Strong rust-hued 9.6% alcohol-fueled barleywine with alleviating spry fruitiness overwhelming subtle nut-grain bitterness. Maple syrup thickness and cider quip relegate cinnamon-toasted holiday seasoning.
Category Archives: Beers A-Z
SIERRA NEVADA UNFILTERED WHEAT
Lacking sufficient wheat essence, pale medium body relies instead on moderate herbal-spiced citric-berry austerity. Bittersweet fruit tang, hop-charred maple stead and sour nutty bottom receive fresh watered crisping. Not as aggressive as better, more refined wheat ales.
SIXPOINT OTIS OATMEAL STOUT
Indelible nitro-injected full body places thickly rewarding cappuccino creaminess above milky black chocolate density and toasted barley-oats foundation. Roasted hop char deepens tertiary walnut, anise, and tobacco chew illusions.
SLEEMAN CREAM ALE 64
Translucent coppery one-off can’t escape miring Sleeman-related grain dankness. Yet heavier alcohol combustion and tangy orange-apricot stint best brewers’ traditional Cream Ale. Sweet malts turn frustratingly pungent though straw-to-cracked wheat spine holds up well against meager lemon drop snip. Too bad carbolic diacetyl finish gets oily. (Numeric appellation designates ancient recipe page.)
SLY FOX CHRISTMAS 2007 ALE
Uncertain herbal-toned winter warmer boasts undeniable ginger frontage sweetened by sticky black licorice tongue, peppermint candied coolness, and teasing eucalyptus minting. After few swallows, sassafras-root beer component builds, but ruinous salty seaweed astringency outpaces advertised nutmeg-clove spicing.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN VELAS HELLES LAGER
Softly hop-spiced citric-centered summery ale with wispy lemon touch gets a bit phenol. At midst, orange blossom souring settles into tangy Orange Krush-like soda flow nicely.
SMUTTYNOSE WHEAT WINE ALE
Wonderful peach-y amber hued paragon crosses ‘voluptuous’ barleywine traits with tart American wheat ale distinctions. Abrupt biscuit-y wheat sweetness illuminated by apricot, orange rind, and grapefruit bitterness before resplendent butterscotch resilience thickens impending honeyed malt stickiness. Lingering spiced hop luxuriance prickles savory fruity tang. Simply impeccable.
SOUTHAMPTON DOUBLE WHITE ALE
Fabulous straw-hazed meringue-headed witbier embeds soured grapefruit, lemon rind and orange peel tang with lively white-peppered coriander-clove pep to candied malt finish. Oncoming apricot-grape-quince tartness and floral hop scamper noted on third passing. Well balanced, thickly viscous, crisply watered summertime perfection. On tap at brewpub, serene hazy golden moderation spreads fruity phenol waft across candi-sugared banana taffy sweetness battling back dry fizz-hopped lemony orange souring and slight clove-spiced herbal minting. Biscuit-y wheat bottom secures soft effervescence
SOUTHERN TIER BACK BURNER BARLEYWINE
Clear chestnut-amber hue too tepid for robust barleywine class. Neither chewy nor gooey enough to convince discriminating aficionados. Oaken Chinook hop dryness counters brown sugared molasses fade, reclining red cherry sway, tucked-in peach-pear dash, and finishing bruised orange upsurge. Wispy spiced rum-Courvoisier lilt fails to ignite.
SOUTHERN TIER PHIN & MATT’S EXTRAORDINARY ALE
Noble tropical fruited coppery pale ale tickles tongue as prickly carbonation awakens candi-sugared peach-banana-mango tropicalia and secondary bittersweet orange-grapefruit tang dotting piney hop resin. Wildflower honeyed cracked wheat base fortifies bottom.
SPANISH PEAKS WHITE ALE
Peculiar turbid yellow belly aligns fruit-spiced malted hops in offbeat manner. Tangy orange peel luster, zesty grapefruit-lemon pith tartness, and black-peppered coriander-clove seasoning embittered by hop-spritzed grain persistence. Grassy hay-leather component found on milder second passing. Better choice than Celis White Ale as toned down carbonation, mountain water briskness, and softening citric finish illuminate better. Perfect with spicy foods or barbecued meat.
SPRECHER SHAKPARO AFRICAN-STYLE ALE
Bland fire-brewed African-styled pale-bodied amber ale lacks stylistic resolve. Cloy sorghum-millet malting confronts acidic yellow-fruited hop tingle. Floral-spiced lemon bittering tucks in green grape tartness, unripe banana stint, and earthy gypsum spell.