Dry mahogany-hued stout pushes forth bittersweet black chocolate theme above toasted nuttiness, raw molasses, and pine tar. Singed coffee finish retains burnt wood snip and smoothed-out acridity.
All posts by John Fortunato
WAGNER VALLEY MILL STREET PILSNER
Unconventional flaxen-hazed light-bodied dry lager disregards customary hop-grained malting for herbal spicing and grassy barnyard asperity. Straw wheat-parched Saaz hop bite expands juniper bittering, perfumed tulip-rosebud subtlety, and black peppered rosemary-thyme tingle.
WAGNER VALLEY INDIA PALE ALE
Highly-hopped IPA gains floral red fruited sharpness and dirty grain buttress as resinous pine dabs dry nut reticence. Moribund breaded yeast finish suffocates tangy grapefruit souring, peach mango tango, bruised orange wisp, and grassy undertones. On tap, candy apple glaze and musty vegetal graze emerge alongside piney orange peel flank.
WAGNER VALLEY GRACE HOUSE HONEY WHEAT
Lackluster clear golden wheat lager loses clover honey gist, minor rye hint, and tea-like nuance to ephemeral soft-fruited grapefruit-orange-peach backend, finishing with inferior dried barleymalt restraint. Club soda carbonation suffuses dinky hop acridity.
WAGNER VALLEY DOCKSIDE AMBER LAGER
Even-tempered amber lager balances pale Vienna malt sweetness against spicy hop bottom, tangerine tang, and glancing mint hint. Buttery center gains vegetative earthiness, ashy mocha undertow, and inconspicuous caramel wisp to moderate peat finish.
WAGNER VALLEY CAYWOOD STATION STOUT
Chocolate-sheltered ebony-hued oatmeal stout gets chewy tobacco, mild tar, and meaty nut infusion mellowed by thinly-textured burnt coffee aridness to bitter espresso finish. Charred wood dryness underscores toasted hops, variable mocha malts, and possible currant-fig notes.
WAGNER VALLEY CAPTAIN CURRY’S E.S.B.
Legendary steamboat captain’s garnet-hued London-styled bitter retains dry-bodied appeal nasty iodine aftertaste ruins. Paucity of grain thickness curtailed by unexpected floral hop serendipity and sour yeast prod, but earthy finish seems closer to a tinny copper ale with its blunt hop must, pallid malt restraint, and lightly toasted biscuit undertow.
WADADLI LAGER
Oceanic salt water crispness and clear biege appearance redolent of Caribbean sea surrounding native Antigua. Nimble pale malt sweetness given subtle hop fizz that informs soft finish for middle of the road smoothie perfect for simple tastes.
WACHUSETT WINTER ALE
Though enjoyable brown-sugared cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice seasoning streamlines cola-walnut-hazelnut setting of Scotch-styled winter warmer, waning chocolate-vanilla creaminess and astringent raisin indifference haunt middling metallic ale. Sugar plum, sour cherry, and dry fig lost in metallic mix.
WACHUSETT SUMMER BREEZE WHEAT ALE
Buttery pale-toned moderate-bodied wheat ale could be mistaken for toasted lager thanks to honeyed oat sweetness, almond-chestnut influence, and cracked wheat spine. Meager lemony blueberry bittering, teensy white grape souring, and tingled herbal hop hoax settle far below doughy white bread flimsiness. Nasty solvent-like backdrop and cabbage-like recess ruin tertiary mandarin orange-strawberry-blueberry whim.
WACHUSETT QUINN’S IRISH ALE
Pleasant light-bodied Irish Red Ale-styled lawnmower fare. Mild Scotch tranquility receives barren bruised orange tang and distant marzipan tinge. Toasted honey oats and mineral grains recede accordingly.
WACHUSETT OCTOBERFEST
Fruited coppery autumnal merriment situates zesty red apple, purple grape, and brown pear ripeness atop redolent pumpkin-spiced floral hops to buttery biscuit-y malt spine. Comfy toasted barley, cracked wheat, and dry tobacco efficacy fortifies peach-y pineapple sweetness and caressing almondine dash.