Roasted grain sweetness caresses honeyed whiskey center, but watery follow-through flattens fruited hops substantially. Too bland and understated to draw attention of serious drinkers.
(MEXICANA) RED PIG MEXICAN ALE
Unlike typical moderate-bodied Mexican lagers, richer raw-honeyed grain-embedded ruddy-hued ale maintains bitterer backbone, plying earthen barley-hopped parch to profuse pumpernickel-rye toasting. But vegetal off-taste depletes leftover Graham Cracker sweetness as harshly oxidized ethanol finish unfolds.
MEXICALI LAGER
Brewed in Texas as well as Mexico, this lawnmowing pale lager has a long history and its bottled and canned versions have featured many different, but similar, labels. Obvious Tex-Mex tequila-agave assertion goes fine with lemon twist. But too delicate and unassuming, lacking distinction from fizzed pilsner mouthfeel to light grained finish.
METEOR PILS
Skunked malt pungency relinquished by orange-candied sweetness and mild lemony souring to wheat biscuit spine. Off-dry diacetyl finish ravages irretrievably light pale body.
(METEOR) MORTIMER PURE MALT BIERE
Durable sweet Scotch malt essence, strong alcohol luster and buttery nut flow weakened by muted peat graining. Though ancillary fruit tang and Belgian-like candi-sugaring add creamy cognac depth to lilting sherry warmth, understated soft-bodied appeal dampens resolve.
MESSINA PILSENER
Musty smelling Italian punctually carbolic, bitterly hopped, and delicately complex. Soft barleymalt tongue and lime-y Seltzer fizz perk up mild lemony grapefruit finish, giving moderate-bodied subtlety the edge over Italy’s lesser pils.
MENDOCINO WINTER ALE SPECIAL EDITION 2004-05
Full-bodied mahogany-hued winter warmer creases thrifty dry bourbon opening with piney ash, burnt cedar, and cigarette notes as roasted coffee bean theme develops beneath. Thick maple-molasses midst and chocolate-caramel subtext further enrich syrupy malt alleviation.
MENDOCINO WHITE HAWK I.P.A.
Grapefruit rind bitterness, orange peel souring, and spruce hop thicket contrast cereal-grained barley-toasted caramel malting of hazy gold dry body. Earthen tannic grape pucker and floral-piney resonance subdue peach-pear-honeydew seduction, but alcohol-burned juniper berry bittering goes to infinity.
MENDOCINO WHITE ALE
Easy drinkin’ beige-hazed Belgian-styled summer seasonal packs up-front white peppered coriander spicing into mildest fizzy-tongued orange peel, lemon skin, curacao orange, and sour nectarine tartness. Pronounced brimstone parch routs dry herbal repose and meandering orange-candied sweetness.
(MENDOCINO) TALON TRUE STYLE BARLEYWINE ALE
Admirable ruby-coppered barleywine (with 10% alcohol luster) enhances immediate fruity ripeness with gummy malt-yeast vigor. On first sip, orange-bruised black cherry tang come to fruition, sharpening frisky hop roast. Then, healthy prune-plum overload picks up mellow banana, genial black currant and tart grapefruit-apricot sensation. Sticky caramel-toffee thicket encases cedar-aged rum-spiced red wine finish, leaving minor vinous acidity and tannic grape dryness in its wake.
MENDOCINO SUN LAGER
Frugal dry malts and placid grain earthiness intersect daintily sour orange rind perimeter, receding to lightly-hopped watery finish. Acidic backwash defeats zesty citric punch as weak finish and fleeting aftertaste vanish with nary a trace.
MENDOCINO SUMMER ALE
Better and more resilient than most common summer brews, this unfiltered limited edition 2005 white ale brings orange peel bittering and tangy lemony fizz to wafting vegetal acridity. Peppery coriander-mint-thyme spicing adds comely seasonal depth. Though light-bodied, its busy wheat-based mix carries through to tannic yellow grape dryness illuminating sweltering banana-teased finish, retaining brimful sunlit buoyancy.