On Tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, highly respected hop-forward amber ale compares favorably to sessionable IPA’s with its bright fruited frontage and resinous floral pining. Up-front, red apple and pear sweetness rules the roost over mild yellow grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering. Wood-toned hops sharpen the bitter end and contrast the light biscuit-y malt base.
On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, soft-tongued saison brings lemony orange rot to herbaceous white-peppered hop zip and light crystal malted spicing. Silken French saison yeast adds champagne sparkle to wheat-honeyed tangerine, peach, apricot and banana snips. Minty evergreen freshness serenades zesty citrus finish.
On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, sessionable mainstream summertime IPA provides stylish lemony orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering (and light floral-perfumed waft) to pleasantly spiced quince and stone-fruited sweetness. Red apple, red cherry, red peach, mango and anjou pear illusions hold up well against the increasingly sharp piney hop bite. Musty earthen grains and biscuit-y cracked wheat bottom stay soft anchoring the clean citric finish.
Embraceable black chocolate-smoked dark malt roast contrasts bitter hop-charred wood burn before reaching piney citric peel center. Dried cocoa, treacle and bonfire toffee illusions reinforce deep mocha influence.
Climactic yellow grapefruit bittering lingers as piney citric-oiled Mosaic hops harken West Coast IPA styling. Freshly-squeezed lemon juicing subsumes earthen herbs, sweetening at tropical-leaning citrus finish, leaving tertiary pineapple, mango and papaya undertones.
Stylistically expansive and well-balanced French-styled saison brings subtle pear juicing to musky lemon tartness, zesty orange briskness, vinous white grape esters and wavered cider nip. Parched straw, hay and barnyard leathering affects earthen bottom, contrasting its passive sweet side, where cotton-candied vanilla, butterscotch and banana bubblegum illusions abound. Funky saison yeast affects subtle white-peppered floral dusting of pyrus-influenced farmhouse ale.
Excellent strong porter (9.5% ABV) drapes capacious caramel-burnt brown chocolate sweetness atop subtle oak-charred bittering and nutty dried fruiting. At first, chocolate milkshake creaming gathers strength, followed by coffee-roasted cappuccino, espresso and cocoa nibs respite. Beneath chewy mocha surface, fudgy dark toffee, hazelnut, walnut, cola nut and molasses illusions reside alongside bittersweet raisin-prune conflux. Scattered anise, licorice nibs, sarsaparilla and burgundy undertones complete the score. A busier chocolate milkshake!
Heavy dark-roasted graining, smoked mocha malting and Blackstrap molasses sinew envelop bitter chocolate-cocoa stead above piney citric hop restraint. Subtle grapefruit, black grape and pineapple fruiting picks up amiable spruce-tipped bittering as well as ashen nuttiness.
Miscast as an India Pale Ale, its honeyed cereal oats, toasted caramel malting and cookie dough richness befit a sweet helles lager instead of a hop-embittered IPA, regaling stylistic orange-peeled pineapple-grapefruit-tangerine tang and resinous pine oiling with more resonant peach-pear-apple supplement. Peppery hop-spiced influence stays moderate.
Likable light-bodied (3.5% ABV) sour wheat ale brings tart lemon limed pucker to the fore as gose-like coriander salting takes a backseat. Lightly acidic green apple mildness and vinous grape tannins provide soft pungency. At the finish, fresh-squeezed lemonade niche and plain yogurt milking reinforce lactic wort-soured citrus continuance.
Indelible amber-bronzed full body gains sweeter candied citrus fruiting and oilier piney hop bittering than usual IPA suspects. Furthermore, creamier honeyed malt bill, sinewy cookie dough-like yeast and whimsical Maraschino cherry sugaring provide richer textural flavoring. Zesty grapefruit, navel orange, pineapple, peach and apricot fruit punch outlasts unique whiskey-bent Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and cognac wining.
Not as rich and bold as Texas crude namesake. Dark-roasted chocolate malt creaming subsides over time and minor carbolic aridity interferes with ancillary coffee-burnt Blackstrap molasses, Baker’s chocolate and cocoa nibs subsidy as well as restrained pecan-walnut-hazelnut conflux.
