru picks up subtle sugar-spiced tingle.
On tap at River Of Beer, stylishly expansive pale ale brings floral-bound lemony herbage to oats-sugared crystal malting and mild peppery hop respite. Mild lemongrass adjunct increases zesty lemon splurge above gluey plastique stead. Betters simpler amber-grained competition.
One step beyond amber-grained pale ales, murkily hazed burnt sienna-hued medium body (in a can) subtly defies simple stylistic profile. Soft-toned yellow grapefruit, orange and peach tones bring IPA fruiting to herbal-hopped rye malting and dry earthen bottom for slightly defiant hybrid.
On tap at Ambulance, irresistible well-watered American pale ale stays crisp and clean while appealingly resembling a sessionable IPA. Tangy yellow grapefruit prominence, zesty lemon brightness and light orange peel bittering pick up dry floral-daubed piney hop resin. Spritzy carbolic thrust increases zesty citrus entry as mildly spiced tangerine-peach-pineapple medley increases fruity fortitude.
On tap at Ambulance, brusque German-styled dry pilsner surrenders zesty lemon tang and sour lemon-pitted tartness above musky sourdough malting. Mild herbal hop pungency picks up crisp leafy earthiness and dank mineral-grained hay astringency beneath serene citric stead.
Likable medium-bodied Czech-styled pilsner dismisses usual hop-grained pungency for less menacing, but equally effective, wheat-backed grassy hop bittering, mellow lemon spritz and subtle pale malting. Sessionable summertime fodder.
On tap at Triton, sessionable ‘slightly sour’ wheat ale brings light brettanomyces acidity to tart lemon rind bittering, puckered white wine vinegaring and musty horse-blanketed raw wheat acridity. Subtle oaken dryness affects lemony orange sourness at mildly lactic finish.
TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK
Neatly reproducing prerequisite Medieval antiquity with its plank-wooded chamber door and furnishings, THE OATH CRAFT BEER SANCTUARY sits next door to historic Tarrytown Music Hall and began operations, May 2015. Owned by the same folks as Harrison-based Craftsman Ale House, The Oath boasts 20-plus taps (listed on the flatscreen menu), various limited edition (or hard-to-find) bottle-cans and fine craft spirits. Its clean white-walled interior, silver-tiled tin ceiling, lacquered wood floor, black cross insignia and mild Trappist theme provide a cool Old World feel somewhat reminiscent of Gothic architecture.
My wife, youngest son and I head to the central L-shaped bar (with 13 stools) for dinner during July ’16. Alongside the (mostly) sessionable soft-toned suds swallowed, we dug into the absolutely fascinating Oath Burger (with bacon, fried egg, waffle and maple syrup), bechamel-sauced Croque Monsieur sandwich (with gruyere cheese and toasted ham) and Roqueford Chicken. Several customers stop by for growlers to-go while the dinner crowd starts to gather in droves for 6 PM supper rush hour.
Going from lightest and most sessionable to the darkest and more complex draught offerings, I got to experience eleven previously untried brews (reviewed in Beer Index). Defiant Pearl River Pilsner, Pipeworks War Bird Saison, Nomad Long Trip Saison, Duncan’s Abbey Saison, Empire Strikes Bock and Kelso Spelter Bock were easygoing openers not too much softer or less complex than Broken Bow Old Splitfoot Belgian Golden Strong Ale, Captain Lawrence/ De Cicco’s Double Cousins Imperial IPA, Goose Island Gillian (a wine-barreled raspberry sour), Bacchus Lilith Dark Sour Ale, and the contrasting Ithaca Super Stout (with Gimme! coffee beans).
During dinnertime stopover, October ’16, tried five worthy IPA’s: one each from California, Oregon and Pennsylvania and two from home state, New York. Stone Enjoy By 10-31-16 with Tangerine may’ve bested Ninkasi Beer Run, Pizza Boy Eurotrash Belgian IPA, Barrier Rotational Series Suburb (Glacier Hop) and Alphabet City Alpha Male (reviewed fully in Beer Index).
Chomped down on two rich food items: Bechamel-sauced Croque Monsieur (grilled ham and cheese) and Mac & Cheese with Pulled Pork.
www.theoathny.com