On tap at Taphouse Grille, mild dry-hopped English IPA suffuses floral citric hop bittering with reedy wood tones. Brisk yellow grapefruit rind and orange pith sharpness overrides dewy mineral grained temperance.
All posts by John Fortunato
TUCKAHOE DENNIS CREEK PALE ALE
On tap at Taphouse Grille, easygoing flagship pale ale retains dry moderate body. Punctual citric-hopped bittering juxtaposes buttery pale malts. Sharp lemon pith bite enlightens dark floral bouquet, chamomile tea reminder and light vanilla persuasion. Just a tad askew.
TUCKAHOE STEELMANTOWN PORTER
On tap at Taphouse Grille, viable dry porter lets subtle Scottish peat smoke infiltrate dark-roasted chocolate malting. As the smokiness subsides, its mocha theme widens to include ancillary ground coffee, cocoa and cacao nibs influences. In the recess, mild vanilla bean bittering and latent cola nuttiness contrast sweet black cherry hints.
CARTON SS 2014 YIRGACHEFFE
On tap at Taphouse Grille, dominant Ethiopian coffee adjunct creates emphatic lemon rind-rimmed espresso impression. Medium-roast coffee overtones stretch across latent IPA fruiting. Lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering deepens dry-hopped faction. At the finish, its espresso veneer fades and the citric tangent spreads.
CRICKET HILL SIMCOENOTIC
On tap at Taphouse Grille, namesake ‘Simcoe’ hops provide lemony up-front splurge and floral-sweetened orange-grapefruit ripeness. Piney perfumed passivity fades while sugar-spiced crystal malting gains footing. Tropical pineapple, mango, papaya and passionfruit undertones solidify well-balanced small batch 2014 offering.
CRICKET HILL RESERVE ALE NO. 3 BARLEYWINE
Easygoing amber-hazed summertime barleywine (’14) slips caramel sweetness and sugary toffee into sinewy yeast. Candied apple glazes Maraschino cherry, raisin, prune, fig, sugarplum and bruised orange fruiting. Chestnut, almond and pecan smidge affects oaken vanilla subsidy. Dark rum and bourbon undertones provide mild alcohol burn.
CARTON PANZANELLA
“Evoking a classic midsummer salad” with its musky dry-hopped herbage, brusquely salted tomato-cucumber niche and faintly bruscetta-like backdrop, halfway intriguing 2014 limited edition (draft-only) pale ale needs firmer stylistic identity (though finding a referential pale ale seems impossible). Pungent garlic, onion and basil snips drift off post-haste. Less unique than gimmicky and coarse instead of sharp.
FLYING FISH NJ350 ANNIVERSARY ALE
On tap at The Office-Ridgewood, English strong ale spreads astringent Blackstrap molasses atop dry-honeyed rye malting, bark-dried pine hop bittering and sharp grapefruit-peeled orange rind resilience. Resounding alcohol-burnt vodka and gin whir seeps into the mix. In the bottle, dry plank wood tones drape syrupy Blackstrap molasses while honeyed malt sweetness contrasts tangy yellow grapefruit bittering.
LONG TRAIL MOSTLY CLOUDY
Modest summer seasonal witbier (2014) brings stylistic citric-fruited coriander sweetness to Shandy-like orange-candied tartness and Berliner Weiss-like salted lime pucker. Mild grassy-hopped lemon pit souring and vague lemongrass herbage fill the holes.
DOGFISH HEAD ROSABI
Quirky adjunct pale ale lets honey-soured citrus resonance soften mild wasabi herbage and ancillary horseradish heat. For counterbalance, creamy caramel malts and red rice milking sweeten subtle resinous hop spicing as well as distant dank dewy mildewing. Another interestingly offbeat concoction from one of the most ambitiously experimental brewers on earth.
KUKA BELGIAN WIT (PLUM & APRICOT)
Sparkling summertime moderation places subtle bukhara plum influence and soft apricot notion beside lemon-juiced tartness. Light crystal malt creaming sweetens limed coriander spicing. Vinous green grape esters provide gentle bittering to tertiary mandarin orange, curacao orange, grilled mango and kiwi undertones.
YONKERS HONEY BLONDE
One of three casual flagship offerings from Southern Westchester brewer (including standard Lager and IPA). On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, frail light-bodied summer session ale brings subtle honey adjunct to mild lemony grapefruit-orange acidity and bland biscuit malting. Strictly Blue Collar fodder.