On tap at Plank Pizza, crisply clean hopped-up India Pale Lager relies on floral-bound tropicalia to carry the load above musky wheat-dried grassiness. Spoiled lemony grapefruit-orange souring and salty herbal retreat try confronting tangy tangerine-pineapple-mango tropicalia, but its sweet side wins out.
Sharp yellow grapefruit tang gains brisk orange juicing and dry pine tones for zesty medium body. In the recess, sugary pale malts contrast herbal juniper nip.
On tap at Ambulance, dryly tropical lime and coconut-soaked collaboration with Virginia’s Aslin Beer Co. Salt-licked limey souring puckers mild coconut milking, leaving lactic imprint upon laidback grapefruit, curacao orange and tangelo snips. Somewhat unconvincing IPA hybrid needs to push the coconut forward.
On tap at Morris Tap & Grill, lovely magenta-hued moderation conditioned on raspberry, lime and orange zest receives mild Citra-Mosaic hop spritz. Candied lemon-limed tartness energizes slightly acidic fruited sourness above light oats-wheat malting. Liquid sherbet gone sour.
Pleasant mulberry-juiced wheat ale collaboration with Interboro utilizes light lactic acidulation to enliven sharp hop-spiced grapefruit-peeled orange tang. Subtle mulberry tartness also influences ancillary lemon-licked pineapple, peach and mango tropicalia for bright medium-bodied venture.
On tap at Ambulance, dry-hopped Beliner Weiss hybrid retains stylishly lactic bone-dry citrus souring and wayward wildflower-honeyed woodruff wisp to alter IPA-derived grapefruit juicing, curacao orange zesting and macerated peach tartness above sourdough wheat spine. 
On tap at Ambulance, brettanomyces-laden sour saison utilizes German Calistra-Grundgeist-Strisselspalt hop varieties to create vinous green grape esters, unripe orange-pineapple-guava tartness and dry lemon-limed salting above rustic white wheat spine. Puckering lemon-soured acidity rules the dry white wine-tinged finish.
On tap at Ambulance, rustic “table beer” (a loosely defined low alcohol Belgian pale ale with sour saison relevance) retains pleasant lemon lime tartness underscored by subtly salted wet grain musk and straw-dried barnyard rusticity. Lightly acidic citric souring gains milk-curdled yogurt spell above delicate white wheat spine of homespun farmhouse ale.
On tap at Ambulance, feisty clear amber-yellowed sour pale ale (an awkwardly defined mixed culture ‘biere de garde’) retains moderate lactic acidity for salty lemon-limed perfume musk and tannic grape-skinned tartness. Sour yogurt finish completes well-calibrated wild ale.
On tap at Plank Pizza, likable marzen-styled lager places spoiled citrus musk next to wet leafy hop mossing. Earthen Saaz hop earthiness embellishes musky orange-rotted lemon spoilage to nicely counteract its sugary pilsner-Vienna malt glaze.
On tap at Ambulance, crisply clean pilsner-malted cream ale places toasted white breading alongside dry herbal-grassed Noble hop astringency, rustic maize subtlety and zesty lemon twist. Just a tad bitterer than usual cream ale fare – and a tad better.
SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY
An exquisite upscale cocktail lounge with gourmet food and well-selected craft beer perfectly described as a “cozy hideaway,” TAPASTRE is centrally located on the corner of historic High Street alongside old Victorian properties and a pristine white-marbled courthouse.
A quaint patio with six umbrella-shaded metal tables and chairs welcomes patron to the dungeon-like low ceiling basement pub. A wraparound S-shaped granite-topped 15-seat bar features lots of shelved liquor and 22 draught taps as well as two TV’s and blackboard beer menu. Small pendant lighting lines the bar while beige embossed ceiling tiles cover the back dining space and several right side booths and tables add further refined elegance.
Upstairs, Project Pub pairs food such as ostrich burgers, ahi tuna, duck leg, schnitzel and chicken wings with featured brewery’s ales. Tonight, nearby Lone Eagle Brewing offers several choice beverages.
During my two-hour stay with wife in tow, I consumed Long Island duck confit and Cajun crabcakes with hummus while quaffing wide-ranging stylistic fare such as Alementary Kalamansi Gose, Nickel Brook Uber Peach Raspberry Beliner Weiss, Allagash Farm To Face Sour Ale, Flounder Sourlands Wheat, Cigar City Good Gourd, Icarus Sunwalker Smoked Pilsner, Icarus Lil Yacht Juice NE IPA, Sloop Liquid Sorcery NE IPA, Cricket Hill Comet Cloud Red IPA and red wine-barreled Brotherton Earthbound Saison (all reviewed in Beer Index).
On November ’20 dinnertime sojourn, sat outside at corner table to enjoy exquisite butternut squash soup (with roasted pumpkin-seeded nutmeg creaming) and jumbo barbecue chicken wings. Tried Icarus Kalashnikoffee PIL and Build Me Up Butternut Chili Porter, Carton Foster Imperial Cream Ale, breitling replica Last Wave Frothing Milkshake: Mango, New Holland Dragon’s Milk Rum Barreled Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Pastry Stout and Ashton Ida Weiss (reviewed in Beer Index).
www.tapastre.com
