On tap at Ambulance, enigmatic pale ale fortifies “grigio-esque” wine profile and advertised raspberry-cantaloupe conflux with resinous shellac varnishing in favorable fashion. White grape midst gains Chardonnay splendor and orange-dried grapefruit tartness as well as teasing mango-papaya-guava tropicalia above dank barley-gristed hop musk. For experimental pale ale palates gone sour.
Best of class. Dewy peat moss seeps into cocoa-dried Bakers chocolate malting and musky dried fruiting in a profound way. Rustic farmhouse yeast provides proper cellar-like mustiness to sweet n’ sour plum, prune, black cherry and burgundy alacrity as well as purple grape esters. Not far removed from a doppelbock with its brown-sugared breading, sweet toffee linger and spiced chocolate dalliance.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, caliginous saison lets well-watered minerality heighten stylish cellar musk for overriding plum-dried purple grape tartness. Charcoaled hops and barnyard must add mild acridity to parched Bakers chocolate snip. But it’s the wild oats-malted dried fruiting that wins out.
On tap at Ambulance, mixed culture yeast souring brings puckered lemon-candied green grape tartness to the fore. Vinous grape continuance and mild citric acidity scour chaffy wheat spine.
Summery light-bodied tropicalia needs deeper coconut thrust. Crisp lemon zest awakens mellow toasted coconut influence as mild hop astringency punctuates vanilla-sugared citric surface above frail wheat-corned malting. Teasing lemon meringue, lemon coconut cake and lemon custard illusions flutter.
On tap at Ambulance, decent dry-hopped pale-yellowed moderation needs more pronounced helles bock features. Tropical Saphir hops bring zesty lemon, tangerine and orange tang to the fore, but timid sugared pale malting diminishes. Sweet floral-perfumed citrus spicing eventually contrasted by lightly embittered clover honey astringency.
On tap at Ambulance, spicy Southwestern-styled summertime lager lightly spreads blue agave nectar across “lime-leafed papaya” and lemon-candied sourness. Mild pilsner malting and Noble hop bittering keep this on the light side.
Fetching 3rd anniversary India Pale Lager unites multiple hop variety (Amarillo, Simcoe, Galaxy, Citra, Equinox) with German pale malts. Fluffy white-headed, yellow-hazed moderation renders spicily perfumed citrus zest. Lemon-seeded orange peel and grapefruit rind bittering settles across mild resinous hop earthiness.
On tap at Ambulance, stylishly efficient Vienna lager crowds cereal-grained nut breading with dewy peat earthiness, mild caramel spicing, grassy Hallertau hop musk, sour lemon twist and dank fungi must. Busy, but not overwhelmingly so.
On tap at Growler & Gill, lemony Seltzer-fizzed bantam retains corn-dried cream ale profile as pale malts sugaring and subdued grassy hops merge for simple, sessionable softie. 
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.
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