Bodacious medium-full body brings tropical-fruited nature to brisk hop-oiled bittering and piney evergreen freshness with magnificent sunshiny results. Initial pink and yellow grapefruit tang picks up zesty lemon, navel orange, pineapple, nectarine, mango, peach and papaya juicing. Orange blossom-honeyed crystal malting adds sugary respite to crisply clean mouthwatering delight.
RIVERTOWN INSURRECTION IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Pedestrian limited edition IPA lacks ‘imperial’ strength, sharpness and pizzazz. Instead, dankly dry grapefruit-orange tartness gets murky, distant piney hop bittering falters and mild sugared spicing dissipates. Just too lackluster, even for indiscriminate centrists.
MIKKELLER BLACK HOLE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Track 84, rogue Danish dry body (brewed at Belgium’s De Proef Brewery) loads bustling bourbon-burgundy wining inside smoky black patent malting, bruised black cherry tartness, black chocolate-embittered espresso lilt and light anise spicing. Cedar-aged cigar aromatics flow thru tantalizing hybridized stout.
OMMEGANG JOEMMEGANG

Admirably hybridized Belgian dark ale (brewed with cocoa nibs) showcases Stagecoach French-roast coffee above sugar-spiced yeast expectancy. Milky brown chocolate creaming and burnt caramel malting deepen capacious coffee theme. Sharp dark-roasted hop bittering lingers beside mocha java intensity. In deep recess, mild pineapple, grapefruit and orange peel nuances waver.
STONE BELGO ANISE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT (WITH ESPRESSO BEANS)
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, rich anise-spiced espresso stout receives candi-sugared Belgian yeast influence to sweeten dark-roasted mocha malting. Bittersweet coffee bean vibrancy increased by gooey anise, fudgy vanilla, black chocolate, dark cocoa and gunky molasses for chewy mocha-spiced dessert.
BOULEVARD IMPERIAL STOUT AGED IN WHISKEY BARRELS
(ALLTECH) KENTUCKY OLD FASHIONED BARREL ALE
BOON KRIEK (2012)
Durable oak vat-aged lambic spreads loads of sweet ‘n sour cherry tartness above lemony green apple pucker, vinous green grape acidity, sparkling champagne spritz and raspy strawberry-raspberry conflux. Light grassy hop bittering validates dry oaken cherry midst. Cherry-wined rosé, pink moscato, riesling and white merlot illusions deepen candied cherry conviction.
TIMMERMANS OUDE KRIEK LAMBICUS
Only true sour heads will appreciate spontaneously fermented pink-headed garnet-bodied lambic. Pungent mouth-puckering cherry vinaigrette bittering and sour lemon-limed acidity dominate ultra-dry gueuze-like Belgian. Leathery green grape tannins and tart oaken cherry musk pick up mildewed cellar mustiness. Tertiary crabapple, cranberry and raspberry rasp adds further sourness. Brash sour ale complements sea crustacean and shellfish.


