Blatant phenol acerbity drains light-bodied easy-drinkin’ amber ale. Slender sweet-corned cereal graining, barren honey-roasted malt whimper, and desolate almond paste divergence weaken latent sour orange tang.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
LAGUNITAS HOP STOOPID (I.P.A.)
Mega-hop bitterness and appreciable 7.7% alcohol boozing never overwhelm sumptuous Imperial India Pale Ale. Bright piney nectar aroma suits ripe ruby red grapefruit frontage. Juicy apricot, apple, tangerine, and pineapple zing drapes latent woody dryness and mild floral accents quite effectively.
ISSAQUAH MENAGE A FROG BELGIAN-STYLE TRIPEL ALE
Appealing sunny-hazed tripel in green 26-ounce wine bottle maintains lightly embittered white ale fruitiness. Prominent citric hop zest brings pink lemonade, red grapefruit, and pineapple tang to candi-sugared vanilla wafer midst. Cork-scented Muscat grape, Granny Smith apple, and brown pear nuances recline towards buttered Chardonnay finish.
BROOKLYN LOCAL 2 ALE
Though lacking distinct character, cascading brown-bodied tan-headed Belgian-style dark ale (with yeast speckles) retains heartiness. Medicinal candi-sugared dark-fruited intrigue fades into fleeting cinnamon-spiced chocolate midst. Sour wildflower honey acerbity upends ginger-clove nuances as well as underutilized citrus peel bittering.
ATWATER VOODOO VATOR DOPPLEBOCK
Wavering ‘high gravity dopplebock lager’ reminiscent of light brown ale or mild porter. Dark-roasted hop-embittered caramel malting picks up smoked molasses simmer and chewy brown chocolate-y whir. Recessive banana, cherry, and prune notes aid lilting barleywine swirl.
ST. LOUIS FRAMBOISE
Resilient ruby-magenta-bodied pink-headed framboise offers pungently eye-squinting mouth-puckering raspberry tartness. The essence of raspberry seeds seeps into tonsils as lemony cranberry, cherry and blackberry illusions settle below syrupy pureed raspberry core. Serve to Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur buffs and wine cooler fems as better alternative. An excellent dessert beer, indeed!
SHMALTZ HE’BREW JEWBELATION TWELVE
Viscous 12th anniversary ale utilizes one dozen hops and malts to anchor concealed 12% alcohol luster. Syrupy sweet brown chocolate malting and maple-sapped molasses-dipped toffee fudging receive cinnamon-toasted hop-spiced raisin-prune souring. Oaken vanilla subsidy pervades lilting bourbon, barleywine, cherry wine, and dark rum warmth. Boozy brown ale makes superb dessert treat.
(STEENBERGE) BORNEM DOUBLE ALE
Admirable amber-browned Abbey ale in stubby, chubby brown bottle not as winey as most Belgians, relying instead on casual coffee bitterness, candi-sugared fig-date-cherry waver and cereal-grained carrot caking to frail rye-dried barleycorn spine. Mouthwateringly medicinal 8 % alcohol sway deepens caramel-spiced dried fruited finish.
UNIBROUE QUATRE CENTIEME
Subtle candi-sugared Belgian strong ale nears creamy hefeweizen styling with its mild banana-clove theme, fuzzy butterscotch nicety, and honeyed wheat spine. Peppery hop bite ignites terse orange and lemon peel bittering as well as floral nuance. Tart green apple and white peach illusions emerge above white wine reminder.
WEYERBACHER FIRESIDE ALE
Languid ’08 ‘dark ale with touch of smokiness’ (previously known as ‘Charlie’ and now a permanent seasonal release) needs deeper flavor insistence. Dry-hopped meat-cured beechwood-smoked frontage drops off quickly as tranquil cocoa-powdered tartness rises above tobacco-leafed vegetal nuance. Staid hickory-smoked molasses malting fades into nutty chocolate murk.
(VAN EECKE) KAPITTEL PATER ALE
Subtle well-watered Belgian dark ale brings dry rye, toasted pumpernickel, and baked whole wheat breading to sweet marzipan midst. Grassy barnyard funk drowns out pithy apple-cherry-raisin allotment of approachable light body that’s closer to a less nutty brown ale.
TWO BROTHERS NORTHWIND IMPERIAL STOUT
Well-balanced soft-watered mahogany-hued medium body brings bitter black coffee, creamy dark chocolate, and maple-sugared caramel-burnt vanilla symmetry to viscous molasses-sapped anise center. Tertiary cocoa powder, roasted espresso, and cappuccino illusions ride along descending prune-plum trail. Further sips revealed lilting bourbon-burgundy wining and black cherry nuance in deepest recess. Despite heightened 9.1% alcohol range, lighter flavor profile than most Imperial Stouts.