Silken mouth-puckering spring seasonal loads ultra-dry red cherry tartness atop lightly vinous white wining and dessicated lemon parch, but lacks advertised ‘sweetness.’ Instead, easygoing fruit ale becomes too arid as its seltzer-like fizz depletes cherry influence rapidly.
All posts by John Fortunato
PORT CITY COLOSSAL FOUR BELGIAN QUAD
On tap at Ambulance, persistent ‘dark candy date sugaring’ sweetened further by caramel-butterscotch-chocolate swirl. Orange-dried raisin, prune and fig undertones pick up light cognac-bourbon boozing.
SMUTTYNOSE SMUTTLABS: OL’ GRUNDY HUMPER PALE BARLEYWINE AGED ON OAK CHIPS – 2015
On tap at Ambulance, stylishly moderate ‘pale barleywine aged on oak chips’ contrasts honeyed yeast sweetness and sugared grapefruit-orange tang with soured fig tartness. Oaken vanilla buttering and crayon-like grouting drape the backend.
ALESMITH GRAND CRU
On tap at Ambulance, wonderful Belgian dark ale loads bittersweet dried fruiting onto candi-sugared yeast and toasted caramel malting. Candied fig, date, plum, raisin and cherry overtones consume sweet chocolate-vanilla-molasses conflux. Sour orange, bruised banana, brown pear and red apple subtleties as well as teasing chestnut-pecan wisps seep below the surface. Brandy, vermouth and Grand Marnier illusions add boozy warmth to the complex finish.
SPEAKEASY THE COVER UP WHITE IPA
On tap at Ambulance, hybridized Belgian witbier/ American India Pale Ale leans to the latter as lemon-peeled orange rot souring, spry white wine zest and dry hop acridity soar ahead of mellow Belgian yeast sweetness. Lemongrass-oiled peach, pineapple and tangerine whims drift below.
BRONX SPRING HOPBACK WITH JUNIPER
On tap at Ambulance, ‘botanical’ medium-bodied pale ale with subtle juniper berry adjunct sweetens over light caramel roast. Raw-honeyed astringency, reedy Amarillo hop bittering and soft herbal whim provide backup.
ELYSIAN LOSER PALE ALE
Pioneering local grunge label, Sub Pop, celebrated with sessionable tropical-fruited medium body. A centrist delight, its brisk orange rind, yellow grapefruit, mango and lemon tang picks up caramel malt sugaring as well as refreshing floral notion above doughy white breading. Candied citrus tartness gains bitter edge by crisp finish.
GOOSE ISLAND TEN HILLS AMERICAN PALE ALE
Updated 2015 ‘American’ version allows refreshingly crisp citric hop spicing and grassy herbage to ride above cracker-salted pale malting. Alkaline astringency may be a bit much for lighter thirsts, but tangy grapefruit, orange, tangerine, pineapple and mango thrust as well as zesty lemon briskness, mild lemongrass minting and resinous pine twinge ultimately overcome any acidic alcohol burn.
BOLERO SNORT CRACKED PEPPERHORN IMPERIAL BROWN ALE
Worthy 2nd anniversary Imperial Brown Ale uses subtle peppercorn herbage to spice up creamy caramel-chocolate malting, sweet honeyed nuttiness and soured fig-date niche. Raw molasses bittering contrasts pleasant butternut-pecan-praline conflux near chocolate rye cake finish.
BOLERO SNORT GRAZER WHEAT BEER
Sessionable spring seasonal offers citric Mosaic hop pleasantry to grassy wheat bed. Sunny grapefruit-orange milding crisply crackles thru carbolic Seltzer fizz. Delicate honeydew, melon and tangerine wisps graze the surface.
TIN ROOF TURNROW HARVEST ALE WITH CORIANDER
Adventurous autumnal ale utilizes fresh-ground coriander to sweeten its lemon-candied pineapple, orange and tangerine tang as well as kiwi-like prickly pear cactus neutrality. For contrast, herbal green tea bittering, sage-like minting and shaving cream-cologned perfuming prove worthy. Tertiary boysenberry-blackberry-blueberry-raspberry illusions gain gin-like juniper berry nip way below the busy mix.
TIN ROOF NOT TOO SWEET WATERMELON WHEAT
‘Not too sweet’ and ‘not quite boring’ moderation offers washed-out watermelon souring to thin wheat backbone. Watermelon rind pickling lingers, then fades quickly, at reluctant citric-daubed finish.