Mired by dry rye desolation and wheat bread doldrums, murky non-alcoholic beer flattens to perfunctory sourdough finish as sagging toasted malts vanish. This trite brew is now defunct.
All posts by John Fortunato
(WHIM ALES) OLD IZAAK TRADITIONAL ENGLISH ALE
(AAA) OLD GOAT DUNKLES WEIZEN
Rich dark-browned German-styled dunkleweizen brings oily coffee murk and caramel malted richness to mild rye wheat spine. Sticky yeast residue at glass bottom approves its robustness. Recessive date-fig tones coat back-tongue. A hint of mint completes the score. Finding beer label proved difficult, but AAA’s Kristal Weizen was available (to left). Brewery defunct: 2005.
(AAA) OLD GOAT DARK WHEAT BEER
Suitable ink black-hued, tan-headed dark beer fashioned after Bavarian wiesse. But dry-bodied cola palate, perky hop snap, and sweet barley crackle put it closer to well-rounded brown ale than distinguished German wheat. Brewery defunct: 2005.
(OLDE SARATOGA) WIEDENMAYER JERSEY LAGER
Contract brewed Bavarian-styled ‘festival beer’ revives German immigrants’ ancient recipe. Corn sugared malting tenders toasted honey nut, Graham cracker, biscuit-y wheat, and fluctuant almond tones plus ripe apple-pear-apricot overture bracing salted hop fizz to dry birch finish, bettering most mainstream lagers.
OLDE SARATOGA PREMIUM LAGER
Dry-roasted barleymalts and sour citric nip welcome rising butterscotch proclivity of coppery medium-bodied Vienna-styled lager. But dormant finish undone by lack of hop-grain punctuation.
OLDENBERG RASPBERRY WHEAT BEER
OLDE HEURICH MAERZEN
Toasted caramel malts combine with clustered grains and chocolate notes for lovingly crafted pale-hued German knockoff. Muted spicy accents vie for attention ’til bittersweet finish dominated by fruity tones. Brewery defunct: 2006.
OLDE HEURICH SPRING FOG BOCK BEER
Gentle malt aroma and sweet barley palate put this closer to red or brown ale than true German-styled bock. While certainly too light and watery to contend with serious bock contenders, its delicate splendor retains soft-bodied appeal. Brewery defunct: 2006.
OLDE HEURICH PALE ALE
Banal English-styled pale ale with weak maize-wheat confluence and arid hop follow-through has supposedly been ‘a Washington DC tradition since 1873.’ All others need not apply. Brewery defunct: 2006.
OLDE HEURICH FOGGY BOTTOM LAGER
After a few sips, meek barleymalt presence of German-styled lager becomes unassuming while watery flow drowns undistinguished basic ingredients. Brewery defunct: 2007.
OLDE ENGLISH ‘800’ MALT LIQUOR
Despite spoiled malt scent and unassuming nature, this translucent pale body happens to be the best cheap American malt liquor. Fizzy maize mouthfeel, slick hop slack, and white bread slumber merge with slim unripe orange-apricot acridity for uncommonly mild blend.