On tap at Keg & Kestrel, dissenting dry stout hybrid utilizes house-smoked cherrywood chips to bring out advertised chocolate-covered bacon smear, anise-spiced dried fruit souring and oats-flaked sugaring. Black patent malting heightens cocoa nibs, dark chocolate and espresso illusions.
Established in Lexington, Kentucky as a whiskey distillery in 1776, James E. Pepper decided to brew rye whiskey-barreled brown ale ’round 2014 at Sterling, Virginia’s Beltway Brewing. Oak-aged rye permanence spreads atop smoky chocolate malts, dried fruiting and nutty nuances. Oaken vanilla phenols retain a dry respite contrasting buttered pecan, maple molasses, praline, toffee and caramel subsidies. Delicate raisin-prune-fig snips and light burgundy-bourbon hints embrace whiskeyed mocha finish.
Smooth-flowing traditional English porter connects dark-roasted mocha malt expectancy to dry anise spicing, bitter coffee bean subtlety and wood-burnt cola nuttiness. Wispy chocolate-covered acai berry tartness wavers beneath.
Sessionable summertime suds with beige-cleared body, billowy pearl head and low alcohol content offers soft rye breading to dry-hopped lemon lime spree and subtle yellow grapefruit tartness. Delicate herbal nuances and possible sawdust whim found at gentle rye-spiced citrus finish. Serve to light pilsner fans.
Weirdly positioned herbal ginger adjunct yields mild sage, rosemary, fern and sawdust accents to vague floral lemon-limed tang. Oats-dried alfalfa, wheatgrass and straw grass murk gains tepid earthen rusticity for resinous hop astringency. Unspecific.
Sunny citrus-spiced elation glows from simple sessionable summertime suds. Lemony yellow grapefruit bittering and soft pine needling receive sharp hop-oiled astringency above biscuity cracker spine. Brisk citric-pined pale ale not far removed from effective India Pale Ale styling.
Expressive medium body intricately blends brisk citric hop tang into peppery Belgian yeast spicing, toasted biscuit malts and herbal nuances while its bold 8% ABV brings adequate vodka-gin boozing. Beneath lemon-candied Valencia orange, tangerine, clementine and marmalade fruiting lies the soft malted wheat (whiskey) spine.
Busy light-medium body brings floral-bound herbal astringency to stylish orange-wedged banana and clove sweetness. Subtle citrus-pined Cascade hop bittering, lightly salted carbolic spritz, lemon-seeded souring and herbal lemongrass tea nuances contrast banana-clove-bubblegum triage in non-traditional hefeweizen manner.
NYACK, NEW YORK
Making no bones about their American heritage, Nyack’s POUR HOUSE prides itself on unwavered nationality as ubiquitous United States flags, Americana food and stateside beers welcome local denizens and curious travelers. Based in a historic bohemian community just up the hill from the Hudson River and 20 miles northwest of the Big Apple, this amiably cozy two-room sportsbar features TV’s at every conceivable corner, 20 tap handles and 100 bottled beers (mixing well-known craft offerings alongside several reliable macrobrews).
Founded in 2010, Pour House soon became the #1 sportsbar and grill serving ‘innovative entrees,’ burgers, pizzas and salads to go with its well-chosen brews, creative cocktails and lively spirits. Its windowed blue awning frontage, hardwood floors, acoustic ceiling tiles, potted plants and stooled tables fill the interior alongside the 20-seat bar.
My wife and I first visit Pour House for Monday dinner in early June, 2015. As we enter, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s celebratory “Sweet Home Alabama” is playing. Upon leaving, the Southern rockers’ cheeky barroom tale, “Gimme Three Steps,” blares from the jukebox. In between, Creedence Clearwater Revival, ZZ Top and several classic rock gems receive airtime.
Though I was already well acquainted with the tapped beer selections, the refrigerator near the checkout register provided the previously untried Full Sail Original Amber Ale, a brisk citrus-hopped medium body with pale-malted yellow grapefruit and orange rind bittering. Loaded Fries with cheddar-cheesed bacon and scallions made for a filling appetizer while Pastrami Reuben and Cheesesteak hoagie also sufficed.
Whether serving friends, family or business associates, Pour House will satisfy hunger and thirst with blue-collared workmanlike efficiency.
On tap at Ambulance, triumphant Imperial Stout given bourbon-barreled sour cherries to heighten “richer, heartier” mocha richness. Bittersweet chocolate malting gains creamy molasses sugaring that serenades oaken vanilla dryness, vinous port wining and bourbon whiskey elegance. Combative black cherry sourness spreads across expansive mocha-spiced finish.
On tap at Ambulance, robust English porter spreads smoky mocha-roasted affluence across bitter hop char and ashen nuttiness. Dark chocolate, dried cocoa, black coffee and raw molasses overtones segue into walnut-burnt peanut roast. Mild black cherry tease settles below rich nutty mocha surface.
On tap at Ambulance, fine St. Louis-referenced IPA melds citric-perfumed Cascade hop bittering to wood-dried Chinook hop astringency above sugared pale malting. Yellow grapefruit peel briskness overrides orange, tangerine and clementine illusions. Floral-daubed pine resin deepens citric resonance.