Ashy-tongued maltose-scented dark lager gathers dirty grain penetration, dry raisin mandate, and flowery hop bitterness to silky pale chocolate finish. Recommended to brown ale or light porter fans, but also worthwhile for Bud/ Miller/ Coors lunkheads as effervescent upper crust alternative.
All posts by John Fortunato
(MESTANSKY) REBEL CERNY DVANACTKA
Musty malt-scented, golden brown-hued, sweetly caramel-malted brew slips down the throat with gentle velvety smoothness. Mocha moderation fends off slender hop toasting, negligible barley roast and raspy coffee snip.
(MESTANSKY) REBEL BRILLIANT
Sinewy yeast sweetness and pungent malt-toasted grains enhance spicy citric adjuncts of moderately creamy lager. Bitter hops awaken caramelized orange midst of well-defined Czech. Would fit comfortably alongside assertive German Octoberfests.
(MESTANSKY) REBEL BOHEMIAN PILSNER
Musty malt aroma, mild burnt toast palate, and fizzy carbonation given firm grain foundation for easygoing mass appeal. Cereal-cornmeal sweetness contrasts silken hop acridity and chalky cocoa dryness, gaining more overall bitterness than comparative German competitors. Soft and watery enough to attract bourgeois middle American tastes without prohibiting heartier thirsts.
REAPER SLEIGHOR DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
Raspy in-your-face floral-spiced orange tang and brisk grapefruit bittering counter abrupt sugar candied sweetness of lusty 9% alcohol russet-hazed amber-glowed ale. Creamy malt finish subsumes black currant, hop-charred pine, and earthy resin.
REAPER RITUAL DARK ALE
Unassuming khaki-hued strong ale (8.5% alcohol) lacks definition and depth. Parched fig-date astringency mildly embitters dank chocolate malt souring and roasted nut coarsening. Meager charcoal-singed black licorice recess hinders earthen grain lag.
REAPER REDEMPTION RED ALE
Soured orange-apricot tartness given thin dry-hopped oak-soaked cherry mustiness before grassy-to-toasted barley finish recedes rapidly. Residual pine needle, floral and earthen tones underscore barrenly spiced berry-apple-pear remnant as harsh oxidation invades hazy copper amber medium body.
REAPER MORTALITY STOUT
Unconvincing tan-headed mahogany-hued dry stout closer to soured schwarzbier. Oats-flaked chocolate-vanilla souring and maple-molasses sappiness nestle cocoa-powdered coffee bean bitterness. Subordinate barley-hops toasting grounds smoky charcoal-cedar divergence. Creamy caramel nougat sweetness absorbed by tar-thick espresso ebb. On second passing, diffident coffee-oiled souring and dried fruited cherry-raspberry tartness override recessive cocoa bittering.
REAPER DEATHLY PALE ALE
Brewers’ daringly hilarious grim death theme warns folks about dangers involved imbibing its respective ales. Though secondary to Reaper’s doubly potent Sleighor I.P.A., this smooth amber-coppered dry body receives musty lemony orange dirge to drive back minor grapefruit acidity, muted floral hop wisp, and passive pine comb dash. Moderate cherry-peach souring, slender nuttiness, and dim pekoe tea bittering pick up tardy quince quell.
RANDALL’S WYCKED GUERNSEY PALE ALE
Subtle cherry ripeness and caramelized apple tartness come to fruition before advertised ‘butterscotch, honey, and lingered banana’ midst reaches biscuit-y wheat finish. Candied lemony grapefruit snippet blankets tongue at lightened aftertaste, adding to its mild complexity.
RANDALL’S GUILTY LONDON STOUT
Between France and England lies Channel Islands, home of this efficient brown-hued ruby-highlighted dry body. Jaunty cappuccino uprising enjoins black chocolate bittering, burnt caramel mellifluence, and wispy whiskey waft, settling to coarse cherry puree finish. Licorice hints and sour-fruited spell surround secondary maltose sweetening in earthy midst.
RANDALL’S CYNFUL GUERNSEY MILD ALE
Dry raisin outpost fades quickly to depleted chocolate mocha sweetness countering powdered cocoa bittering. Roasted hops remain staid as honey nut dalliance fights back late-coming acidic walnut coarseness.