On tap, heady vermouth-bourbon radiance and sweet whiskey warmth bring about boozy Manhattan cocktail theme that goes way beyond understated rye ale categorization. Lustrous raisin-cherry pureed richness, sweet orange-bruised banana-clove fruiting, and pumpkin-pied cinnamon-nutmeg spicing intensify syrupy medicinal cough-drop finish. Spiced rum, brandy, and sherry illusions run amuck. Simply fantastic ’09 offering.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
BEAR REPUBLIC BLACK MAMBA BELGIAN DARK ALE
On tap, robust cola-hued dry-bodied Belgian wit/black beer merger leans towards darker side. Sharp chocolate nuttiness fends off hop-roasted black coffee bittering and wood-burnt charcoal tarring before candi-sugared crystal-malted cherry puree, prune, and plum illusions provide sweet counteractive splendor. Bourbon warmth mellows cocoa nibs-informed mocha finish.
(ANHEUSER-BUSCH) BUD LITE GOLDEN WHEAT
Boringly astringent and completely insignificant Bud Lite derivative flattens out metallic phenol hop coarseness with meager orange-peeled corainder wisp to frail white bread staleness. Lacking sufficient salty-grained bitterness, and worse, efficient counteractive malt sweetness, this fizzy orange seltzer approximation goes nowhere fast.
DOGFISH HEAD SAHTEA
Complex amber-hazed moderate-bodied sahti (essentially a Finnish-styled farmhouse ale) retains soft summery Saison savor. Black chai tea frontage gathers mellow yellow-fruited India spicing to accent honey-malted sweetness. At midst, dry lemon drop tartness picks up orange pekoe wisp, gin-like juniper tease, and fresh eucalyptus herbage as ginger, cinnamon, clove, and cardamom nuances dance around ascending lime-hopped citric zest.
TROEGS JAVA HEAD STOUT
Dependable roasted coffee bean theme of taut ebony-hued oatmeal stout remains lighter than most in its robust class. Sticky-tongued cocoa-dried oats-toasted molasses malts reach dry-hopped vanilla-beaned espresso finish. Slight citric zing found at nutty earthen distance. Full-throttled richness counters its smooth nature, giving lighter palates a soothing crossover.
CAPTAIN LAWRENCE SMOKE FROM THE OAK APPLE BRANDY PORTER
Oddly off-kilter limited-edition brown-bodied barrel-aged elixir brings scant cider souring to fleeting wood-smoked mocha malting. Vinegary brettanomyces funk girds green grape tartness, stove-burnt coffee acridity, vanilla bean slither, and chocolate nibs reminder. Carbolic champagne fluff overwhelms brandy, as well as, burgundy and rum illusions.
CIGAR CITY BOLITA DOUBLE NUT BROWN ALE
Hop-roasted brown chocolate frontage of robust full-bodied bitter leads molasses-sugared hazelnut procession atop sooty wood-burnt earthen peat bottom. Hints of cigar ash, tobacco leaf, loose twigs, and charred walnut lie in the balance.
CIGAR CITY IMPROVISACION
Nicking aggressive roasted nut coarseness from brewers’ similarly-styled Bolita brand, dense hop-enriched malt-smoked ‘Oatmeal Rye India-Style Brown Ale’ retains creamy chocolate-y cocoa bean richness above ashen cedar tone to murky pine-sapped rye bottom. Dry port, burgundy, and fig illusions waver through sharp nuttiness.
KONA WAILUA WHEAT ALE
Washed-out light-bodied limited edition ’09 release splashes passion fruit tedium across sour lemon-lime indifference. Tart kiwi-mango-plantain tropicalia disrupted by astringent citric-hopped doldrums to unstable white-breaded rye-dried cracked wheat spine. Indistinct 2011 version found phenolic tinning undermining washed-out passion-fruited white peach, green grape, pineapple and kumquat slip as well as herbal lemon-rotted orange souring. Carbolic Seltzer-like dishwater made worse.
VICTORY HELIOS
Pour slowly hazy golden summery saison or billowy foam will coat glass of moderate-bodied compost-scented Belgian-styled farmhouse ale. Fulsome carbolic spritz indulges black-peppered grassy-hopped bittering, nearly overwhelming candi-sugared lemony grapefruit tang glistening above creamy mildness and dry earthen floral nuance. Tart lemondrop finish lingers over tertiary peach, apricot, and green grape illusions.
SPANISH PEAKS AMERICAN PALE ALE
Veritable hopheads impressed by resinous bitter-hopped bite as well as gooey viscous yeast sediment will enjoy sinewy copper-clouded ‘Classic Pale Ale.’ Zesty citric fragrance and recessive apple-peach-pineapple-pear sweetness counter heavily embittered lemon-peeled grapefruit rind finish. Weary caramel-malted cocoa souring and wavering astringent mustiness deplete overall fruited nature. Withered herbal-floral spicing and wayward piney nuance lack luster.
SLY FOX INCUBUS TRIPLE
Interesting bottle-conditioned amber-yellowed Abbey-styled triple wraps butterscotch sweetness around daintily-hopped orange-soured peach-pineapple-kiwi tang. Recessive pear illusions fade into funky herbal spell at mild fruited finish.
