Caliginous auburn-hued fluffy-headed limited edition dark ale brings dry nuttiness and resin-hopped burnt coffee bittering to gooey maple-malted black chocolate-y schwarzbier-like mocha porter template. Rye-grained caraway-seeded dewy peat bottom and sharp cola-hazelnut sear deepen impact.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
LAGUNITAS MAXIMUS (CASK CONDITION)
Soft-toned cask conditioned version (tried at Manhattan watering hole, David Copperfields) cushions delicate vanilla-spiced orange entry with cotton-candied marshmallow sweetness and dainty pineapple-peach-papaya tropicalia. Slightest fungi yeast mustiness penetrates fruity frolic.
CIGAR CITY JAI ALAI INDIA PALE ALE
Exemplary amber-hazed medium-bodied pine-spruced Floridian brings indigenous tropical fruiting to creamy candi-sugared caramel malting. Floral-spiced peach, pear, pineapple, strawberry, mango, and quince illusions scatter across lingered grapefruit rind bittering. Never too hop-headed to deny accessibility to lighter ale disciples.
DOGFISH HEAD MILES DAVIS BITCHES BREW
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Jazz-fusion masterpiece, Bitches Brew, uncommon ebony-hued honey-brewed Imperial Stout-affiliated dark lager better defined as complex schwarzbier. On tap, shiny-leafed berry-like gesho influence affixes sarsaparilla flow to grain-seared cocoa-malted Baker’s chocolate frontage, tar-like hop-charred walnut-singed bitterness, and mildewed cellar-dwelled black grape dankness. Filmy black chocolate midst picks up espresso-milked Anisette reminder, spicy cardamom lilt, and gooey anise ascension. Rich port-bourbon wining fills out clean mocha finish. In bottle, kiln-smoked maple malting picks up chocolate-covered raisin sway and peppery-hopped Belgian chocolate spicing. Worthy salutation’s nearly as interesting as legendary artist Miles Davis.
GOOSE ISLAND FLEUR
Eccentric rose-hued hibiscus-flowered barrel-aged Belgian pale ale retains soft-watered lemon-bruised hop prickle above mildly acrid Japanese kombucha tea herbage. ‘High-end styled award winning’ moderate body gains dry barnyard funk and mild juniper bittering, but blanched strawberry-peach aromatics and oaken cherry tartness thin out, lessening fruited alacrity and heightening acidic nature.
OMMEGANG B.P.A.
Modest straw-hazed bottle-conditioned Belgian-styled pale ale places smooth citric-floral subtlety above delicate peppery-hopped dryness and honeyed wheat sweetness. Key lime-pied mandarin orange tartness, zesty lemon-bruised banana breading and scant peach-pear reminder render light-fruited Seltzer-fizzed template. White grape hints make short stint.
OMMEGANG CUP O KYNDNES
Supposed ‘traditional Belgian-styled Scotch ale’ retains unexpected rauchbier appeal. Mossy peat-smoked meat-cured rye-breaded salami opening receives sweet brown chocolate malting, mild heather-tipped fig-spiced green raisin prompt, and tertiary Bosc pear snip. Despite unusual configuration, unique medium-to-full-bodied spin-off succeeds.
VICTORY SAISON DU BUFF
Brewed in conjunction with established microbrewers Stone and Dogfish Head, Victory’s version utilizes a boatload of complexities to disseminate parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme seasoning. Crisp water base underlies clover-honeyed floral-spiced lemon peel bittering. Subsidiary coriander, allspice, and ginger drape piquant peppercorn insistence. Tangy lemon-peppered grapefruit-tangerine-orange briskness shines through busy herbal finish.
HARPOON POTT’S LANDBIER
Unbalanced moderate-to-medium-bodied Vienna-styled dark amber lager brewed in collaboration with Germany’s Potts Brewery lacks sturdy stylistic theme (and decent flavoring), becoming endlessly ponderous by peculiar maibock-soured finish. Rotted lemon-peeled bittering reaches dour hop-spiced orange-dried acridity over nutty tobacco-leafed desiccation and muddy earthen peat fungi. Blanched cherry-grape fruiting lost amongst raw-honeyed astringency and phenol carbolic fuzz.
THOMAS HOOKER WATERMELON ALE
Worthy ‘strangely refreshing’ fruit ale perfect as easy-drinking light-bodied poolside fodder. Juicy Jolly Rancher watermelon theme maintains sweet thrust above dainty hop-fizzed strawberry Seltzer spritz to cereal-sugared wheat-honeyed spine. Tangible lemonade tartness works its way into artificial melon flavoring. Serve to anyone with a sweet tooth.
TERRAPIN REUNION ’10 BELGIAN STYLE SCOTCH ALE
Incipient American-brewed Belgian-styled Scotch ale (perused in 2010) makes good impression. Deep amber-hued medium body brings dry Scotch malting to hop-spiced cherry-pureed banana-breaded purple grape wining. Candi-sugared fungi-like yeast sinew provides obligatory Belgian ale character to sour-mashed apple chutney ascension as well as tertiary pine nut, hazelnut, and chestnut illusions.
SAMUEL ADAMS COASTAL WHEAT ALE
Fair golden-hazed lemon-peeled sour-candied light body closer to Belgian witbier than German-styled hefeweizen. Sparkling lemon-lime fizzed Seltzer watering and wispy coriander-ginger-spicing provide crispness but glutinous wheat-malted stickiness becomes cloy. Dish-watered soaping voids acidic yellow-fruited whim. Lackluster lawnmower fodder.