“Modern take on Belgian classic” is apropos motto of resolute farmhouse ale. Though not as audacious as indicated, its winningly tweaked formula ulitizes lemon zest, grains of paradise, lemon thyme and lavender adjuncts to counteract embittered black tea resonance. Dry white-peppered herbal stronghold picks up rustic barnyard acridity and floral respite to engage summery sweet ‘n sour citric slumber.
BALLAST POINT CALM BEFORE THE STORM CREAM ALE
On tap at Ambulance, quirky warm-weathered delight brings creamed coffee sensation to light lemony orange tartness and corn-sugared vanilla respite. Winsome cold-brewed Caffe Calabria coffee tones delicately collapse above honeyed wheat base. Faint butterscotch, vanilla and roasted tobacco illusions waver.
ANCHOR ZYMASTER #7 SOUR MASH IPA
Floured mash tun grist provides sufficient sourdough breading to contrast citric Nelson Sauvin hop dryness of stylishly softened IPA hybrid. Tropical lemon, grapefruit, mandarin orange and passionfruit illusions tail off as Scotch-licked peat malting and subtle rye spicing ascend.
BEAR REPUBLIC CUVEE BUBBA WILD ALE
On tap at Ambulance, inviting oak-aged sour ale brings mildly vinous wining to dry barnyard leathering and ‘cherry pie’ souring, maintaining large head retention. Tannic grape pucker never gets oppressive, allowing crossover possibilities for more mainstream thirsts. Dark purple grape-skinned pinot noir tones scurry across pinkish blush rosé snips and black grape-skinned zinfandel notions as well as tart plum, quince and berry wisps.
DU CLAW / CIGAR CITY IMPEY BARBICANE’S MOONGUN SESSION AMBER ALE
Abstruse collaboration may be sessionable, yet its stylistically rich and adventurous for a mere amber ale and therefore hard to pin down. Herbaceous orange-oiled lemon musk picks up dewy sweetness to contrast oats-flaked pale malting, torrified wheat starching and dank leafy hop resin. Tertiary tangerine-clementine tang and marginal rhubarb souring distend dry citrus spell.
HEAVY SEAS RED SKY AT MORNING SAISON
On tap at Ambulance, Old World wining meets New School brewing for juicy Chardonnay-aged farmhouse ale. Belgian candi-sugaring picks up sweet red cherry, cantaloupe and melon tones beyond buttery Chardonnay splendor. Subtle white grape esters mildly embitter dry hop restraint.
FAT HEAD’S SHAKEDOWN IMPERIAL STOUT
Loading bitter hop-charred pine resin atop stylish dark-roasted mocha malting allows hybridized (8.5% ABV) full body to gain wider hop-headed audience. Black chocolate, dark cocoa and roasted coffee tones gain sugared barley-oats roast to contrast raw molasses bittering. Mild lemony grapefruit tang stays hidden below intense mocha melee.
FAT HEAD’S BONE HEAD IMPERIAL RED ALE
Never as popular with the masses as softer pale ales and hardly ever receiving the accolades of richer IPA’s, this well-rounded red ale will nonetheless please wide-ranging palates. Sweet orange-peeled grapefruit, tangerine, mango, pineapple, peach and tang picks up zesty lemon twist. Spicy dry-hopped citric sharpness and mildly pungent resinous pine bittering contrast sugary hazelnut-glazed caramel toasting.
FAT HEAD’S JACK STRAW PILSNER
Gritty straw-hued Czech-styled pils has got some bite to it. Pungent raw-grained astringency and grassy hopped bittering picks up sharp yellow-fruited spicing above crystal-malted sweetness. Subtle floral-perfumed grapefruit, lemon and peach notions linger softly.
FAT HEAD’S BUMBLE BERRY HONEY BLUEBERRY ALE
Expressive sweet ‘n sour blueberry theme picks up raw-honeyed tartness over light wheat cracker spine. Blueberry pie, blueberry jam and blueberry puree lacquer carbolic lemon seltzer twist but saccharinic acridity almost dooms its juicy fruited finish. On tap, tart blueberry lacquering subsumes honeyed Graham Cracker spine of increasingly popular fruit ale.
HOPPIN’ FROG KING GOSE HOME IMPERIAL GOSE ALE
Serene dry-bodied gose deepens acidic sour-fruited expectancy with sea-watered salting and bittersweet wildflower honey. Leathery straw, hay and barnyard astringency crowds subsidiary lemon-candied sourness and tertiary green apple, raspberry and strawberry tartness. But Imperial designation seems to be a misnomer.
HOPPIN’ FROG LIQUOR BARREL AGED OUTTA KILTER SCOTCH-STYLE RED ALE
Amazing depth and clarity define liquored up version of scintillating Scotch-styled red ale. Sweet peated Scotch malting settles alongside brown chocolate-spiced dried fruiting as well as warm rum-soaked sherry, bourbon and burgundy wining. Chocolate-covered cherry, buttered pecan, raspberry puree, sugared fig and raisin illusions deepen kaleidoscopic flavor profile.
