On tap at Ambulance, indecisive brown-clouded, wheat-based, farmhouse-styled Christmas ale (circa 2015) provides tart plum-fig-raisin tones, sour citrus acidity and light grape juicing to leathery barnyard rusticity. Light black peppering and crisp tobacco leafing contrast wispy cinnamon-nutmeg seasoning at the back end.
On tap at Plank Pizza, spicy sour wit ale recipe (in collaboration with Austin’s Jester King) combines ‘bitter orange peel and coriander’ in cultured yeast then gets aged in oak foeders. Mildly vinous green grape esters and eye-squinting orange-peeled lemon tartness receive herbal-wafted barnyard rusticity. Recessive Chardonnay, Granny Smith apple, rosé and oaken vanilla whims deepen its wild ale character.
On tap at Ambulance, complex oak-aged sour ale leads with tart blackberry mustiness and musky Bing cherry leathering. Vinous lemon-juiced green grape tannins and wispy green apple nip impact lactic mouth-puckering acidity of salted raspberry-cherry souring.
On tap at Ambulance, bright pinkish violet-hued Berliner Weiss maintains mildly acidic raspberry tartness above subtle coffee adjunct and dry red grape-skinned Blush wining as stylish bone-dried lactobacillus souring picks up salty respite. Vinous green grape esters and spritzy lemon lime twist regale sour-candied raspberry yogurt finish. In the can, lemon rind-embittered raspberry souring gains mild pomegranate, blueberry, cranberry and rhubarb seduction over its salty coriander base. In the bottle, raspberry-soured coriander salting zaps lemon rind-embittered coffee roast as mild pomegranate, cranberry and quince nuances wisp by.
On tap at Growler & Gill, tart Italian plum adjunct subsumed by mildly acidic lemon-limed Granny Smith apple sourness over briny sea-salted spritz for approachable gose.
On tap at Plank Pizza, fine “American lawnmower ale” retains stylishly dry moderate-bodied profile. Maize-flaked barley malts provide doughy white bread and popcorn sedation for floral-daubed grassy (Saaz) hop astringency and tingly lemon respite.
On tap at Biggie’s, mighty fine high octane 2017 (11% ABV) version of Christmastime Belgian dark ale boasts heightened ethanol esters, darker rub red hue and intensified Bing cherry essence as well as more refined wildflower-honeyed astringency. Distant cinnamon, clove and allspice seasoning sweetens treacly backend alongside sugarplum, cocoa and pine nut nuances.
On tap at Ambulance, dandy Christmastime Belgian Strong Ale (9.5% ABV) tweaks honeyed chocolate, caramel and toffee malting with candi-sugared tart cherries. Beneath light molasses-draped mocha malt spicing lies vanilla-sweetened banana, raisin, date and fig illusions escalated by rummy 8% alcohol burn.
On tap at Biggie’s, velvety mocha-bound 43rd annual winter ale features cacao nibs, toffee, roasted nuts and herbal spicing. At the entry, creamy dark chocolate malts pick up casual dried-fruited baking spices to offset moderate hop-charred tarring. Recessive cocoa, coffee, roasted tobacco and berry illusions flutter below.
On tap at The Oath, mildly wood-smoked dark chocolate bittering gains ample cocoa and coffee bean influence reinforced by charred nuttiness. Latent hazelnut-glazed mocha sweetness stays restrained.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, busy brown ale may underutilize toasted coconut and cocoa adjuncts while not quite hitting upon advertised Samoa girl scout cookie likeness, but it’s creamy hazelnut chocolate sweetness and milk-sugared coffee notions completely make up for that. Beneath serenading cookie-doughed mocha malting lies delicate vanilla spicing as well as polite blackberry, blueberry and red grape tartness. Less filling than richer, creamier porters and stouts for dessert.
Concise milk chocolate-y Imperial Stout aged on cacao nibs and Madagascar vanilla beans quickly gains sweet bourbon licks. Bittersweet mocha-vanilla confluence soon picks up lightly viscous Blackstrap molasses astringency as well as unlikely sandalwood-oiled cedar char, tangy soy saucing and spicy cinnamon snip.
