Robust mocha-malted bronze porter nearly gives Sam Smith’s Tadcaster a run for the money. Though too watery to hit those lofty heights, roasted barleymalts advance ripe fruitcake sweetness and chocolate-toffee creaminess for rich full body.
SHEPHERD NEAME INDIA PALE ALE
Aromatic spiced hops, sweet caramel malting, and smooth barley-nut warmth welcome mild amber-hazed IPA, but watery ambiance takes away its nascent luster.
SHEPHERD NEAME BISHOPS FINGER KENTISH ALE
Healthy, hearty, heady Extra Special Bitter counters heavy grain influence and silken yeast sweetness with vinous grape touch. Toasted barleymalts enrich edgy hop bitterness matching pungent earthy aroma. Well balanced and sturdy from first swallow to finish.
SHENANDOAH STONY MAN STOUT
Sturdily creamy deep maroon full body gathers irresistible sour mocha resonance to complement ice coffee swatch. Port notes encounter macadamia-walnut-cola nut bittering before burnt caramel finish reinforces brown chocolate sweetness. Brewery defunct: 2010.
SHENANDOAH SKYLAND RED ALE
Turbid sunset orange ale retains highly carbolic phenol flow, depleting dry barley-wheat base and soapy orange rind-embittered peach suggestion. Yellow grape-dried white ale midst fades to grassy citrus tang where meager nutty recess withers. Brewery defunct: 2010.
SHENANDOAH OLD RAG MOUNTAIN ALE
Rich Scottish-style ale flaunts proud prune-browned hue, soured chocolate-cocoa creaminess and dry bourbon soothe. Resonant roasted coffee bid rises above brown-sugared caramel center, filling out complex mocha malt finish rather admirably. Brewery defunct: 2010.
SHENANDOAH BIG MEADOWS PALE ALE
Overriding barley-roasted cracked wheat frontage streamlines muted citric hop souring before blanched sugar maple finish aids benign wet grass, hay and horsehide leathering. But coppery pale body fades badly down the malt-dulled earth-toned stretch. Brewery defunct: 2010.
SHEEPSCOT VALLEY PEMAQUID ALE
Up-front coarse fig dryness of full-bodied Scottish Ale lingers above bittersweet black caramel-butterscotch expansion and wily licorice lick, gaining chocolate malt thickness to musty fruited midst. Soured mocha finish offset by late coming burnt cedar sweetness.
SEQUOIA MOTO BREW PALE ALE
Fine moto-cross aligned pale body brings soft barley-oats roasting to coarse-hopped orange-apricot tang and almond-cashew fade. White bread crust finish never forfeits fruited frolic of admirable session beer.
SEBAGO RUNABOUT RED ALE
Warbled dark amber-clouded dry body lacks highly hopped sharp-fruited nature of archetypal red ale, depending instead on chestnut-roasted barleymalt scheme, sweet tobacco leaf crisping, honeyed pecan passage and dismal vegetal conflux to its toasted cereal grain spine. Flustered grape-skinned orange-tangerine-apple fruiting picks up tropical pineapple-mango-grapefruit succor but offensive phenol acridity, aspirin-like astringency and cardboard-like finish deaden impact.
SEBAGO LAKE TROUT STOUT
Robust jet black ruby-highlighted stout retains dry mocha bitterness usurped from hop-roasted coffee-burnt souring. At coarse java finish, caramelized vanilla recess penetrates subordinate mineral-watered earthen peat smear.
SEBAGO HEFE-WEIZEN
Golden-paled dry-bodied German knockoff pits initial quince-peach-pear timidity against oncoming banana bread sweetness. Further swallows found deepened honey penetration and tempered rye quip securing wheat foundation.