Category Archives: Beers A-Z

CRICKET HILL BOURBON BARLEYWINE

Beers A-Z

Sublime ruddy-browned bourbon-barreled barleywine is part of brewer’s limited edition Reserve Series 2011. Thickly viscous setting perfectly suits chewy caramel malting, chocolate-caked bruised cherry midst and recessive coconut wisp, smoothing out for a cleanly hop-prickled dark rum-spiced finish. Despite sturdy 8% alcohol burn, bourbon-soaked Scotch, brandy and port boozing never overwhelms tertiary pecan pie, butterscotch, marzipan, toffee, and vanilla sweetness. Quite approachable stuff for the masses.

Cricket Hill Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine Release Info

WANDERING STAR MILD AT HEART

Beers A-Z

Outstanding ‘English-styled dark mild ale’ not far removed from a creamier schwarzbier with its dry dark roasted chocolate entry, oily coffee roast and nutty eight-grain breading. But its implicit underlying complexities deepen the resolve past mere stylistic intrigue. Rampant dried fruit contingent, quirky molasses-sapped Belgian chocolate spicing, and enticing crystal-caramel malted toffee subsidy also reach the summit above rigid toasted hop bed.

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TERRAPIN/ SHMALTZ REUNION ALE ’11

Beers A-Z

Admirable Imperial Brown Ale unites one of the southeast’s greatest brewers with long-time New York-via-California craft beer veteran for solid-bodied elixir. Advertised cocoa nibs, vanilla and chili pepper influence fine hybrid in varied ways. Cocoa nibs impart frontline milk chocolate, Baker’s chocolate and chocolate cake creaminess to sweet vanilla center. Light chili peppering adds smoky spicing to tertiary Kahlua, coconut, and hazelnut illusions.

SMUTTYNOSE HOMUNCULUS BELGIAN STYLE GOLDEN ALE

Beers A-Z

Another fine offering from brewer’s ‘Big Beer Series,’ resembling Belgian tripel hyped up by dry-hopped American IPA schematic. On tap, peppery Belgian yeast funk and mild herbal spicing contrast bright lemony orange tang affiliating ample apricot, peach, pear and apple fruiting. Chewy candi-sugared caramel malting sweetens the load. Leathery-laced jasmine, honeysuckle, and rosebud illusions underscore syrupy pine sapping.

SMUTTYNOSE FINEST KIND I.P.A.

Beers A-Z

On tap, relaxing 2011 India Pale Ale brings casual fruited splendor to woody-hopped pine resin. Moderate grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering contrasts sweet peach, pear, and apple fruiting above leathery alfalfa, horsehair, hay, and barnyard desiccation. On tap 2015 at Mahwah Bar & Grill: tangy pineapple-mango tropicalia and light pine lacquered hop astringency found beneath bittersweet citrus punctuality.  Disclaimer: brewer has used generic Smuttynose IPA handle for bottled version of this ‘finest kind,’ bud.

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SHMALTZ GEEKTOBERFEST ’11

Beers A-Z

Wonderfully expressive ‘Extreme Beer’ combining Shmaltz’s Jewbelation, Rejewvenation and Coney Island Human Blockhead Lager with a barrel-aged version of Ithaca Nut Brown and Captain Lawrence’s port-barreled Sour Brown Ale. On tap, busy brown-hazed sour ale merges vinous grape funk, tart cherry slunk and acidic brettanomyces gunk with oaken vanilla dryness, picking up high octane bourbon whir by dried fruited finish. Caramel, cocoa, and chocolate malting create gingerbread-marzipan sweetness to underscore ascending fig, prune, and date illusions. Wispy brandied burgundy wining adds subtle elegance.