On tap at Plank Pizza, easygoing lime cologned zesting embellished by domestic corn dryness, hay-like barnyard acridity and mineralized pilsner malting.
(ROCK WALL) SNIKI-TIKI SCORPION STYLE COCKTAIL
Disturbingly cloy rum-punched orange and pineapple-juiced malt beverage will only suit sweet-toothed grenadine martini bimbos. A dollop of strawberry ripeness invades the tart pineapple-orange conflux of tedious Scorpion-like cocktail.
ROCK WALL HEMPTAILS CITRUS GOLD
Slick blood orange tang and mild hemp-oiled hop resin scrape surface of undecided ginger ale-derived malt liquor. Soda-like hard seltzer fizzing snaps back at vodka-licked Orange Fanta midst of hemp-seeded, flat-headed, aluminum-cleared derivation.
DOCKSIDE BREWERY
MILFORD, CONNECTICUT
DOCKSIDE BREWERY & WATERFRONT BIERGARTEN is an expansive white colonial barnhouse gastropub spreading far and wide along the Housatonic riverbanks of Milford, Connecticut. Featuring a pristine 40-tap main barroom, multi-level plastic-seated deck, community-tabled picnic area, several uniquely furnished riverfront pods, sandy benches and a game area, this mammoth brewery also serves as a fabulous local sportsbar with TV’s at every angle.
Opened May 2020 during Covid fever, Dockside’s neon signage leads Route 95 traffic, marina-bound fishermen and local sailors to its grand 4,200 square-foot location. A major part of the village of Devon’s riverfront revitalization, Dockside’s proved to be what co-owner Bob Chicoine calls “a gateway to Milford.”
I chowed on New England clam chowder and my wife had Dockside fig and pig pizza while consuming eight delightfully rounded home brews, February ’23. Several guest draughts were also available.
Crisply dry aluminum cleared Mexican pale lager, El Capitan, let dry maize-husked fungi, Tettnang hop herbage and celery watering sidle corn flaked biscuit buttering as soapy lemon cologne surfaced.
Peculiar helles lager, Driftwood Oak, saddled its delicate oaken bark dryness with floral-perfumed citrus fruiting and tarragon-sage herbage atop grainy pilsner malting.
Dry Imperial IPA, Destructo, brought mild lemon-peeled white grapefruit bittering to sugary oats malting as juniper-licked peach, guava and cherry illusions wavered.
Mellow lemony orange-peeled grapefruit bittering perked up piney dry-hopped West Coast IPA, Califragilistic, a crystal malt sugared medium body.
Salted lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering grew incrementally alongside lactic milk sugaring of Feelin’ Juicy NEIPA, placing tertiary coconut-mango-papaya tropicalia alongside oats-flaked pilsner malting.
Another nifty NEIPA, Squooshy, retained a briny soft-tongued fruitiness and yogurt-soured milk sugaring as scurried grapefruit, blueberry, passionfruit and tangerine tanginess plus zesty lemon bittering rose above its oated flaked wheat base.
Sour-candied Let ‘Em Eat Cake #3 splendidly knocked off a strawberry banana pastry with its dry lemon-puckered saltiness contrasting sweet banana and tart strawberry.
Lovely confectionery nightcap, Something Sinister Pastry Stout unleashed caramel-salted coconut cheesecake creaminess upon honeyed Graham Cracker sweetness to its milk chocolatey hazelnut coffee finish.
TRIBUS BEER CO.
MILFORD, CONNECTICUT
TRIBUS BEER CO. opened during springtime 2018 inside a 15,000 square-foot warehouse five miles from busy Route 95 in the seafaring town of Milford. Specializing in a wide range of India Pale Ales, its enclosed community-tabled beer garden connects four overhead doors to the high aluminum ceilinged brewpub. A bulb-lit MILFORD sign and hop vine-designed ‘three friends’ symbol adorn the left tiled wall.
A wraparound oak-topped bar with twenty tap handles sidewinds its way around the cement-floored interior. Several wood-topped aluminum-stooled tables and a few community tables at the right side beer tanks fill out the Industrial space.
A wall-flowered gaming backroom with cushioned couches, community tables and decorative barrels adds room for parties and social gatherings.
After visiting nearby Dockside Brewing, my wife and I spent an hour imbibing six Tribus numbers midafternoon, February ’23.
Perennial flagship NEIPA, Benji, combined Citra, Mosaic and Eldorado hops for its sunny lemon-pledged orange rind, white grapefruit and apricot briskness while salty yogurt-soured guava and gooseberry souring coated oats flaked creaming.
Mellow yellow grapefruit, zesty orange peel, tangy pineapple and salted lemon caressed dry Imperial IPA, Body Pillows, leaving grassy astringency on its oats-flaked red wheat base.
Juicy vodka-nipped orange peeled grapefruit tanginess consumed Refresh, picking up ancillary pineapple, peach and honeydew sweetness to contrast mild pine resin above honeyed pale malting.
Roasted dark chocolate nuttiness and dark coffee bittering saddled Called Quest Robust Porter, sashaying thru sweet milk chocolate creaming.
Rich (10.5% ABV) Imperial Stout, Mocha Night Night, snuck dark chocolatey cocoa nibs and milked coffee thru smoked Blackstrap molasses continuance, gaining walnut charred hop sear as sinewy maple sap dripped off the dry mocha finish.
Bourbon-soaked oak chips permeated the molasses-smoked chocolate center of Brass Roots Barleywine, a plush burgundy-licked elixir with black cherry, dried prune, purple grape and plum illusions.
HUBBARD’S CAVE VANILLA EVERYDAE IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Pompton Craft House, terrific sundae ice cream dessert knockoff stays heavenly rich as creamy Madagascar vanilla bean sweetness gets topped by dark chocolate syruping. Protruding vanilla-chocolate essence obtains luscious caramel latte, creme brulee, toasted marshmallow, banana whipped cream, spiced bourbon, sweet burgundy and sherry illusions.
HEAVY REEL BRING OUT THE GOON INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Pompton Craft House, effervescently soft-toned NEIPA with resonant Mosaic/Citra-hopped yellow grapefruit, orange rind and pineapple zesting gains musty cannabis-like Strata-hopped dryness as well as mild lemon-limed gooseberry, guava and white grape bittering. Creamy oated wheat base stays sturdy. Recommended.
OTHER HALF CABBAGE IMPERIAL IPA
Vibrantly bittersweet orange-peeled yellow grapefruit tanginess, juicy pineapple tartness and spritzy lemon zesting pick up dainty floral spicing to contrast muted herbal pining as ancillary peach, mango and clementine illusions increase durable fruitfulness of double dry-hopped, oated wheat-based IPA.
OTHER HALF CHEDDAR IMPERIAL IPA
Briskly clean double dry-hopped IPA brings pleasant lemony orange-peeled yellow grapefruit bittering and zesty pineapple-mango tang to peppery herbage and coniferous pine needling. Vodka-nipped citrus spiced finish stays firm.
GARDEN STATE NOR’EASTER EAST COAST INDIA PALE ALE
In the can, slightly divergent East Coast IPA differs from trendsetting New England IPA styling by snuffing sour yogurt fruiting and creamier oated base for more straightforward citric-pined profile. Brisk grapefruit-peeled orange misting flirts with grassy-hopped wood tones in popular Citra-Mosaic-Eldorado hop showdown.
GRIMM FOUR EVER RAINBOW SOUR ALE
Dry Sabro-hopped pink guava tartness consumes zesty lime juicing, vinous white wining, mandarin orange misting and floral lavender cologne waft. Sour guava permeates slightly citric-salted finish.
EDMUND’S OAST SOUR CURUBA
Ultra-dry limey curuba brining gains yuzu-like lemon pith bittering plus acidic cat urine-stained ammonia solvency. Spritzy lemon lime souring picks up latent white peach, passionfruit, crabapple and pomegranate tartness. Sour heads prevail.
