On tap at Ambulance, milk-sugared raspberry and tart cherries explode on the scene in exquisite fashion. Pink cotton-candied Red Sour Patch Kid description is well-suited as zesty lemon spritz and wispy ammonia salting contrast against cherry jubilee, raspberry puree and rhubarb pie alacrity. A cheery powdered candy alternative.
On tap at Ambulance, relegated wit-styled orange peel and coriander sweetness pervaded by spiced grapefruit sugaring that crosscuts musky herbal Belgian yeast fungi in mannered cracked wheat setting.
On tap at Plank Pizza, mild year-round clear-paled witbier relegates stylish orange-peeled coriander spicing for silken mineral water flow. Tart orange rot and dry plantain subsidies plus light herbal musk flutter softly thru zesty citric-fizzed finish.
On tap at Ambulance, rustic saison blended with barrel-aged golden sour ale retains lactic Belgian yeast esters for tart blackberry adjunct. Sharp lemon-limed pucker rubs against zesty grapefruit juicing and vinous white wine wisps over hay-like barnyard acridity, relegating sour blackberry simmer.
On tap at Beef Trust, sour lemon-limed peach juicing gains mild rice-wined Setting Sun Sake influence as white peppered coriander salting, Band-aid-like astringency and mild grapefruit bittering register below moderate dry body.
On tap at Ambulance, dry mixed fermentation farmhouse ale adds white grape juice to lime-salted acidity over spelt-dried dehusked oats for sour frontage. Vinous white wine esters gain champagne sparkle and peppery tingle.
On tap at Plank Pizza, “fluffy” soft-toned IPA guides apricot pureed tartness into powdered candy Hawaiian Punch stead. Sweet ‘n sour lemon-dropped raspberry, pineapple, passionfruit, papaya and guava illusions fade quickly to wispy white breaded bottom.
On tap at Plank Pizza, spritzy pinkish amber-cleared German-styled radler retains blood orange pith, rind and peel influence glazed in turn by candied Valencia orange syruping. Mild shandy-like lemonade tartness reinforces juicy blood orange stead. Wispy mimosa, orange soda, Orangina and rosé illusions waver.
On tap at Ambulance, delicate “Dusseldorf-inspired altbier” (loosely coined a copper ale) utilizes zesty Kaffir lime and perfumed Motueka-hopped tropicalia to the fore as limey mandarin orange misting stays dry over earthen mineral graining.
CARLSTADT, NEW JERSEY
After gypsy brewing at Jersey’s High Point, Czig Meister and Alementary since January 2013, BOLERO SNORT BREWERY entrepreneur Robert Olson finally expanded his empire to include a large, high ceilinged, 16,000 square-foot, aluminum Industrial building within the Meadowlands in Carlstadt.
Since Bolero Snort’s at the doorstep of Giants Stadium and the horse track, getting curious brewpub enthusiasts thru the door won’t be a problem. Olson’s varied, oft-experimental beer designs span the stylish spectrum as offbeat hybrids, barrel-aged endeavors, whimsical one-offs, cocktail knockoffs and sour ales with bovine taglines get interspersed with more traditional fare.
A 24-tap L-shaped serving station at the gray cement-floored, garage-doored, right side ground level featuring three TV’s, barreled tables and Edison lights is situated next to the abundant open space holding the vast brewing equipment.
An upstairs lodge (with ten draught taps and three picnic tables) overlooks the brewing operations that includes a huge grain silo, several sterling silver tanks, kettle sour barrels, a canning line and fermenters atop a silver-and-red floor seemingly dedicated to Olson’s high school, Bergen Catholic.
My wife and I perused Bolero Snort, February 1, 2020, two weeks after its snowy grand opening.
Muskily dry light body, Hooffa, a heady barnyard-leathered German-styled pilsner with herbal cologne-perfumed lemon licks and dark floral remnants.
Lemony pineapple-candied grapefruit zest crowded spicy pale malts and grassy hop astringency for IPA-tinged wheat beer, Grazer, relegating earthen dewy mossing and cellared fungi mustiness atop a delicate cracked wheat spine.
Minty watermelon tartness fortified Watermelon + Mint Grazer, a nifty spinoff with melon rind earthiness, sour lemondrop whim and recessive vodka-ginned alcohol nip.
Mild ‘hoppy ale,’ BullYum, brought lightly heated Thai chili peppering to ginger-minted lime dryness and latent green tea-like bittering.
Salty lemon-limed Margarita knockoff, Coconut BullYum, stayed mild as wispy Thai chili peppering serenaded limey coconut tartness and subtle ginger herbage.
Maple -sugared cherry and vanilla sweeten Cherry + Vanilla Bu’ll Be Bock, a lactic dessert-like confection with mildly pungent citric hop astringency rubbing against dark cherry-pureed caramel malting.
Lemon-spiced grapefruit, orange and pineapple zest fronted Hello…My Bull Pen Is..., a Citra-hopped moderation with celery watered crisping and soft dry wood tones.
Conditioned on peanut butter, amber-hazed NEIPA, Dirty SnowBull Fights, brought milk-sugared vanilla to lactic yogurt-soured pineapple tartness, yellow grapefruit rind bittering, zesty orange peel juicing and piney underbrush, leaving only a meager peanut-oiled influence.
During cold February ’22 stopover before Sunday dinner, tried two fine IPA’s, one fruited sour and a stout (three of which were interesting collaborations).
Salty candied citrus tartness gains lactic milk sugaring for Calf Life Fruited Sour, bringing sweetly soured dragonfruit, guava and pineapple adjuncts to the fore alongside vibrant yellow grapefruit and navel orange zesting.
A collab with Melovino Meadery, Hexagon Treasure NEIPA let orange blossom honey dryly saturate lemony grapefruit, clementine and mandarin briskness as its ever-present chili pepper burn spreads across the raw-honeyed citric finish.
In alliance with fellow Jersey brewer, Icarus, golden-glowed Imperial IPA, WhyKickAMooCow, placed lightly acidic lactic yeast souring inside the cleanly crisp lupulin-powdered yellow grapefruit, mandarin and tangerine zestfulness.
Partnering with Pennsylvania’s Abomination, cream-filled white chocolate cookie knockoff, Abominabull Imperial Milk Stout, embraced sugared coffee, bourbon vanilla, marshmallow and anise sweetness above its honeyed wheat base.
bolerosnort.com
On tap at Ambulance, smoothly creamed bourbon-aged Velvet Merkin Stout variant utilizes Puya chili heat to impact bourbon vanilla sweetness and cinnamon-spiced cocoa nibs splendor. Mildly chili peppered milk chocolate sugaring spreads thru subsidiary gingerbread, toasted coconut, caramel coffee and cappuccino illusions.
On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, sweet bourbon vanilla pleasantry enjoins dry whiskey tones and mildly creamed brown chocolate malting, splashing noirish burgundy warmth on the delicate finish. Subtle oaken vanilla tannins receive tertiary dark cherry, maple molasses, toasted coconut, crème brulee and salted caramel nuances to add further splendor.
