Simple Maine-based canned ale goes right down the middle stylistically. Nose-tingling deep-grained hop spices complement easygoing caramel-toasted barleymalts. Delicately brisk orange-grapefruit bittering belies slightly tinny mainstreamer.
All posts by John Fortunato
SPEAKEASY BUTCHERTOWN BLACK ALE
Celebrating 2011’s 14th anniversary of respected Bay Area brewer, IPA-like hop-charred citric bittering outweighs Cascadian Dark Ale-like oats-flaked mocha nuttiness for stylistic Black IPA. Piney grapefruit-peeled expectancy picks up resinous walnut, black coffee, black currant, black licorice and Blackstrap molasses illusions along the way, coating the lingered black tar aftertaste.
SIXPOINT MAD SCIENTIST #3 – ALTBIER
Coming on like a lighter-tongued German schwarzbier with its lactic sour-milked black chocolate creaming and cocoa-dried caramel nuttiness, this so-called ‘top-fermented old beer’ or ‘dopplesticke lager’ follows up Mad Scientist’s initial ‘09 barleywine and ‘10s coffee bock. Ancillary stone-fruited spicing overlays tobacco-roasted French bread crusting, enhancing the resinous mocha motif.
WANDERING STAR ZINGARI LEMONGRASS WIT
Crisp moderate-bodied aperitif boasts lemongrass, cardamom and India fenugreek spicing (with a splash of coriander), retaining briny-salted citric zing. Delicate herbal pungency picks up dried fig-plum confluence, lemony tangerine-clementine tang and ancillary tarragon-thyme-rosemary seasoning for briskly clean-watered Belgian wit. Its subtle herbal complexities go beyond traditional stylistic genus.
GREENPORT HARBOR ANNIVERSARY ALE
Complex Belgian strong pale ale drapes creamy caramel malts and candi-sugared Belgian yeast atop a not-so-subtle grapefruit-peeled pine-combed juniper bittering. Refreshingly floral-spiced mint stint splinters citric foundation.
LAGUNITAS DOPPELWEIZEN
Nifty orange-hazed Bavarian-styled weizenbock creates Bananas Foster theme with its creamy rum-spiced banana-clove entry. Ancillary lemony pineapple-mango briskness receives mustard-seeded ethanol burn. Banana cream pie, banana bread and banana pudding illusions glide by.
STILLWATER STATESIDE SAISON
Crisply easygoing saison may have more character than brewers’ earliest farmhouse creations (as of December 2011). Spicy tangerine-apricot tang, lightly orange-spiced tartness and juicy pear proclivity contrast resinous earthen-hopped mineral-grained mustiness. Sunny summertime fruiting saturates shiny fresh-watered purity. Tertiary floral, pecan, and rye illusions scattered about.
STILLWATER FOLKLORE
Vigorously strong dark ale takes lactic schwarzbier-like maltose on a dried-fruited journey through smoked molasses malts. Incipient cocoa bean bittering receives complementary Belgian-spiced dark chocolate roast over black cherry, currant raisin, plum and fig undertones. Dirty earthen soiling and deep-roasted hop bittering secure rich bottom. On tap at Ambulance Brewhouse, complexities abounded. Belgian yeast-inspired chocolate spicing receives deeper dried fruiting as bruised blackberry, brambleberry and blueberry sugaring contrasts dry port-burgundy wining. Anise, chocolate cake and chocolate-covered cherry illusions seep thru.
STILLWATER CELLAR DOOR BELGIAN SAISON
Stellar Belgian-styled golden-hazed saison boasting herbal white sage primacy sharpens peppery basil-rosemary-thyme seasoning with sharply expressive Citra-hopped spicing. Limey grapefruit-orange-apricot fruiting saddles ample herbage, tart lemon seeding and plasticene ethanol kick to sourdough wheat backbone.
GREENPORT HARBOR STRONG RYELAND ESB
Winning collaboration with nearby Long Island brewer, Southampton, boasts ample tea-like dry rye theme and residual lemony sugaring. Sharp Cascade-hopped herbal peppering and astringent earthen fungi pungency hoist rye grained spunk.
EMELISSE BARLEYWINE
Goodly slow sipper pleats buttery cognac warmth beneath sweet almondine sparkle as well as chocolate-roasted toasted almond, honeycomb and caramel illusions. Tart red cherry and vinous grape lightly embitter backdrop of approachable English-styled barleywine.
EVIL TWIN SOFT DOOKIE VANILLA IMPERIAL STOUT
Rich molasses-sugared brown chocolate, crème de cocoa and vanilla creaming overrides sharp currant-spiced oatmeal cookie bulk. Black cherry undertones find space beneath mocha proclivities.
