Curious Kosher deli sandwich knockoff proves to be a spicy rye-dried enticement as brown-sugared cured meat, mustard-seeded smoked salami and applewood-smoked bacon glazed by dainty Blackstrap molasses bittering. Black and red peppering as well as coriander-seeded curry snips singe smoke-spiced rye bread spine.
On tap at Ambulance, underwhelmingly thin doppelbock brings faded hazelnut, chestnut and praline subtleties to dewy molasses rye meadow leading to toasted brioche breading.
On tap at Plank Pizza, crisply clean bohemian lager relies on dry raw-grained minerality and salty floral herbage as grassy lemon-seeded astringency teases the musky finish.
On tap at Plank Pizza, stylishly robust lager retains dry raw-grained rusticity, herbal perfumed lemon musk and leafy hop astringency.
On tap at Ambulance, crisply clean dry-hopped pilsner metes out mild citrus spicing of a sessionable IPA to doughy biscuit malt spine and herbal drift of a bohemian Czech lager. Polite grapefruit, green grape and mandarin orange subtleties stayed wispy.
On tap at Plank Pizza, mild barleycorn musk meets lemony herbal-tinged orange oiling above biscuity malts.
On tap at Ambulance, stylishly crisp dry-bodied moderation with lightly creamed biscuit buttering picks up dawdling floral herbage and grassy Saaz hop astringency for mildly spiced lemony melon tingle at rustic raw-grained finish.
On tap at Plank Pizza, lightly pungent Czech pils brings mild floral herbage and light lemon licks to delicate wheat cracker base.
On tap at Taphouse 15, dry grain musk pervades grassy floral-herbed Saaz hops to doughy bread bottom of easygoing Czech-styled pils.
NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT
TOX BREWING COMPANY became New London, Connecticut’s first brewpub, April 2019. Run by a few local ‘curiosity-filled’ beer nerds, Tox crafts many vibrantly sharp IPA’s alongside an eclectic array of stylistic offshoots.
Occupying a rustic cabin with community-tabled front patio, the epoxy-floored pub offers a six-chaired L-shaped serving station, several metal-wood Industrial tables and a fabulous Beer Style map on the right wall. The turquoise-daubed copper patina draught stations match the bar frontage while twisted Edison lights provide cool antiquity and a TV at the bar sits atop the mushroom-handled draught taps. The rear brew room has a raw feel.
During my December ’21 venture, got to try nine impressive suds.
Dry pilsner-malted kolsch, Crocus, let orange-rotted champagne fizz prickle vinous grape, tart cherry and spicy saffron as well as Noble hop herbage in a mild manner.
Dewy dried fruited spicing anchored Mandrake, a heady 9.5% ABV Scotch Ale with caramelized chestnut, praline and almond nuttiness and light tobacco roast.
Sharp flagship IPA, Amanita, brought floral-spiced tropicalia to the fore as mango-candied grapefruit, orange and tangerine tang contrasted piney hop bittering.
Dry soft-tongued NEIPA, Devil’s Trumpet, allowed lemon-candied peach, mango and pineapple tanginess to penetrate mild coniferous pine tones and black pepper whims.
Bright ‘n lively IPA, Eft Citra, let zesty lemon and orange-candied mango, papaya and grapefruit spicing pick up waxy crayon grouting and lacquered pine oiling.
Cocktail-inspired sour IPA, Box Jelly Paloma, based on Mexico’s national drink, plied sea-salted agave to mild limey grapefruit pith bittering for a nifty tequila knockoff.
Briskly sharp Christmas-spiced fruited sour, Lily Of The Valley – Spiced Cranberry Sauce, a distinct Berliner Weiss variant, backed its salted lemony cranberry tartness with orange-peeled cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger seasoning and vanilla-daubed maple syruping.
Another wintry treat, Holly, Holiday Fruitcake Winter Warmer, hurled gingerbread-bound cinnamon, vanilla and almond sweetness at dried fruited nuttiness for a strong 8.5% ABV confection.
Guatemalan coffee roast pervaded luxurious milk stout, Deadly Nightshade, bringing brown-sugared cinnamon spicing, candied hazelnut glaze, vanilla and espresso illusions into the rich java scheme.
There will never be a more endearing, honest and well-liked man to walk this earth as John Madden. A larger-than-life Oakland Raiders coach and highly decorated sportscaster, he was loved by all for his humor, personality and respect for the game of football. He will be missed for his generosity and kindness of spirit. Here he is winning the 1977 Super Bowl.
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK
At the bottom of the hill in Poughkeepsie’s bustling Main Street promenade, ZEUS BREWING COMPANY began operations December ’19. An exquisite Industrial chic pub on the large-windowed first floor of the Queen City loft, its rooftop bar and lounge overlook the Hudson River. Rising to prominence quickly, Zeus joins King’s Court, Mill House and Blue Collar as Poughkeepsie’s first four modern microbreweries.
Brewmaster Amit Ram (formerly of nearby Peekskill and Newburgh breweries) utilizes a left side seven-barrel system to craft his brisk IPA-centric fare as well as nifty one-offs and recurring fare. The upscale pub menu includes brick oven pizza, artisanal entrees, burgers, wings and sandwiches plus specialty cocktails, wine and ciders.
Two colossal neo-Classical wood cabinet murals grace the ten-seat bar. The beautiful black brick-tiled bar back features one bronze draught station with twelve tap handles (and a TV peering out from each corner). Several four-seat wood tables fill out the high-ceilinged black and white-walled pub.
Classic soul music played as my wife and I enjoyed all ten available brews during our December ’21 trip prior to dinner up the street at Schatzi’s.
Muskily earthen grained German-styled light-body, Queen City Pilsner, left a dainty floral-spiced lemon spec upon its French-breaded spine.
Dewy Aviator Doppelbock let rye-spiced brown breading, peaty mossing and dried fig combine alongside sugary toffee malts.
Rustic P.F.L. Harvest Lager retained leathery hay dryness, earthen truffle musk and honeyed rye buttering for mild butternut squash adjunct.
Crisp moderate dark lager, Crown & Anchor English Mild, filled its dewy peat meadow with sashayed red-orange fruiting and leafy hop astringency above biscuity cereal malts.
A Mosaic-hopped West Coast pilsner (collaboration with Wayward Lane), Everything For Everyone brought sharp floral-perfumed lemon bittering to mild lacquered pine tones contrasting cereal grained pilsner malting.
Similarly West Coast styled, Cruisin’ The One, a bright IPA, let juicily yellow grapefruit-peeled orange tanginess and candied lemon absorb floral-daubed piney hop resin.
Escaping to two East Coast IPA variants, dry Nelson Sauvin-hopped Nelson Road hid sour gooseberry tartness beneath lightly lingered grapefruit and mandarin orange bittering.
Meanwhile, fellow New England IPA, Mall Santa, provided spicier sweetness to its zestful grapefruit, orange, pineapple and peach tang.
Delicate yellow-hazed Imperial IPA, Square Two, retained dry grapefruit-orange zesting, mild pine bittering and floral-herbed snips as subtle apricot-tangerine notions waver.
Easygoing Berliner Weiss, Urban Oasis Italian Plum & Cranberry, allowed sour cranberry and dried plum tartness to gain briny lemon liming without overloading citric acidity.