Well balanced 10% alcohol-fueled Imperial IPA (in bottle) balances English and American styles as citric-pined oily hop resin, toasted caramel malts and flaked maize drape floral pineapple, pear, nectar and honeydew fruiting. Lemony grapefruit bittering picks up metallic astringency inundating the lingered aftertaste.
On tap at Monk’s Cafe, sweet mocha dessert treat layers black chocolate-spiced smoked malts atop chewy cookie dough yeast. Black cherry puree, raisin bread, toffee, vanilla, coconut, anise and biscotti undertones scatter by ashen hop char.
Rabid peat-smoked entry and maple-honeyed bacon crisping bring rauchbier tendencies to Denmark-based gypsy brewer’s Carolina pils. Light lemony spritz cuts thru proper stylistic Band-aid astringency. Creamy spruce-tipped crystal malt sugaring sweetens dry rye backbone and counters smoky campfire wood singe.
Extreme straw-paled Belgian pale ale provides abstruse herbal maca root influence to sourdough-like Abbey yeast and murky dried fruiting. Dessicated fig, apricot and green raisin tones pick up nutty restraint to pumpernickel breaded backend.
Enthusiastic mahogany-hued English-styled brown ale inundated by fizzy banana ripeness over nutty mocha richness. Escalating browned banana sweetness seeps into coffee-stained maca root influence and crème brulee nicety to molasses-soaked Graham cracker spine. Charcoal respite deepens brazen hop-charred bittering and subtle brown chocolate roast. A darker malt-forward banana beer that counters the lighter, more affluent Wells Banana Bread Beer.
Better in this rye setting than Kuka’s IPA/Pale Ale versions due to more radical flavor profile. Radish-like maca root influence offers mild cacao nibs tease to honeyed raisin rye breading and chocolate-soured butternut-pecan-chestnut-walnut conflux. Stylish grapefruit, orange and pineapple fruiting gains exposure over time. Pastry-like sugaring, port wine tannins and peat-y earthiness infiltrate busy backend of inconspicuously alcoholic (9.4% ABV) medium body.
Though not necessarily an enhancement to the overall India Pale Ale styling, its advertised ‘perfect balance between Kuka’s Pale Ale and Rye IPA’ finds maca root influence in a similar profile as the former. Lemon-candied lime juicing and mild orange-peeled souring pick up reedy hop astringency. Decent, but inessential.
Smooth fresh-watered crisping contrasts earthen nut-grained musk and pungent hop-oiled bittering. Orange-dried grapefruit peel rasp brings citric spritz to nutbread-like maca root influence. Could almost pass as an English Special Bitter.
Shifty garnet-coppered barleywine never fully integrates bourbon barrel influence. Buttery smooth groove develops as oncoming sherry wining deepens black cherry-pureed fig, raisin and plum fruiting alongside sappy molasses sugaring. Astringent hop bittering lingers thru vanilla-fudged dark chocolate finish. On tap at NY Wing Factory, sweet bourbon luster drops off precipitously and casual dried fruiting lacks pertinence.
Restrained pink-coppered wild ale plies vinous oaken cherry pucker to tannic green grape musk, blush rose vinaigrette pucker and lactic cider sourness. Salty limestone tartness never overwhelms bubbly champagne fizz and lemon-pitted cranberry-guava-mango smidge. Serve as a mild alternative to much sourer brettanomyces-laden farmouse ales.
All-consuming anise influence almost buries ‘decadent’ Ecuadorian cocoa nibs flavoring. Sweet brown chocolate-fudged caramel roast needs deeper resonance above ashen wood-charred hop bittering.
