‘60s hippie-cultured ‘We’re all bozos on the bus’ snicker and ‘this is not a Double IPA’ disclaimer aside, this recession-proof pale ale won’t scare away budgeted hopheads. Bright floral-fruited frontage receives piney-hopped grapefruit-peeled bittering. Tangy peach, apple, and tangerine illusions enjoined by tropical pineapple-mango seduction to rye-dried cracked wheat spine.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
WOLAVERS CERTIFIED ORGANIC BEN GLEASON’S WHITE ALE
Advertised orange peel-coriander blend perfectly suits dry light-bodied hazy-yellowed Belgian-styled witbier. Sour lemon zest and herbaceous mint undercurrent rally above skeletal fizzy-hopped white-breaded wheat base. Funky fungi-like wildflower yeast reminder, reminiscent of farmhouse ale, infiltrates backend.
SAPPORO PREMIUM LIGHT LAGER
Washed-out aluminum-hued dry-bodied lightweight ruined by tinny corn-oiled rice wine souring and nasty cider-y finish; leaving tinny aftertaste. Nasty stuff.
LAGUNITAS GNARLYWINE
Glorious slow sipping 11% alcohol-fueled dessert treasure (limited ’09 release) dazzles the senses with well-balanced nature and fascinating complexity. Ripe cherry, bruised orange, and brown banana illusions enliven chewy brown chocolate-y molasses creaminess rising above cotton-candied dark-spiced floral-hopped midst. Medicinal cognac-bourbon warmth brings finish to fruition.
HOOK & LADDER NO. 2 LIGHTER
Anyone for salted pretzels or buttery popcorn? This light-bodied lager suffers from doughy nothingness and astringent corn-maize nature. Faintest butterscotch-marzipan flicker saves lightly toasted malt finish. Contract brewed for Maryland’s Hook & Ladder.
HOFSTETTEN KUBELBIER
Spry orange-peach mist and sharp-hopped mineral graining enrich cloudy amber moderate-bodied zwickel (an unfiltered bottom-fermenting German-styled lager). Baked bread-y sourdough finish almost conceals tidy butterscotch sweetness.
HOFSTETTEN GRANITBOCK
Chewy molasses-soaked raisin-pureed stewed prune opening enriches dark-spiced brown-sugared chocolate malt sweetness of robust doppelbock. Honeyed nut, almond, pecan, and hazelnut illusions gather along tertiary port-whiskey slip.
THE BRUERY TRADE WINDS TRIPEL
Elegant beige-headed bronze-hazed bottle-conditioned Belgian-styled tripel drifts in and out of stylistic deluges with mostly positive results. Thai basil and rice provide lightly spiced Southeast Asian appeal to creamy full body. Polite white-peppered orange peel bittering counters sharp prune-fig souring, chewy banana liqueur illusion, and fleeting clove-coriander-allspice wisp at busy midst. Tertiary honeysuckle, peppercorn, and lemongrass influence intertwines tangy tangerine-peach-pear sweetness. Slight alcohol-burnt finish allows cinnamon cider, burgundy, and white wine illusions to seep in softly.
SLY FOX WGV PALE ALE
WGV stands for Whitbread Goldings Variety, a dry hop style worthily informing this soothing moderate body. Tingly dry-spiced lemon-grapefruit rind mildness embitters steadfast tea-like malting, grassy earthen musk, and minor tobacco nuance. Woody hops absorb citric acidity.
SOUTHERN TIER IMPERIAL INIQUITY BLACK ALE
Well-integrated velvety smooth dark ale maintains mocha-driven piney fruited complexity. Maple molasses-sapped caramel malts infiltrate chocolate-covered raisin, black cherry, spiced rum and sugar plum illusions. A hint of bourbon or burgundy fills out recessive coffee easement.
OTTER CREEK WORLD TOUR OTTER MON JAMAICAN-STYLE STOUT
Slick ink black milk stout brings stove-burnt coffee souring to light chocolate-caramel roast. Dark spices, vanilla extract, and anise fill out oats-charred backdrop, but peppery hop astringency and harsh nuttiness overwhelm sugar-caned mocha aspect.
SARANAC IRISH RED ALE
Aromatic caramel-toffee sweetness disrupted by faded floral hop astringency that delicately fizzles out. Abbreviated toasted graining, muted mocha wisp, and blah orange-apple-peach tang barely inform ill-defined metallic finish.
