Classic Christmas Ale better defined as nut-spiced brown ale since expectant winter seasoning lacks assertiveness and soft-watered flow lightens musty toffee malting. Medicinal ethanol prickle envelops sweet hazelnut surge and ancillary ginger-snapped cinnamon, nutmeg and clove spicing. Consistent, but not as rigorously full-bodied as better stylistic fare. On tap, earthen peat mossing and ashen cocoa malting contrast fig-spiced cinnamon-nutmeg sentiment and ancillary cherry pie remnant.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
EPIC FEST DEVIOUS
Deviously non-conformist ‘fall celebration’ better defined as adjunct red ale rather than marzen-styled castoff. Dewy meadow waft, resinous earthen mouthfeel and honeyed tea tonguing deepen caramelized rye sweetness above tingly ginger-cardamom spicing. Recessive purple grape, orange mist and lemon zest nuances plus tertiary toasted nuttiness nearly confound excessive flavor profile.
(MAINE) LUNCH INDIA PALE ALE
Despite generic white-labeled bottle, well-rounded medium body boasts an abundance of flavors. Mild grassy hopped bittering, wafting floral bouquet, and earthen wood-dried resin glazed by tropical grapefruit-peeled pineapple, peach, honeydew, strawberry and pear fruiting as well as citric clementine, naval orange, mandarin orange and tangerine tang. Honeyed toffee malts settle below to further sweeten abundant up-front fruited confluence. Hopheads unite for Pliny The Elder’s East Coast rival.
SPEAKEASY BETRAYAL IMPERIAL RED ALE
Because of its virtuous Imperial status, adventurous limited edition ruby-crimsoned full body is easily one of the best red ales marketed. Piney IPA fruiting leads the way above caramel-roasted pecan-pied almond toasting. Red grapefruit, cherry, apple, orange and melon juiciness provides tangy up-front sweetness reinforced by ripe prune-raisin-fig conflux and brown-sugared spices.
TOMMYKNOCKER SMALL PATCH PUMPKIN HARVEST ALE
Ruinous astringent acridity envelops indistinct crisp-watered copper-browned autumn seasonal too solvent for scattered flavor profile to overcome. Soapy brown-sugared molasses entry fades to phenol nutmeg-cinnamon-allspice-clove spicing and slackened prune-dried raisin-fig dalliance. Earthen bottom picks up nut-skinned pumpkin, squash and sweet potato nuances. On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, blander 2012 version scattered musty earthen soiling across lemon-soured gourd spicing, dissipated caramel malting and teasing butternut buttress. Advertised molasses sapping apprehended by watery orange-dried finish.
LOST COAST DOUBLE TROUBLE I.P.A.
Perfectly straightforward sunset-hazed medium body stays crisply hop fruited. Piney grapefruit-peeled bittering glazes perfumed peach, pear, orange, and apple illusions atop sugary caramelized vanilla malting. Boozy juniper-ginned bitterness tags briskly resonating juicy-fruited finish.
(ANHEUSER-BUSCH) SHOCK-TOP PUMPKIN WHEAT
Bland autumnal fare suffers from washed-out gourd spicing and soapy pumpkin-seeded vegetal astringency. Negligible white wheat wallow and listless phenol spicing get in the way of barren brown-sugared cinnamon-nutmeg blip, getting lost in a sea of bubbly hop fizz.
ABITA 25TH ANNIVERSARY VANILLA DOUBLEDOG
Adequate adjunct brown ale celebrates brewers’ quarter-century mark. Soft-flowing bittersweet vanilla bean entry receives fudge-y milk chocolate embrace above ashen maple-sapped molasses impression. Hop-oiled walnut bittering recedes quickly alongside cocoa dried depletion, caramel-burnt toffee subsidy and wispy bourbon wining, finishing thinner and less creamy than anticipated. On tap at Amazing Grapes, better version featured molasses-sugared chocolate, toffee and vanilla creaming above sharp hop roast, picking up light hazelnut and cola nut influence. Modest fig-date-plum conflux fades away. Try in lieu of Neopolitan Ice Cream.
FULL SAIL SESSION FEST RED LAGER
Mainstream Czech-styled session lager remains just a tad stronger than pale-bodied competition. Easygoing hop-toasted bread crusting and dewy rye persistence sedately affected by superfine sugar-glassed sweetness. Caramel nuttiness cannot overcome bland phenol spicing.
STONE CHERRY CHOCOLATE STOUT
Vigorous Stone/ Troegs collaboration brings lusty dark chocolate richness to enthusiastic Scotch whiskey boozing, picking up ashen charcoal astringency for obsidian-hued dry-bodied milk stout. Ascending vanilla and coffee bean bittering overshadows restrained black cherry-pureed blackberry-blueberry-elderberry dried fruiting. Luscious bourbon easement seeps into bold mocha-bound affluence. Tertiary brandy-wined chocolate-caked cherry jubilee illusions float by. But its murky flavor profile crowds too many wandering adjuncts.
KANE AFTERGLOW RYE PALE ALE
Accurately described as a ‘quasi pale ale,’ robust ESB-like dry body maintains approachable medium-bodied drinkability. Reedy molasses rye breading sops up peat-dried pumpernickel nuttiness and light Vienna-styled Munich malting. Clean eight-grain bread finish picks up tertiary sunflower seed, poppy, and whey illusions.
KANE HEAD HIGH I.P.A.
Acute alcohol burn embeds commencing lemon-peeled orange rind bitterness of invigorating gold-paled medium-to-full body. Tangy yellow grapefruit, mango, peach, pineapple and tangerine tropicalia gains prominence, as does sharply counteractive juniper berry bite. Zesty passion fruit sprinkled through tongue-tingling salt peppered carbolic fizz. Less piney than dryer West Coast-styled India Pale Ales, though some wood remnants underscore fruited frolic.