Well-defined IPA (2016 version) allows tropical grapefruit-induced mango adjunct to penetrate faint habanero burn and sharp Citra hop bittering above mild cara-pils malting. Peppery mango glaze embraces subtle sugar-spiced peach, orange, tangerine and pineapple tang. Easygoing splendor will appeal to lighter thirsts.
Staying sweet without getting annoyingly cloy, 25th anniversary tropical-fruited medium body contrasts funky Belgian yeast fungi against juicy grapefruit, orange, peach, banana, pineapple, mango and passionfruit wellspring, accruing lingered sharp hop bittering to fend off luxurious citric-perfumed floral bouquet wafting thru sugar-spiced fructose aspect.
Fantastic 18th anniversary celebrator is spicily tropical-fruited India Pale Ale with rich cookie dough yeast sweetness and creamily honeyed caramel malt backbone. Restrained piney hop resin saturates lemon cake, orange marmalade, honeydew, nectarine and peach illusions as well as grilled mango, pineapple and grapefruit snips. Perfect springtime 2016 helles bock-like medium body packs an unassumingly medicinal 10.5% ABV wallop.
Assertive Flanders Red-like kriek utilizes Bing cherries to elevate mouth-puckering sour ale tendency. Lactic brettanomyces leathering (and musty horse-blanketed barnyard acridity) affects oaken red cherry souring and hard-candied Royal Crown cherry tartness while lemon-juiced Balsamic vinegaring increases acidic nature.
GROTON, CONNECTICUT
Just off Route 95 in the naval submarine-based New England town of Groton, founders Tom Drejer and Matt Ferrucci opened warehouse-garaged OUTER LIGHT BREWING COMPANY during April ’15. A few blocks from the Thames River in an unfinished space, Outer Light has already expanded sufficiently with its three new silver-shined 60-barrel fermenters. And an upgrade for its skeletal tap room seems as imminent as the soon-to-be utilized bottling line.
While crafting over 30 small-batch brews since its initiation, three flagship offerings took hold. During my 1-hour stopover, March ’16, I get to try the well-designed trio plus one peachy saison and oyster-shelled stout. Served in 5-ounce candleholders at the 10-stool bar from tiled steel taps, each tidy sample delivered expressive flavor profiles heightened by clean mineral watered crisping.
The lightest and most accessible year-round libation, Lonesome Boatman Red Ale, brought caramel-toasted fruit spicing to the fore as dainty red apple, peach, tangerine and nectarine illusions took hold.
Next, Subduction IPA allowed mildly bitter yellow grapefruit and orange rind briskness to gain piney hop resin and light floral daubs over sugary caramel malts.
Just as excellent, Libation Propaganda Coffee Stout piled profound dark-roasted coffee intensity atop charred hop bittering as tertiary black chocolate, espresso and cacao nibs illusions added depth.
Another fine dark ale, Noank Smack Oyster Stout, let oyster shells provide a creamier base for black coffee richness, sweet chocolate sedation and oats-sugared mocha malting.
An intriguing hybrid, Nutmeg State Peach Saison plied its Belgian farmhouse yeast funk, salty coriander spicing and mineral-grained crisping with sharp lemon-soured peach tones.
As local beer lovers start filling the joint up and Red Hot Chili Peppers play in the background this sunny Sunday afternoon, the future sure looks bright for the vibrant Outer Light.
www.outerlightbrewing.com
Sweet S’more-candied dessert treat retains creamy milk chocolate center, gingerbread-spiced Graham Cracker honeying and roasted marshmallow sugaring. Almond biscotti splurge, French vanilla custard niceties, flaked coconut hints and bitter cocoa snips run through sweet mocha foundation. Only its oily hop astringency goes awry.
On tap at Craft House, dry bourbon influence affects peaty rye whiskey continuance, smoky mocha malting and brown-sugared dried fruiting. Black cherry, soured fig and green raisin illusions receive oaken vanilla respite below steadfastly bittersweet bourbon chocolate spicing.
Durable full-bodied stout combines creamy coffee bean richness, penetrative dark-roasted black chocolate syruping and oats-charred nuttiness. Molasses-smoked mocha malting and caramel-burnt vanilla sweetness contrast tobacco-chawed scorched earth bittering by the velvety java finish.
Stagnant day-old black coffee bittering picks up dry wood-burnt hop oiling to contrast black-malted burnt caramel subsidy. Black chocolate subsidy retrieves raw molasses astringency, delicate espresso milking, charred nut reminder and simmered black peppering.
Whimsical medium-full-bodied porter (in a can) brings lightly creamed Nescafe instant coffee powdering to roasted Ethiopian coffee core, picking up mild saline blood smudge beneath oily hop resins. Heavily caffeinated cold-press coffee influence overwhelms subtle black chocolate, charred walnut, espresso, cocoa, blueberry and blackberry illusions.
“Egregious” 2015 blend sequesters Stone’s Arrogant Bastard (7%ABV), Double Bastard (11%) and Oaked Arrogant Bastard in Kentucky bourbon barrels while adding serrano chili peppering for moderate jalapeno-like heat. Subtle bourbon influence picks up dry peat whiskey licks over light wood char. As peppery heat subsides, dark chocolate malts surge. But busy elixir lacks sweetness for contrast and needs firmer direction at murky finish.
Abstruse soured brown ale (a.k.a. Flanders oud bruin) brings minimal buttered rum influence to oaken vanilla, raw molasses and vinous green grape tartness. Acidulated malt pucker and wispy vermouth hint deepen overall sourness.
