On tap at Equilibrium, bitterly black-malted medium body drapes moderately creamed dark chocolate across roasted coffee and vanilla bean sedation. Mild cola-walnut char picks up burnt toast smidge.
MAUI COCONUT HIWA PORTER
Soft sessionable summertime fodder brings light coconut toasting to daintily molasses-sugared milk chocolate base. Dry Baker’s chocolate midst and mild wood-grained lacquering nearly overwhelm silken vanilla-daubed nuttiness.
TROEGS NAKED ELF
On tap at Taphouse 15, welcoming hybridized Belgian Dark Ale (sans “cherries and honey” of original Christmastime elixir) retains syrupy dark fruiting and candi-sugared Vienna malt spine. Sugar plum, fig, date and raisin illusions pick up sinewy orange-bruised liqueur warmth. Just a tad dryer and less complex than Troegs Mad Elf.
MODERN TIMES BLAZING WORLD HOPPY DANK AMBER ALE
Lustrous tropical-fruited medium body goes way beyond typical ‘amber ale’ profile. Well-blended Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic and Simcoe hop merger creates ‘dank’ and sticky resinous pine bittering and tangy citrus juicing usually reserved for bigger IPA’s. Lemony yellow grapefruit tang picks up sweet orange-peeled mango, pineapple and tangerine spicing to contrast lightly pungent wood-dried fervor over sourdough breaded backbone.
NEW BELGIUM VOODOO RANGER ATOMIC PUMPKIN
Moderate habanero pepper heat and subtle cinnamon spicing receive toasted pumpkin glaze. Sweet pumpkin pie continuance nearly wiped out by habanero heat, leaving only a scattering of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg seasoning and orange peel sweetness at the thickly creamed caramelized pumpkin finish. On tap at Plank Pizza, ’18 version kept the habanero heat on top of pumpkin pie spicing as well as tertiary gourd, yam and sweet potato nuances.
NEW BELGIUM JUICY MANDARINA INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Poor Henry’s, subtly sweet-spiced mandarin orange influence receives mildly creamed wheat malting for sturdily richer toasted bread spine (than usual IPA fare). Mild orange-peeled peach and grapefruit wisps settle below the surface.
DECADENT MULTI FLORA
On tap at Poor Henry’s, pristine juicy-fruited Imperial IPA combines brisk yellow grapefruit tang with sweet mango and tart passionfruit up-front. Brisk citric-pined Mosaic hop bittering and wafting floral bouquet maintain refreshingly clean-watered profile. Tropical fruiting gains mild earthiness over time.
DECADENT TROPICAL SMOOTHIE (STRAWBERRY VANILLA)
On tap at Taphouse 15, mild Madagascar vanilla beaning and subtler strawberry creaming casually hidden behind brash piney fruited IPA styling. Sharp orange-peeled grapefruit, peach, papaya and pineapple tang gains zesty lemon spicing above mildly syrupy crystal-caramel malting. Beneath the surface, strawberry vanilla sweetness stays too soft to properly contrast woody citric hop bittering.
ALESMITH LOGICAL CHOICE TRIPLE IPA
On tap at Ambulance, lively tropical fruited Imperial India Pale Ale lets spicy mango-juiced guava, passionfruit and papaya tang permeate intensely-hopped pine oiling and honeyed pale malts. Ancillary grapefruit, pineapple, peach, orange and tangerine contingent adds further summertime luster.
PIZZA BOY FRONTSIDE LIPSLIDE DOUBLE IPA
On tap at Ambulance, soft-toned Imperial IPA places honey-spiced citrus tang alongside creamy candied malt sugaring to contrast dank grassy hop astringency. Juicy peach, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, pineapple and mango tropicalia makes fine impact.
BRIX CITY RIGHTEOUS JAMS
On tap at Poor Henry’s, perfectly centrist IPA with frothily creamed head and illuminating golden body retains gentle tropical fruit spicing. Crisply clean-watered grapefruit, orange, pineapple and mango tanginess sits atop sugary crystal malts. Rewarding moderate-to-medium-bodied ‘jam.’
BROTHERTON SPOON FULL OF CITRUS
On tap at Poor Henry’s, moderate lactic acidity gets loaded upon mildly spiced tropical fruiting and light Amarillo hop woodiness. Crisply clean water profile crystallizes lemony grapefruit, mango, peach and orange tang as advertised ‘lemon cookie, lime custard, mango and peach’ illusions rise to the surface.
