Moderate pale body not far removed from brewers’ lamer, lighter pilsner. Sweet cedar-smoked peat malts meet prickly citric hops, gaining slightest tequila hint at back of tongue.
All posts by John Fortunato
SCHINCARIOL PILSEN
Palest clear-toned pilsner may lack body, but wood-smoked pale malting and fizzy hop-spiced continuance make easygoing Brazilian everything you’d want in a light summery refreshment. Sweet grain finish picks up grassy citric souring.
SCHIERLINGER ROGGEN BAVARIAN
Plain Bavarian rye lacks resolve. First reaction to tart, phenol-infested, sourdough-breaded German was it tastes like conflicted Weiss Beer, though not as foamy, yellow-fruited, or wine-y, nor as flavorful. Wispy plum-wined cinnamon apple midst coarsened by astringent rye finish, sealing its unfortunate fate.
SCHAEFER LIGHT LAGER
Lighter whitish pale version of traditional American macrobrew is void of flavor, making it less offensive than bourgeois crap marketed on television. Fizzy hop-maize washout depletes faintest sour acridity.
(DUBUISSON) SCALDIS NOEL BELGIAN SPECIAL ALE
Pronounced fruited wine spicing and steep raisin-prune-cherry upwelling differentiate Noel’s 8 .5-ounce winter ale from Scaldis Clovis (both brewed by Bush: 2008). Candi-sugared Belgian yeast stead invites cognac, brandy, cordial liqueur, sweet whiskey and medicinal cherry illusions to enrich maple-sapped chocolate-caramel malt efficiency. High-voltage alcohol whir well suited for holiday consumption.
(DUBUISSON) SCALDIS CLOVIS (BUSH AMBREE TRIPEL)
Sugar-spiced musty-wafted yellow-hued Belgian strong ale gains vinous grape sourness above clove-nutmeg-coriander seasoning and creamy caramel malting. Fizzy carbolic bubbling reminiscent of sparkling wine or champagne. Fine for after dinner holiday sipping.
(DUBUISSON) SCALDIS BELGIAN SPECIAL ALE
Buttery mocha-malted cherry brandy sweetness provides fine initiation for intriguing ruddish-browned alcohol-fueled ale. Mild cognac easement saturates orange blossom-honeyed apricot, peach, pear and tangerine fruiting. Nutty vanilla illusions envelop spice-hopped butterscotch-caramel finish.
(SAXER) THREE FINGER JACK STOUT
Strong mocha-malt aroma and black hue not indicative of soft-toned hand crafted winner. Up-front chocolate flow and sticky caramel malt sweetness imbibe subtle yeast-candied finish lacking bold bitter bite of most stouts. In a word, smooove. Brewery defunct: 2005.
(SAXER) THREE FINGER JACK ROASTED RED
Delicately rustic barley roast insistence and mellow wheat-toasted malt flow integrate satisfying spice nut finish that’s closer to a soft-toned brown ale in comparison. Brewery defunct: 2005.
(SAXER) THREE FINGER JACK HEFEDUNKEL
Pleasant German-styled half-wheat spikes smoked wheat malt assertion with cherry-soured chocolate wisp. Similar to a fruited stout, but way too watery. Brewery defunct: 2005.
(SAXER) THREE FINGER JACK AMBER LAGER
Intimate russet-hued, heavy Brussels-laced, spry fizz-hopped lager encounters murky fruitiness. Faint barley roast lingers through citric hop finish of mass appeal offering. Brewery defunct: 2005.
SAXER PILSNER
A bold change of pace. Classic well-hopped bohemian-styled golden lager (listed as a pilsner) gathers rich dark chocolate malting reminiscent of a porter. Funky, but not displaced, grassy-hopped fruit-soured bitterness gains luster when given time to breathe. Brewery defunct: 2005.