Boozy sour-honeyed orange-dried lemon peel-embittered cask conditioned ale retains sweet malt counteraction to restrict heady juniper usurpation. On tap 2011, gentle hop-spiced peach-orange fruiting breeched minor ethanol burn and plasticine clay-hopped peppering.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
CUSQUENA PREMIUM LAGER
Seltzer-like clear-yellowed white-headed Peruvian with subtly aromatic corn-sugared crystal malting and propulsive lemony hop zip sinks to oblivion as straw wheat backend dries out. Sourdough challah breading and maple-sapped black licorice taunt save it from being completely ordinary. Too cloy and less soothing than most South of the Border lagers.
DAVIDSON BROTHERS INDIA PALE ALE
Tenuous IPA lacks stylistic complexity and depth but retains crisp, clean template. Phenol-spiced red-fruited complacency and shrill orange-peeled pine-hopped astringency falter to dim cereal-grained wheat-honeyed backbone. Distant floral-dabbed peach-cherry-apple illusions receive weird sunflower-seeded herbal fungi nuance. Bland metallic finish worsens over time.
DE KONINCK ALE
Top fermented amber-hued barleywine-wafted Belgian with bitter-hopped lemon zest countering quickly dissipating rustic grains. Mellow dry malts linger to unassuming finish as slimmest orange peel droplet pushes along casual floral adjuncts. But narrow aftertaste limits its appeal.
DERGY’S CLASSIC ALE
Sedate buttery flow and casual spiced hop bitterness satiate floral yeast sweetening, but slight astringency at tempered finish knocks back initial warmth. Brewery defunct: 2006.
DESCHUTES MIRROR POND PALE ALE
Subdued Cascade hop bittering welcomes tangy citric-spiced spree above crystalline water. Fruited tartness never disrupts dry-roasted nut-grained caramel finish.
DIEBELS PREMIUM DARK
Pungent hop-grain confluence politely embitters single malt Scotch flow. Cardboard-edged wood tones half-sweetened by cane sugaring to thick black molasses finish.
DOGFISH HEAD BLACK & BLUE
Unassumingly heady pink-paled ruby-hued 10% alcohol ‘malt beverage’ ineffectively combines black raspberry with blueberry puree. Result: bitter blueberry-cranberry-boysenberry undercurrent nips at overripe blueberry-raspberry sweetness, causing negative vinous phenol souring to dislodge fruity frontage. Ultimately lacks overall depth, complexity, and resilience of brewer’s exquisite Red & White.
DOGFISH HEAD OLDE SCHOOL BARLEYWINE
Incredible 15% alcohol wallop, sweet sticky Scotch malt kick, and peach brandy warmth provide unmistakable complexity for fig-fermented barleywine. Cereal grains enhance lingered caramel-butterscotch permanence as seductively juicy mandarin orange, red grape, black cherry, and mango medley overlay earthy evergreen dryness and roasted nut bottom. On tap, tangy grapefruit bitterness and candied sugar splendor detected.
DOGWOOD SUMMER BREW
Crisp Belgian-styled witbier counters serene orange marmalade-grapefruit tang and spicy citric bitterness with complementary coriander bite. Herbal hops and piney nuttiness permeate oncoming banana-apricot illusions as bruised orange reminder kicks in nicely. Brewery defunct: 2005.
DOS EQUIS NOCHE BUENA SPECIAL HOLIDAY AMBER LAGER
Rigidly carbonated, fluffy white-headed, maroon-bronzed bock-like winter warmer places enticing cinnamon-nutmeg spicing below toasted caramel malting. Mild hop-bitten corn-sugared sweetness depletes wintry seasoning, but not ice tea-like sentiment.
(DU LIEVRE) LA MONTOISE
Fair golden-hazed medium-bodied Canadian fare. Fire-roasted barley surge depletes marginal dry-hopped spicing and latent grapefruit-pineapple fruiting reminiscent of less efficient India Pale Ale. In need of crisper bitterness.