Mild golden-bodied wheat ale lacks fruity luster in canned version. Washed-out hard-candied Jolly Rancher watermelon tartness lingers softly through blanched rye wheat backbone. Subsidiary mandarin orange, peach, and cantaloupe illusions fade fast as abysmal pale-malted white-breaded sorghum slouching reaches soapy melon-limed finish. Watermelon juicing clearly needs deeper resonance and latent cloy nature proves troublesome.
Ambitious golden-hazed ’09 tripel with boozy 10.2% alcohol whir piles creamy vanilla malts atop banana leaf-flavored apple-pear-pineapple ripeness and peppery-hopped orange-bruised Cognac spell. Wavering cinnamon-spiced banana-clove sweetness fends off sharp alcohol burn before busy tropical finish allows funky Belgian-like farmhouse yeast strain to prod tropical Caribbean fruiting.
Tremendous full-bodied double-hopped version of bottle-conditioned bomber-bottled ‘20th anniversary reserve’ Extra Special Bitter brings dark-spiced India Pale Ale-like fruiting to rich cocoa-chocolate malting. Orange-grapefruit peel bittering anchors brownish crimson commemoration as prune-raisin souring rises above tongue-tingling nutmeg-cinnamon spicing. Mushroom-like fungi yeast adds funky Belgian farmhouse ale underside.
Richly fruited limited edition ’09 barleywine deviates from typical brutish stylistic rampage. Instead of a veritable meal in a bottle, it’s a well-integrated strong ale with lagered champagne yeast perfect for dessert. Honeyed cereal grains sweeten French oak-aged Sauvegnon Blanc grape juicing and gorgeous floral bouquet. Creamy butterscotch midst secures green, red and purple grape illusions as well as lustrous peach-tangerine-pineapple-nectarine exotica. Pronounced cherry uprising, buttery Chardonnay subsidy, and tertiary raisin-date-fig dryness add further depth while peppery herbal hop zip enlivens modest spicing.
Decent 2009 cellar-reserved bottle-conditioned ‘strong wheat beer’ with pleasant citric acidity and surprising mocha tenacity bides time as loud 8% alcohol luster gets heard. Creamy caramel-cocoa-chocolate malts ride above peppery clove-spiced fig-sugared vanilla sweetness and orange-bruised banana tartness. Molasses-like Sugar Daddy keepsake forges doppelbock-like character over musty yeast-creased candi-sugared Belgian ale peculiarity.
Meek straw-yellowed moderate-bodied witbier-likened Catalan lager in green-tinted wine bottle could use better up-front doughy insistence and richer fruitiness (though its mild nature complements vinegar-based salads, tuna, and salmon). Seltzer-like citric spicing wavers below wet-papered sorghum flouring, wheat-honeyed crystal malting, and gentle ginger herbage. Washed-out lemon candied tartness, floral mandarin orange wisp and unripe peach subsidy gain acidity while under-whelming orange peel, coriander, and lime illusions prove negligible for fizz-toned summer session beer.
Instantly likable golden-hazed crystal-malted Belgian-styled witbier maintains fruit-spiced integrity. Coriander-clove spicing engages lemon zest, mandarin orange, tangerine, apricot, papaya, and pineapple illusions countering peppery-hopped orange peel bittering. Subsidiary whiskey-soured white wine tenacity overrides banana bubblegum undertones to doughy white-breaded wheat spine.
Impossibly clear pinkish amber hue proves even lighter and more transparent than soft-toned session beer itself. Faint orange dryness and distant grassy-hopped bittering coerce washed-out beet-sugared strawberry-melon-apricot astringency. Subtle pale-malted Pac Mac yeast influx doesn’t suffice and vacuous citric-soured finish leaves slight metallic twinge. Sadly, summer retreat ain’t nearly ‘wacky’ enough re-tweaking Magic Hat’s equally pallid beet-crazy precursor Kerouac Ale.
Understated moderate-bodied Marzen-styled session beer perfect for lawn mowing. Sugary dough opening and crusty white bread plainness counter softly spiced sour citrus splurge. Sporadic orange, apricot, and fig nuances splash across spritz-y Seltzer fizzing of crisp, clean refreshment, avoiding bland neutrality by a whisker.
Casual moderate-bodied amber-hued German-styled blond lacks overall distinction and fruity pizzazz. Buttery pale-malted honey-roasted barley graining enjoins basic floral-hopped orange-peach-cherry tang and pastry-like sugar cookie sweetness. Vanilla, iced tea, and wet paper illusions receive tertiary whiskey-zapped ransom.
Vibrant ‘post-modern classic pale ale’ brings tangy orange marmalade, pink grapefruit, and tangerine fruiting to lemon-seeded pine-needled bitterness and hop-toasted mineral-grained bottom. Zesty orange briskness rises above resinous herbal-floral latency and tropical finish retains nice currant bite.
Easy-sipping whiskey-barreled Scottish barleywine with hearty 12% alcohol projectile needs a smidgen more up-front character for ‘big beer’ connoisseurs. Ripe black cherry overtones relinquished by candied apple, bruised orange, pear syrup, and spiced fig illusions gliding through chewy brown-sugared caramel malt creaminess and slim bourbon-sherry drift. Toasted marshmallow, fruitcake and vanilla nuances find tertiary solace.