“Elegant” dried-fruited mocha entry gains molasses-smoked toffee sweetness and vanilla-spiced caramel malting to contrast recessive black chocolate-roasted milked coffee bittering. Sugared fig, raisin and date nuances abound. Wispy bourbon vanilla licks gain peaty tobacco roast beneath the surface. Gentle on the tongue despite heady 11% alcohol warmth. 2017 re-tasting: Sweet-spiced chocolate liqueur entry gains bourbon, molasses, vanilla, toffee, caramel and Turkish taffy tones and an herbal nip.
THE BRUERY GUAVA LIBRE!
On tap at Burger Loft, bold Imperial Cream Ale (collaboration with Florida’s Funky Buddha) sets forth with sugared guava adjunct gently teasing sedate vanilla-creamed crystal malts – re-creating Cuban guava pastry. Mild orange spicing plus tertiary lemon custard, nectarine, peach, pineapple and melon snips reinforce tropical feel.
CARTON / BURIAL SHINSHU IMPERIAL CREAM ALE
On tap at 381 Main, soft-tongued cream ale collaboration with Asheville’s Burial lets aromatic ‘vanilla cake battering’ sweeten honeyed orange-tangerine tartness and dainty Scotch licks. Moderate salted miso influence contrasts mildly creamed vanilla stead.
LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS SIP OF SUNSHINE
On tap at Burger Loft, wildly popular juicily fruited ‘lupulin-laden’ Imperial IPA guides tangy pineapple, mango, grapefruit, orange and tangerine tropicalia above fulsome floral bouquet, grassy hop astringency and earthen wood dankness. Resiliently bright sunshiny effervescence gathers strength at briskly clean fruit-punched finish.
CZIG MEISTER U.S.S. GALAXY IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at 381 Main, likable Galaxy-hopped medium body comes across like an English-styled IPA as dewy peat soiling and leafy earthiness override spicy navel orange tartness. Light passionfruit, kiwi and papaya undertones via Galaxy hopping.
ALEMENTARY SKETCHBOOK: HOPS & DREAMS
On tap at 381 Main, dry Imperial IPA provides peachy tangerine tang with juniper-licked herbal licks, resinous pine oiling and murky vegetal whims.
FIRESTONE LEO V. URSUS FORTEM IMPERIAL IPA
On tap at 381 Main, bold 20th Anniversary Imperial IPA plies zesty lemony orange-tangerine tang to pine-needled hop bittering, dark-roasted wheat malts and mildly creamed sugar spicing. Ancillary grapefruit, mango and peach illusions add fruitful depth.
HILL FARMSTEAD DHARMA BUM
On tap at Burger Loft, dominant Simcoe-hopped bittering brings wood-dried citric fruiting to the fore. Steadfast grapefruit and orange rind bittering soaks into fresh-cut grassiness as moderate oaked pine parch settles below.
SMUTTYNOSE EAST COAST COMMON LAGER
Sturdy 2017 dry-hopped spring seasonal utilizes highly carbolic lager yeast to re-create San Francisco-styled steam beer. Mildly bitter citric spritz seeps into delicately pungent resinous hop astringency. Lemony grapefruit spurt and teasing fig-date conflux linger lightly above grainy earthen malts.
DENNY’S BEER BARREL PUB
CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA
Just off Route 80 in Central Pennsylvania, DENNY’S BEER BARREL PUB will please any burger-lovin’ beer pounder. Founded by owner Denny Liegey in 1977, this barnstable-like Clearfield landmark was gutted and re-done during January 2016.
Always known as a terrific burger joint (with a TV-enhanced sportsbar atmosphere), its current brick-walled oak bar setup includes 40 taps loaded with hard-to-find local stuff, nationally recognized craft brews and eight well-known macros.
My wife and I head to the 20-seat bar for some late-night brews, June ’17. A separate left side dining area suits families. The BBQ-sauced Paterno Burger, dedicated to the legendary Penn State football coach, leads a fine menu including steaks, pub sandwiches, seafood and salads. I ate the juicy Kaiser-rolled PA Wilds Elk Burger while my wife enjoyed the batter-dipped Mac And Cheese Wedges.
Tonight’s draught selections included five previously untried beers (reviewed in Beer Index) from the Keystone State plus one Oregon-based bourbon-aged beauty. I thoroughly enjoyed beechwood-smoked, cherry-soured Bullfrog Smoked Cherry Farmhouse Wheat, ‘rowdy’ fruitful pale ale, Yards Sons Of Ben Belgian Pale Ale, lemon-soured, banana-cloved Robin Hood Bierfass Hefeweizen, easygoing citric-spiced Rusty Rail Train Wreck Imperial Pale Ale and coconut-toasted mocha confection Spring House Skull #1 Coffee Coconut Porter.
Wonderful West Coast dessert treat, Deschutes Black Butte XXXVIII Bourbon Aged Porter, coalesced bourbon vanilla serenity with sweet orange peel and peat-smoked malts.
A definite destination stop for any Route 80 bound denizen, Denny’s world famous burgers and revolving draughts can’t be denied.
dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/
SPRING HOUSE SKULL #1 COFFEE COCONUT PORTER
On tap at Denny’s Beer Barrel, fulsome dessert treat tastes like a Mounds Bar with its toasted coconut upheaval, dark chocolate sugaring and nutty coffee retreat. Beneath the mocha-coconut assemblage lies mild cocoa nibs, marshmallow and salted peanut illusions. Decadent.
DESCHUTES BLACK BUTTE XXXVIII BOURBON AGED PORTER
On tap at Denny’s Beer Barrel, decadent 28th Anniversary Imperial Porter tweaks molasses-sapped bourbon vanilla with milk chocolate-y cocoa nibs and peat-smoked wheat malts. Sweet orange peel adjunct seeps below the mix. Subsidiary toasted coconut, roasted tobacco, pureed raspberry, blueberry and port illusions add resilience to boozy (11.5% ABV) to oak-barreled dessert.
