Harshly acrid Japanese-named ‘Hanami’ forfeits advertised cherry juice souring to extremely parched lemon juice tartness. But unlike, say, a fine dry Lambic, fizzy Seltzer-like hops diminish subsidiary unripe white grape, green apple, cranberry, and pomegranate dapple as well as frail wheat spine. Grassy herbal-floral illusions killed off by muddled oak-dried citric acidity.
All posts by John Fortunato
SMUTTYNOSE FARMHOUSE ALE
Alcohol-doused dry-hopped bottle conditioned Belgian Saison sets the pace with mammoth bruised orange tang and lemon rind bittering, leaving hints of grapefruit, pineapple, white peach, and dehydrated fig-prune-grape in its wake. Spry floral backdrop recedes to herbaceous earthiness before juniper finish seizes control.
SMUTTYNOSE BIG ‘A’ INDIA PALE ALE
Busy hazy gold ale dedicated to fighter Killer Kielbasa complements initial phenol must with toasted barley, roasted nut, and burnt hops. Ripe tangerine tang and sunny lemon spritz underscore honeyed wheat seduction before herbal finish picks up emphatic orange rind bitterness and floral rosebud-dandelion accents.
SMUTTYNOSE BARLEYWINE STYLE ALE
Viscous coppery russet haze befits impressive full-bodied barleywine. Raisin-esque mouthfeel consumes sharp medicinal alcoholic blast, peppery hop dissonance and piney wood timbre to subdued earthen bottom. Red grape esters, cherry, pomegranate, and fig consume yeast-candied caramel-cocoa malting to maple syrup finish.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN VELAS HELLES LAGER
Softly hop-spiced citric-centered summery ale with wispy lemon touch gets a bit phenol. At midst, orange blossom souring settles into tangy Orange Krush-like soda flow nicely.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN TUCKALEECHEE PORTER
Sharp hop-roasted char and dry black chocolate bittering rise above softening cedar-burnt cola nuttiness. On tap, black licorice influence is more profound.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHEROKEE RED ALE
Moderate-bodied spice-hopped Irish-styled amber ale layers red apple, pear, and orange fruiting above peat malts. Tea-like midst adds some depth.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN BLACK BEAR ALE
Steadfast American Brown Ale layers hop-moderated stewed prune and green raisin souring above imminent bruised apple, sweet peach, and tart banana illusions. Meager nuttiness and weak grain backbone drag down Black Bear slightly.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN APPALACHIAN PALE ALE
Carbolic fizz nearly overwhelms floral-hopped orange-grapefruit rind bittering and drooping apple-peach-tangerine tang. Astringency relegates sweet malt-y finish.
SMITHWICK’S IRISH ALE
Heavily advertised Guinness-Bass amber ale alternate maintains frisky tan head and burnished copper hue. Chewy whiskey malt souring and wavered cocoa snip placated by toasted barley sweetness. Dry floral hop bitterness affects peated barnyard-hay earthiness and herbal tea hint. But medicinal ethanol surge at mannered caramelized apple finish is debatable.
SLY FOX SAISON VOS
Prickly-hopped highly carbonated bottle conditioned Belgian-styled farmhouse ale with cloudy coppery gold appearance settles into leathery clove-coriander tranquility. Acidic Chardonnay dryness, rising lemony sourness, and turbulent champagne fizz reinforce secondary White Ale illusions, intensifying tart apple-skinned banana-greened urging, citric-teased peppercorn zip, and dispensable musk-y acridity. Capricious juniper bittering recedes to ester-y grape finish, leaving barren lemongrass-cardamom hint.
SLY FOX ROUTE 113 INDIA PALE ALE
Prudent spruce spicing and ripened orange-grapefruit conflux entice caramel-molasses sweetness aloft coarse resinous hops. Biscuit-y toasted oats saddle off-dry grassy hay bed. Clandestine sage-pepper spicing, mint-y pinch and woody tinge bedeck backend.