On tap at Ambulance, fine dry-hopped cask version (with experimental ID007 hops) brings lemony peach, grapefruit, pineapple, orange and mango tang to floral-spiced vanilla sweetness, contrasting lingering herbal hop astringency.
THREE 3’S DRENCHED IPA
On tap at Poor Henry’s, mellow soft-tongued IPA lets candied peach tang battle back lemony grapefruit, orange, tangerine and mango tropicalia and light floral spicing above mild pale malting.
THREES KICKING & SCREAMING FOUDRE-AGED PILS
On tap at Ambulance, fine oak-casked German-styled pils brings clean-watered minerality to brisk lemon zest sparkle and spicy mandarin orange speckle above grassy Saaz hop astringency. Subtle foudre fermentation provides mildest wood tone.
AUSTIN STREET PATINA PALE ALE
On tap at Ambulance, durable hop-forward flagship beer places pulpy yellow grapefruit tang next to mildly spiced pineapple sweetness, lemon rind souring and musty floral aspect. Moderately piney citric hop bittering stays crisp and clean.
FUNK TUMBLEWEED PALE ALE
On tap at Sogo, spunky pale ale enjoins juicy lemony orange briskness with currant-licked juniper bittering, sedate herbal hops and dank resinous pine pungency. Lime-dried guava, papaya and pineapple illusions gain floral daub. In the can, fragrant East Coast pale ale brings ‘pungent pine’ and perfumed lavender tones to mildly tangy orange-spiced tropical fruiting. Earthen herbal respite fades slowly.
2ND ACT STEEL SAX
On tap at Poor Henry’s, ripe peach and tangerine tang gains brisk pineapple, grapefruit, mango and papaya tropicalia for sweet entry as dankly herbal hop-oiled bittering, mild peppery whim, dry wood tones and light leathery licks get pleasingly relegated. On tap at Sogo, bold pale ale brings sunny orange-peeled yellow grapefruit tang and bright peach, mango and papaya tropicalia to dry wood-toned hop bittering and dank herbal respite. Would fool hop-heads into thinking it’s an IPA.
SAND CITY BREWING COMPANY
NORTHPORT, NEW YORK
Hidden behind Chase Bank just off Main Street in the historic Long Island Sound maritime village of Northport, alley-bound SAND CITY BREWING COMPANY makes some of the finest draught beer in Nassau County.
A low-ceiling sea chanty with a nautical theme, several barreled tables, three community tables and standing room only, Sand City Brewing’s old wood-top bar was packed to the hilt during Memorial Day weekend 2017.
Dozens of local denizens buy growlers-to-go and many others bring their dogs to quaff onsite, promptly scaring the hell out of my small puggle, Roscoe, who sticks by my wife’s leg to escape from the barking hounds.
A furnished front patio creates extra space for the overflowing crowd. The brew tanks are stationed in the back end of the diminutive pale blue brewery. And wonderful IPA’s and Belgian styled ales lead the way for this cozy dive.
Soft-toned saison, Tafel Beir, a serene dry-bodied Belgian-styled table beer, plied lemony orange spritz and honeysuckled floral accents to its biscuit wheat spine.
Next, lightweight Maggie O Belgian Blonde coalesced white-peppered banana and clove sweetness with lemony herbal salting, white peach spicing and light vodka snips.
Another easygoing delight, Handsome Maniac Belgian Tripel, contrasted vanilla-sweetened banana and clove pleasantries as well as dextrose-sugared pineapple, orange and tangerine tanginess against mild white-peppered hop bittering.
Dry-hopped tripel, American Psycho, let lightly pungent Amarillo hops enhance Handsome Maniac’s bitterer aspects as candi-sugared mango, peach and pineapple resilience got countered by wood-dried astringency, gaining banana-clove-bubblegum illusions and a tingly sugar spicing beneath the surface.
Then came the superbly divergent India Pale Ales.
Sunnily floral-fruited Day Drifter Session IPA permitted its sweet orange-peeled grapefruit, lemon and peach tang to spread across mildly creamed oats-sugared pale malting and moderate piney hop bittering.
Delicate Oops I Nelsoned My Pants IPA brought delicate Nelson Sauvin hop tropicalia to the fore as wispy peach, grapefruit, lemon, white grape and passionfruit illusions climbed above creamier-than-expected caramel malting.
Durable Putting Out Fires IPA doused lemony grapefruit bittering upon sugar-spiced pale malts and resinous piney hops as mild mango, pineapple, guava and papaya tropicalia sweetened the back end.
Plush Burning Down The House Imperial IPA, dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic varieties, allowed tangy lemon-squeezed orange and grapefruit juiciness to receive a dank hemp-oiled bitterness contrasted by lightly creamed crystal malts.
On the other end of the spectrum, rich dark chocolate syruping crowded mild Southdown roasted coffee beaning for Southdown Breakfast Stout, a full-bodied morning elixir with a chewy molasses oats spine that’s also perfect for dessert.
www.sandcitybeer.com
SPIDER BITE BEER COMPANY
HOLBROOK, NEW YORK
Making some of the crispest East Coast India Pale Ales your heart will desire out in Long Island, diminutive warehouse-bound SPIDER BITE BEER COMPANY also earns big points for its awesome Boris The Spider Russian Imperial Stout (reviewed in Beer Index) and several other stylishly resounding offerings.
An eight-seat bar with eight tap handles, proprietary bottled-canned selections, beer banners and one TV crowd the small main room as a few tables near the overhead garage door provide more capacity. Brew tanks are off in the back end.
Dry tea-like Craft Cares Irish Red Ale placed fig-spiced caramel malts alongside mossy peat earthiness and nutty biscuit residue.
Sweet ‘n sour saison-fruited Blanc Grisette let lemon zest, sour orange and vinous grape gain a tart edge above leathery dry hops.
Approachable Fundur Session India Pale Ale brought tangy orange-peeled peach, grapefruit, mango and tangerine illusions to dank piney hop musk and herbal spiced licks.
Juicy Second Bite India Pale Ale let its bittersweet orange-peeled grapefruit tang awaken grassy hop astringency, pungent earthen musk, tingly sugar spices and grainy pale malts.
Less pronounced and more subtle, IDK IPA allowed subdued Nelson Sauvin hops to add passionfruit and gooseberry tones to its floral citrus midst and soft biscuit base.
Dry-bodied Melba’s Toasted Brown Ale offered a crisp tobacco roast to wheat-floured Melba toasting and soft spicing.
A cool little spot the locals love, Spider Bite’s definitely worth the ride.
spiderbitebeer.com
CENTRAL WATERS BREWER’S RESERVE BOURBON BARREL BARLEYWINE
On tap at Growler & Gill, complex booze-soaked barleywine offers heady oaken bourbon influence to caramel-burnt toffee, chocolate and maple molasses sweetness, contrasting light nut-charred hop bittering. Rum-spiced vanilla, cherry, marshmallow and toasted coconut illusions enjoin fruit-caked fig, apricot and plum undertones at the back end.
SIXPOINT BIG RASPY
On tap at Taphouse 15, ‘monstrous’ Widow Jane bourbon-barreled version (10.8% ABV) of lusty Bolshoi Imperial Stout layers pureed dried fruiting atop creamy dark chocolate syruping, light molasses sapping and smoked wood tinge. Heady black cherry and raspberry tartness seeps into dark-roasted mocha malting, promoting Black Forest cake, cherry cordial, raspberry juice, crème brulee, stewed plum, creamed coffee and burnt caramel illusions.
MODERN TIMES NITRO STOUT WITH COFFEE, COCONUT & COCOA
On tap at Bronx Alehouse, ‘redolent’ éclair-frothed creamed coffee frontage gains subtle cocoa and coconut adjuncts. Espresso bean midst and dry black chocolate influence enhance light-roast coffee prominence.
PRAIRIE ARTISIAN PE-KAN
On tap at Growler & Gill, enduring sweet dessert treat loads vanilla-creamed pecan pie pleasantry and dark chocolate malting to rummy bourbon blast for lusty 11.5% ABV Imperial Stout. Subsidiary hazelnut, coconut and macadamia nuttiness and wispy black cherry puree tartness enhance chocolate-coated pecan and vanilla adjuncts.
