Pour slowly thick ebony-hued full body or risk carbolic implosion. Heavy coffee-roasted espresso mouthfeel enriches hop-charred wood burn, tobacco chaw tarring and resinous pine acridity, reinforcing Blackstrap molasses bittering over black cherry, blackberry, and raspberry flirtations – but stylistic chocolate sweetness lacks. Black currant and juniper berry sharpness increases smoky ashen pine pungency. Serve to bolder dry stout enthusiasts.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
MARIACHI CERVEZA
Another dull clear-bottled beige-yellowed light-bodied Latin lager only Corona lightweights can stand. Mild corn-husked astringency contrasts equally intolerable cloying malt liquor musk and solvent sulfuric sash. Peppy carbolic hop fizz disrupted by blunt oxidization and spoiled cabbage patch.
(HARPOON) CATAMOUNT MAPLE WHEAT (2011)
Perfectly descriptive limited edition maple wheat ale (updated circa 2011) brings candied black cherry cough syrup thickness to ascending molasses-sugared raspberry, raisin, and prune swoon. Thick Vermont maple syrup drapes creamy wheat-honeyed caramel malt richness, increasing dried fruited depth to crowded medicinal finish.
CIGAR CITY HUMIDOR SERIES INDIA PALE ALE
Classy Spanish cedar-aged IPA crafted to pair with cigar. Never too bitter and highly approachable, its bright cane-sugared tropical fruiting sits atop floral spice-hopped pine needling of rich copper-hazed Floridian. Aromatic cigar wrapper aromatics complement endless fruitful adjuncts. Pineapple, mango, kiwi, guava, passion fruit, peach, and cherry rampage across lingered lemon-seeded grapefruit bittering. Perfect as summery after-dinner sipper.
CAPTAIN LAWRENCE CAPTAIN’S KOLSCH
Easygoing straw-hazed yellow-fruited springtime session beer stays refreshingly smooth. Thematic honey-glazed lemony tartness picks up mild orange rind bittering above delicate grassy-hopped mineral graining, picking up minor vegetal astringency to white wheat backbone. Briskly carbolic seltzer fizz helps keep things light and airy.
(PHILADELPHIA) SHACKAMAXIMUM IMPERIAL STOUT
Decent stylistic selection lacks full-on mocha thrust. Pleasing coffee-burnt dark chocolate entry contrasts oaken hop-charred bittering and nutty reminder. Black cherry, prune, anise, and cocoa nibs deepen chicory-espresso midst, but an ersatz plasticity undermines tranquil bourbon wake. Tertiary soy, fennel, and celery illusions randomly drift by. On second passing, lactic acidity relegates French oak chip aging to dramatic bourbon-burgundy afterburner. Palm kernel-oiled cocoa buttering, chocolate-covered malt ball (a.k.a. Whopper) scamper, and black licorice gumming swirl across vanilla, raisin, hazelnut and macadamia frivolity.
SAMUEL ADAMS IMPERIAL WHITE
Almost undone by its scattershot complexities, unexpectedly dark coppery witbier possesses many inconstant qualities. Though advertised as ‘wheat ale brewed with spices,’ its simple boast holds no weight, as coriander flavoring seems negligible and the wheat influence, an afterthought. Yet its medicinal rum-spiced Scotch-licked brandy scurry and boozy vodka scamper will blur eyesight. Sugary orange-candied pastry-malted sweetness dabbing white-peppered clementine, naval orange, and marmalade fruiting goes beyond penetrative liquor luster. Ultimately, zesty citric niceties and mild juniper-hopped bittering encourage venturous mainstream deviants to imbibe indistinctly defined, undeniably strong, 10.3% alcohol intoxicant.
SAMUEL ADAMS INFINIUM
Colossal champagne-styled strong ale, circa 2011, provides well-rounded complexities almost overrun by a few uncertain peculiarities. Brewed in conjunction with Germany’s respected Weihenstephan, heady nectar retains wispy effervescence despite walloping 10.3% alcohol whir. Bubbly champagne flow picks up floral white-peppered hop bite contrasting initial red licorice spell as well as bustling orange-bruised apple, cherry, blueberry, and apricot fruiting (perhaps unwittingly hinting at Belgian tripel styling). Subsidiary pineapple, mango, cantaloupe, and peach tropicalia coats creamy cognac center. Teasing barleywine, brandy, banana liqueur, and rum illusions graze piercing spiced gin stint. But abstruse notions of perfume-oiled pinuad hair tonic and after-shave lotion may turn off less adventurous drinkers.
SPEAKEASY WHITE LIGHTNING AMERICAN WHEAT
Refreshing, yet vapid, ivory-yellowed light body retains soft citric effervescence and distant sugared spicing. Sour-candied lemon pith tartness and mild curacao orange wisp pick up floral honeysuckle nuance above wispy white wheat base. In deep recess, white-peppered coriander, cardamom, and caraway dot limey hop fizz. Serve to Corona/ Blue Moon fans as summery session beer alternative.
STONE HIGHWAY 78 SCOTCH ALE
In conjunction with fellow California brewers Green Flash and Pizza Port, lactic ruddy brown medium body seems a tad complacent despite fine auspices. Sweet Scotch entry lacks resilience, submerging leathery tobacco-peat dryness, brown-sugared molasses-cocoa fizzle, and blanched dried-fruited latency. Sugared fig, plum, and raisin illusions casually stroll by cardamom-spiced fruitcake center. Surprisingly ineffectual and watery, if not drab.
(UINTA) COCKEYED COOPER BOURBON BARREL BARLEYWINE
Quaint bourbon-barreled elixir needs thicker molasses-sapped malting. Creamy brown chocolate thrust fades fast as brown-sugared toffee, marzipan, and almondine illusions contrast alkaloid oak tannins and phenol hop bittering. Cherry, fig, and date spread across subsidiary vanilla spicing. Pleasant, but ultimately uninteresting.
RAMSTEIN MAIBOCK LAGER
On tap, dewy leafy-hopped gourd-like autumnal crispness spreads across abundant red-fruited apple-spiced sweetness and honeyed caramel malts countering peppery rye-dried lip-smack of sensational springtime suds. Tertiary twig, grape stem, zucchini, and squash illusions hide beneath earthen moisture. Less malt-sweetened than a typical Octoberfest and never coarsely harsh, retaining soft, buttery mouthfeel. Superb maibock is best of class.
