Clean water flow contrasts musty malt souring pervading barley-oats center of medium-bodied German. Tangy lemon bitterness shades buttery honey effervescence, but unassuming finish scales back malt pungency for unresolved blandness.
All posts by John Fortunato
PINKUS HEFE-WEIZEN
Refreshing lemon fizz changes over to sweet wheat subtlety mid-palate. Earthy dry-hopped grains reinforce citric-soured frame fortifying banana-clove finish of medium-bodied Bavarian.
PINEHURST VILLAGE DOUBLE EAGLE SCOTCH ALE
Chocolate-dried barley roast saddles comfortably next to wood-burnt hop-spiced prune souring. Illusions of rye, tobacco, and maple fill out sweet Scotch-soaked caramel-candied mocha-malted background perfectly. Brewery defunct: 2003.
PINEHURST VILLAGE DOUBLE EAGLE BROWN ALE
Beautiful maple malting and raisin-fig mouthfeel anticipate smoked barleywine essence. Dry wheat husk counters polite mocha-chocolate roast and tobacco leaf cloak. Brewery defunct: 2003.
PINE BARON PALE ALE
Refreshing golden medium body with sharp grain influence and dry citrus bite. Though labeled pale ale, fruity hops offer richer red ale-like insistence to clean malt-spiced finish.
PILSNER URQUELL
The ‘original’ golden pilsner places rich barley-toasted serenade and creamy caramel malting above moderate dry-hopped spicing. Sweet cornbread bottom receives floral jaunt to musty-grained finish that’s soft and billowy while retaining fulsome citrus zest.
PILSENER OF EL SALVADOR
Plain, simple pilsener with moderate barley sweetness, understated grain-hopped bitterness, and tart peach-grapefruit mist hidden below overwhelming carbonation. Zesty citrus pep deadened by swill water flow that puts it too close to cheap American macrobrews such as Schmidt’s and Black Label. Hopefully, you’ll think it’s a tad closer to Red Stripe upon further inspection.
PIKE PALE ALE
Smoky barleymalt aroma, piney grapefruit-peach mouthfeel, and clove accents lighten substantially by mild dry-hopped finish. Watery, smooth and easy to drink; perfect as a crossover for pilsner lovers.
PIKE NAUGHTY NELLIE’S ALE
Splendid wheat-backed black cherry mouthfeel given brisk mountain water crispness above smoked malt slip of amber-hazed artisan. Barest herbal influence embittered by peppery hops.
PIKE KILT LIFTER SCOTCH STYLE ALE
Assertive doughy-scented medium-bodied golden-reddish Scotch ale accentuates yeast-sweetened burnt caramel essence, roasted barley midst and peat malt smokiness with sour fruit adjuncts. Ascending bitterness enhances ancillary off-dry grainy earthiness, cedar wood finish and toffee-like aftertaste.
PIKE INDIA PALE ALE
Imposing copper-hued IPA with heavy yeast influence, blackened malt thickness, mineral grain sharpness and buttery texture softened by mild hop bitterness above crisp water base More efficient than Pike’s Pale Ale.
“PIKE 5X” STOUT
Velvety smooth bubblegum-scented dry-bodied Imperial Stout retains great tan head, ester-y grape souring, black licorice lining, and black cherry margin. Burnt toast aspect dominates embittered espresso frothing mid-palate before powdery sugar (reminiscent of Bazooka Joe baseball card gum) invades fully formed mocha finish.