Deep amber Irish-styled ale opens with raspy fruited hop bitterness, but weak grain foundation and soapy finish obstruct buttery malt seduction.
All posts by John Fortunato
WILLIAMSBURG WASHINGTON PORTER
Inviting mahogany-hued tan-headed medium body integrates oily coffee bean sourness, underlying espresso bitterness, and harsh nuttiness with oak-dried hop-charred smoked hickory protrusion. Roasted chocolate malts waver in and out of black licorice binge, tar-like singe, and charcoal tinge. Brewery defunct: 2006.
WILLIAMSBURG WHEAT
Fizzy hazy golden bottle conditioned dry wheat beer retains sour lemony orange tartness as banana-pineapple-quince illusions caress corky parch. As citric finish recedes, bleached-out honeyed barley roast advances. Brewery defunct: 2006.
WILLIAMSBURG PALE ALE
Decent yellow-bellied medium body placates sweet malt opening with bright peach-nectarine tang, lemon-hopped bittering, and musty herbal mist, garnering oak-dried grape tannic, wild berry, and piney nuances by grassy horsehide finish. Shockingly, viscous milky yeast particles deluge otherwise silky nature. Brewery defunct: 2006.
WILD ONION GOLDEN LAGER
Containing fair amount of depth for lager but closer to West Coast microbrew than ‘German-style’ indication suggests. Hearty barley-toned center increases penetrating hop bitterness to grainy finish.
WILD GOOSE WINTER ALE
Pours like a thick, heavily malted brown ale as bubbly fizz oozes up from glass bottom. Nutty essence and hop bitterness (reminiscent of better British ales) battle back earthy oaken grains for well-rounded, fully enjoyable finish.
WILD GOOSE SPRING WHEAT ALE
Refreshingly light wheat ale with berry-spruced waft, dark grain pungency, and strangely, despite sweet nutmeg, cinnamon, and wintry spices, an unassuming finish. While most wheat ales explode in your mouth, this atypical midrange contender floats down the throat smoothly without hesitation, leaving only hints of husked barley to cover spicy adjuncts in its wake.
WILD GOOSE SNOW GOOSE WINTER ALE
Zesty lemon-fizzed hop-spiced resonance infiltrates amber-clouded medium body. Grain-toasted mocha malt richness overcomes permeating bubbly fizz to some avail. Persistent oak bitterness tapers off slowly by creamy cocoa finish. But uncertain wintry appeal hurts chances.
WILD GOOSE PUMPKIN PATCH ALE
Lamentable limited ’06 release finds astringent Fuggle-hopped bittering and woody alcohol burn overwhelming expectant autumnal pumpkin theme of clear coppery dry body. Spicy pumpkin pie gloss fades considerably as moldy cooked vegetable funk weakens peppered clove and herbal tea illusions obscuring brown sugared cinnamon-nutmeg-ginger whir. Biscuit-y wheat backbone and squash-like finish need better profundity.
WILD GOOSE PORTER
WILD GOOSE OATMEAL STOUT
The first thought was to compare this rich, creamy, tan-headed, mahogany-hued brew to top of the line Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout. Its well-defined oatmeal presence, roasted nuttiness, and explosive carbonation, plus strong alcohol aroma and smoky mocha mouthfeel, certainly provide fine expediency. Unfortunately, billowy carbolic foam gets in the way of impressive blend of sharp grains, bittersweet hops, and confectionery mocha. Still, its spritzy whitewater freshness never undermines its brawny overall appeal.
WILD GOOSE NUT BROWN ALE
Disappointing nut brown lacks firm caramel-grained foundation to nullified mocha-nutty finish. Too light, foamy, and watery with nary a bitter nut presence to carry the astringent load.