Highly carbonated chestnut-hued Trappist ale overwhelmed at first sips by dry raisin prominence. Earthen cherry wood tones and meandering chocolate malt follow-up gently sweeten fig-date tartness while brawny 8% alcohol flow gives sugared maple finish a much-needed kick.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
ST. PETER’S CREAM STOUT
All St. Peter’s brews bought in unusual small-neck flask-shaped green pint bottles. As best of the bunch, this robust midnight black stout juxtaposes smoked peat, charred oats, burnt toast, and soy milk against lactic sweet chocolate thrust. Silken cappuccino finish picks up roasted coffee bean souring and curt chicory penetration as molasses, vanilla, cookie dough, tobacco chew, and anise illusions gain luster alongside cola-walnut coarsening. Tertiary taffy-cocoa twinge bide time. St. Peter himself sips these at the pearly gates of heaven.
SAKU ESTONIAN PORTER
Murkily defined Baltic porter retains acrid dark chocolate malting over soured prune-raisin subsidy. Milky dark amber hue result of ‘mellow’ caramel malting, sweet honeyed molasses dip and mild fudgy creaminess. Barley-roasted mocha mildness puts this closer to brown ale than heavier porter. Too light and watery up-front, though medicinal-to-chocolate liqueur finish retains richness. More peculiar than unique.
SAMUEL ADAMS HALLERTAU IMPERIAL PILSNER
Busy amber-hazed pils promises ‘enormous, almost reckless quantities of Hallertau hops.’ Pungently perfumed pine-resinous spruce tip frontage drops off as bitter juniper berry slope deepens lingering orange-grapefruit-peach tang. Tertiary pumpernickel, buttered popcorn, muted herb and evergreen illusions awaken citric notions.
SAMUEL ADAMS SUMMERFEST ALE
On tap, quick berry fruitiness retains citrus-hopped fizz and ripe grapefruit-tangerine-orange blossom sweetness. Sunset orange turbidity matches thick yeast-malt concentration.
SANDPIPER EXTRA GOLD LAGER
Skunky odor gives way to flaccid sour malts and buttery yeast. Paltry hop continuance persists to uninvolved finish. Nothing special, but cheaply priced.
SAPPORO STOUT DRAFT
Premium draft from island of Hokkaido brewed with malted barley. Typical Far East pleasantries such as sweet yeast penetration, mild grain influx, and simple hop bitterness lighten its appeal so don’t buy this if you’re expecting a heavily rich stout, ’cause it ain’t one.
SARANAC LAGER
Toasted barleymalt sweetness highlights rice-y follow-through and buttery creaminess reminiscent of Sleeman’s (but not as well-defined). Suffers from same ‘clear bottle syndrome’ Miller and Corona do, remaining basic, second rate, and worse, cloying.
SARANAC STOUT (2001 LIMITED EDITION)
Chewy autumnal stout with dry malt sweetness, maple influence and blackened mocha singe. Stove-burnt coffee bitterness and chocolate cookie thickness provide further thirst-craving full-bodied richness. Dark caramel shadows oats-flaked sourdough follow-through. Not as creamy or memorable at the finish as most first class stouts, but fine nonetheless.
(DUBUISSON) SCALDIS CLOVIS (BUSH AMBREE TRIPEL)
Sugar-spiced musty-wafted yellow-hued Belgian strong ale gains vinous grape sourness above clove-nutmeg-coriander seasoning and creamy caramel malting. Fizzy carbolic bubbling reminiscent of sparkling wine or champagne. Fine for after dinner holiday sipping.
SCHOUNE LA TRIP DES AVEC EPICES
Delicate floral-fruited spice ale with unassuming 8% alcohol retains creamy banana-butterscotch center, bubbly hop spritz, and sweet vanilla hint to grapefruit-dried lemon meringue finish. Didn’t pick up any hemp as per left-side label.
SEA DOG RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE
Dull sweet-tart raspberry theme gets delicately fizz-hopped, but dry-bodied fruit ale needs deeper fruit penetration, stronger wheat wafer resolve, and less soapy oxidized finish. In ’04, Pugsley Brewing (Portland, Maine) drafted similar version with honey-dripped lemony snicker detected.