On tap at Poor Henry’s, floral-daubed citrus profile of an IPA overrides grassy Noble-hopped German pilsner malting. Lemon zest brightens grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering as well as sweet peach-pineapple-mango undertones.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
HIGH HORSE
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
In a red brick professional building in the center of Amherst, HIGH HORSE began slinging suds for the UMass crowd back in January ’12. A closed-in benched porch welcomes patrons to the pub’s three-staged interior.
To the right side, a spacious tile-floored main area with twenty-stooled J-shaped wood bar features quaint windowed seating, a TV for sports addicts and brew tanks towards the front.
Edison lights and café tables don the cement-floored midsection and the broken-up left space offers creatively designed intimacy. Interesting modern paintings cover many walls.
On my Sunday brunch stopover, March ’19, had the omelet and French Toast alongside the only remaining house brew currently leftover from the soon-to-be disposed brew tanks.
Utilizing wild saison yeast for its mellow Chardonnay-barreled sour ale template, Le Bang Bang brought salty lemon-limed acidity to vinous green grape tannins and tart crabapple piquancy.
High Horse will have its new brewing equipment readied by springtime. There will be at least four offerings to start.
DISTRICT 96 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RASPBERRY IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, dry soft-toned stout layers creamy vanilla-beaned black chocolate syrup atop more prominent tart raspberry adjunct. Dewy midst gains mocha-bound black cherry, blackberry and boysenberry notions.
SINGLECUT NEXUS OF THE CRISIS IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, milk-sugared coffee entry picks up fudgy black chocolate creaming and sweet vanilla nuances. Nutty chocolate-coffee finish is just a tad thin.
LEFTY’S GRAHAM CRACKER PORTER
Bold full-bodied porter overloads wheat-honeyed Graham Cracker sugaring with nutty maple molasses-glazed dried fruiting and bittersweet dried cocoa spicing. Sweet hazelnut, dry cola and bitter walnut illusions flutter beyond its Graham Cracker pleasantries.
INNIS & GUNN BLOOD RED SKY RUM BARREL ALE
Another understated barrel-aged gem from Scotland’s I & G. Jamaican rum sweetens richly caramelized mocha fruiting, maple molasses-glazed nuttiness and dewy earthen remnant. Brown-sugared fig, plum, date and raisin illusions graze vanilla-creamed brown chocolate stead and ample pecan-chestnut-cola conflux for rummy Scottish-based, Irish-styled red ale.
(BRUGSE) STRAFFE HENDRIK QUAD
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, murkily amber-browned quad brings dewy sweetness to brown-sugared raisin, dried prune and plum tones as well as oncoming brown chocolate spicing. Try in lieu of molasses fruitcake.
GUN HILL FORT TICONDEROGA ENGLISH BARLEYWINE
On tap at Beef Trust, sturdy rum-barreled English-styled barleywine brings black cherry pureed tartness and sweet bourbon vanilla spicing to rummy molasses sapping. Tertiary red-wined brandy, port and merlot sweetness adds further warmth to fruit-spiced rum finish.
DOGFISH HEAD FRUIT-FULL FORT
On tap at Beef Trust, blustery red-wined twist on brewers’ berry-heavy Belgian fruit ale, Fort, loads pureed raspberry, boysenberry, elderberry and blackberry atop rum-spiced brandy warmth, picking up vinous cherry tartness alongside boozy alcohol astringency at the bold whisky-dried cherry coughdrop finish. Candied orange, red grape and clementine illusions dot the back end.
FINBACK SUPER CONDUCTING TRIPLE INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Growler & Gill, wafting floral bouquet sweetens juicy mango, pineapple and peach tang to contrast desiccated lemony orange oiling and dank pine resin of mighty (10.4% ABV) fruit salad. Crystalline vodka-like boozing elevates brisk clean-watered crisping of sunny fruit-blustered tropicalia.
GRIMM TETRAPLEX TRIPLE IPA
On tap at Ambulance, lively dry-hopped IPA’s juicy pineapple, peach, orange and mango tang brightens summery medium body in fine fashion. Sugary pale malts guard the back end.
18TH STREET RISE OF THE ANGELS DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Growler & Gill, rangy copper-hued moderate-bodied IPA offers zesty lemon-soured grapefruit zing to light floral-perfumed candied orange tingle up-front. Distant pineapple-mango-peach tang and vanilla-creamed pastry malts (plus wispy banana-bubblegum sweetness) hang in the citric-swirled vodka recess.
