All posts by John Fortunato

(NEW JERSEY BEER CO.) WEEHAWKEN WEE HEAVY SCOTCH ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zscotch aleJohn Fortunato

Robust Scotch-styled winter solstice celebration with robust black chocolate urgency and coarse resinous hop roasting brings expectant mesquite-smoked Scotch malting and dewy peat graining to surging fig-dried date-sugared cocoa sweetness. Its backend alcohol burn reinforces sullen whiskey musk, subsidiary stone fruiting, and tertiary dried tobacco roast.

(NEW JERSEY BEER CO.) GARDEN STATE STOUT

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zchocolate stoutJohn Fortunato

Dependable mahogany-hued chocolate stout maintains soft tone despite sharp roasted hop char and pungent espresso-coffee leanings. A milder alternative, its rich brown-sugared black chocolate opening gets reinforced by oatmeal raisin cookie illusions, gooey anise sapping, and cherry puree undertones contrasting oily tar-like molasses bittering.

CIGAR CITY MADURO OATMEAL BROWN ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zenglish style brownJohn Fortunato

Well balanced medium-bodied English-styled brown ale with bold mocha surge. Stove-burnt coffee and dark-spiced brown chocolate sidle coarse peanut-shelled cola-macadamia-hazelnut sharpness and roasted pecan-walnut-tobacco conflux above mild hop char bittering. Cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, black cherry, and soy milk underscore sweet oats-toasted caramel-toffee malting. A tad arid, though that’s nitpicking.

BARRIER BARNACLE BROWN ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zbrown aleJohn Fortunato

Ersatz Long Island brown ale needs richer nutty mocha penetration and deeper roasted hop bittering. Faded burnt coffee entry receives harsh cola-walnut prickle above black chocolate malting. Modest dark floral passage, unusual for this styling, mired by residual plasticine clay intimation.

(CLIPPER CITY) HEAVY SEAS THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOUBLE I.P.A.

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zdouble i.p.a.John Fortunato

On tap, admirable 15^th anniversary celebration (circa 2011) does Baltimore proud. Woody dry-hopped red-orange-yellow-fruited full body contrasts candied sugar malting against mildly resinous piney hop bittering and dark floral tinge. Ripe pineapple, grapefruit, apple, mango, peach, orange, and tangerine fruiting absorbs harsh grain-alcohol turpentine immersion.

CRICKET HILL CRICKET’S NOCTURNE DARK LAGER

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zdark lagerJohn Fortunato

Effective Munich dunkel lager (given noir-like dark ale labeling) contrasts cocoa-seeded black chocolate chalking, peat-smoked molasses malting and buttery toffee sweetness against coarse hop roast. Mild nut-roasted rye-pumpernickel breading overcomes fizzy phenol fizzing and slick schwarzbier-styled mocha plasticity. 2012 version boasted richer dark chocolate malting and deeper peanut-shelled hazelnut-walnut conflux.

GREAT SOUTH BAY BLONDE AMBITION ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zblonde aleJohn Fortunato

Mellifluous coppery medium body brings unexpected sinewy honeyed creaminess to anticipated citric sweetness. Floral grapefruit-peach-apricot-tangerine tang hovers politely above wheat biscuit spine. Mild diacetyl buttering relegates nectar-juiced clover honey density, but only slightly.

GREAT SOUTH BAY MASSIVE INDIA PALE ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zindia pale aleJohn Fortunato

Approachable piney-hopped citric-ripened mocha-malted Long Islander not far removed from new-sprung Black IPA styling. Resinous hop char deepens cocoa-chocolate bittering above rounded spruce-tipped red grapefruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, and mango sweetness for truly amiable, well-balanced delight.

GREAT SOUTH BAY SLEIGH RYED RED RYE ALE

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zrye aleJohn Fortunato

Dusky medium-bodied rye-malted winter ale connects murky barley-roasted dried fruiting and earthen wood twigging to pepper-hopped bittering. Advertised juniper berries lack resilience and vegetal fungi molding attacks diminished honey nut sweetness and placated plum-prune piquancy. Since wintry seasonal spicing takes a backseat, perhaps rye ale tag suffices.

GREAT SOUTH BAY SNAGGLETOOTH STOUT

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zchocolate stoutJohn Fortunato

Admirable coffee-roasted oats-toasted chocolate stout may not benefit from advertised cinnamon, apple, and licorice root adjuncts, but rich milk chocolate center holds up firmly atop mild Fuggle-hopped bittering. Vanilla, caramel, and mocha latte illusions simmer through cocoa malting. Tertiary black cherry, fig, and prune latency add depth.

LAKEPORT PUMPKIN LAGER

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zpumpkin aleJohn Fortunato

Up-front pumpkin spicing receives thick honeyed malting and viscous wheat gluten above citric mandarin orange, clementine, and tangerine mildness. Light white-peppered hop bittering addled by steely diacetyl buttering, decreasing appeal of moderate-bodied 2010 autumnal.

OTTER CREEK ALPINE BLACK I.P.A.

January 24, 2011Beers A-Zblack ipaJohn Fortunato

Rangy ‘Cascadian dark ale’ emphasizes barley-roasted hop-charred bittering above pine-sapped citrus zest and flourishing red-fruited ripeness, capturing mocha porter richness more than stylistic India Pale Ale traits. Minor wood-burnt sensation and sooty charcoal acridity crowd creamy cocoa-chalked chocolate milkshake center. Caramel-burnt toffee sweetness serenades distant grapefruit-apricot-nectar conflux as stove-burnt coffee, tobacco chew, and pine tar re-embitter tail end.

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