On tap at Growler & Gill, sudsy light-bodied Czech pils brings musky raw-grained oats and maize to mild lemony grapefruit-pitted bittering and wispy herbal nips. Simple, likable, sessionable.
MOHAWK HOUSE
SPARTA, NEW JERSEY
On three acres of “rolling hills and countryside” in the bucolic Western Jersey mining town of Sparta, MOHAWK HOUSE opened around 2004 after three years of construction. An exquisitely detailed and designed stone manor just off Route 94, this multifarious estate features several elegant wood furnished dining spaces, a roomy beer-centric bar, an expansive back patio (with hearth, grill and six-draught bar) and second-floor banquet space.
The cavernous red-bricked barroom offers an impressively broad U-shaped, 30-seat bar with decorative Edison light fixtures, bronze Temperance Eagle mural and back-windowed private room overlooking the glorious hillside. A temperature-controlled wine refinery sits across a top-to-bottom fireplace at the capacious right side dining room. The second-floor loft houses a conservatory, library with gas-powered hearth and back study.
Steve Scro, Mohawk House’s owner, enjoys Old World antiques and serving locally grown “farm to fork” upscale cuisine at his Bed & Breakfast-styled sanctuary. A host of cellar-aged bottled beer and great spirits are available alongside 50-plus local-to-national draught selections.
I had visited Mohawk House for a few beer-related events in the past. On this March 2018 mid-afternoon journey, I quaffed five previously untried brews, including three stouts (Green Flash Cacow Milk Stout, Flying Dog Sweet & Smoky Stout and Dark City Urban Decay Imperial Stout) , one porter (Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Blackberry Porter) and a fruity hybrid (Angry Erik Table 19 Infused Peach Tea). All are reviewed fully in Beer Index.
www.mohawkhouse.com
DEFIANT ROS COMAIN IRISH RED
On tap at Defiant, off-dry Irish Red balances barley-kilned pale malting, dewy tobacco-roasted earthiness and mild chestnut niceties in traditional Brit style. Distant red apple phenols and dried fig nuances stay behind.
BOLERO SNORT DOUBULL STUFFED
On tap at Beef Trust, alluring milk-sugared Imperial Stout aged on cocoa nibs and Madagascar vanilla retains creamy chocolate-coffee theme embedded with chewy toffee-candied sweetness. Light bourbon-burgundy wisp and black cherry snip saddle Oreo cookie-like chocolate cookie finish. King-size full-bodied mocha dessert treat.
HOPPIN’ FROG T.O.R.I.S. THE TYRANT TRIPLE OATMEAL IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Ambulance, richly luxurious jet black full body drapes syrupy anise sweetness atop fudged dark chocolate. Pleasant vanilla, cocoa, espresso and blackcurrant illusions pick up warming bourbon-port alcohol burn (lusty 13.8% ABV). Tarry hop char contrasts creamy oats-sugared mocha malting as well as crisp tobacco roast and latent blueberry-plum-raisin-cherry snips. Marvelous chocolate dessert beer.
KENT FALLS MULTIVERSE
On tap at Ambulance for St. Patrick’s Day ’18, “biggest beer made to date” by Kent Falls features chewy black chocolate syruping atop gooey anise spicing and wood-burnt hop char. Sweet vanilla, hazelnut, cocoa and milked espresso tones reinforce creamy mocha theme.
LAGUNITAS FUDGE AND SICKLE IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Ambulance, bold chocolate-fudged vanilla bean entry saddled by lightly tannic French oak chips. Chocolate cookie, fudged brownie and dark cocoa illusions deepen mocha-vanilla blend above minor wood-smoked hop char.
CHATHAM DRY IRISH STOUT
On tap at The Oath, “easy drinking” dry stout layers bittersweet dark chocolate roast above mild charred hop sedation. Wispy anise, blackcurrant and soy illusions drape lightly smoked mocha finish.
DU CLAW FOR PETE’S SAKE! IMPERIAL CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PORTER
Effectual Imperial version of brewers’ popular Sweet Baby Jesus retains uppity hop-oiled peanut butter creaming. Chewy peanut buttering retains dark-roasted heft. Bittersweet dark chocolate fudging, polite coffee roast and Blackstrap molasses guard rich peanut butter conspiracy.
DESTIHL MOONJUMPER MILK STOUT – NITRO
On tap at District Tap House NYC, soft-tongued creamed coffee entry receives subtle sour milk chocolate-malted cocoa and espresso undertones. Mild sweet ‘n sour chocolate-coffee theme picks up minor nut roast and wispy burgundy illusions that whither beneath the smooth nitro surface.
CARTON CUPID CHOCOLATE MALTED STOUT WITH ROSES
Valiant Valentine’s Day boxed chocolate alternative brings subtle rose petal sweetness to nitro-creamed chocolate malted richness. Syrupy eclair-like dark chocolate continuance picks up moderate nut-charred dark roast hop astringency to contrast fudged brownie, cocoa, molasses, espresso, black cherry and black licorice snips below the surface.
OMMEGANG CANDI STOUT
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, amiable hybridized Belgian dark ale/ traditional stout allows sweet candi-sugared Belgian yeast fusion affect bittersweet cocoa nibs, fudged toffee, Bakers chocolate and barley-flaked caramel malts. Creamy dark chocolate center gains subtle coffee, walnut and hazelnut illusions as well as whimsical dried fruit spicing and slight wood-charred peat mossing. A fine chocolate dessert treat for the holidays.
