Approachable wild ale brings light brettanomyces funk to sour green grape and Granny Smith apple pucker. Delicate mango, guava and papaya tartness hidden by earthen barnyard astringency (and light herbal touch). Sugared malt spicing, usually lacking in sour ales, provides mild contrast. Easygoing crossover will please lighter conventional ale thirsts since the acidic sourness is never overdone.
BACCHUS INDIGENOUS
On tap at Ambulance, delicate wild ale spontaneously soured with Seyval Blanc white grapes in red wine barrels retains soft-toned nature despite terse mouth-puckering acidity. Sour grape esters settle beside lemon-juiced cherry vinaigrette and Granny Smith apple tartness. Briny sea salting increases sharp sourness at wispy white-wined finish.
DEFIANT LA LUTIN ROUGE
On tap at Ambulance, soft-toned moderation provides tart raspberry souring and acidic lemony orange pucker for wispy white wheat spine. Spritzy seltzer-watered flow keeps the raspberry influence in check for crisply clean fruited sedation.
TUCKERMAN TRALE KOLSCH
Sour citrus fruiting overrides fresh mineral-watered crisping and salty piquancy of easygoing summertime fodder. Moderated orange, tangerine, grapefruit and lemon tartness needs upgrading.
FIRESTONE WALKER EASY JACK IPA
On tap at Growler & Gill, easygoing moderation provides lemony spritz to soft dry-hopped pine needling and delicate pale malting. At the midst, tangy grapefruit, peach, mango and pineapple fruiting receives mildly pungent orange souring as well as distant vegetal wisp.
IPSWICH ROUTE 101 WEST COAST STYLE INDIA PALE ALE
Well-designed West Coast knockoff spreads sharp grapefruit peel briskness all over zesty lemon rind bittering and fresh piney hop oiling. Floral orange, tangerine and clementine tang engulfs sunny yellow fruited frontage as well as soft white wheat spine.
BAY STATE HOPPY DREAMS AMERICAN IPA
Subtle citrus peeled bittering and delicate pale malting allow floral grapefruit tang to shine thru its center. Briskly carbolic lemon-limed seltzer prickle and soft-watered crisping help lighten the mood.
BAY STATE TIME TRAVELER MAIBOCK
Easygoing yellow-fruited light body gathers sweet honey-spiced Vienna malts and delicate Bohemian hop prickle in a soft setting. Wispy lemony grapefruit tartness remains understated.
BAY STATE SIEBEN LAGER
Perhaps emulating Augustiner’s lager with its Munich pilsner malting and delicate Noble hop pep, German-styled moderation picks up sweet honey sedation over buttered biscuit bottom. Suited for summertime sessioneering.
BAY STATE VELVET REVOLUTION BLACK LAGER
One of the better Czech-styled black lagers. Black patent-like Vienna malting and dark-roasted barley-oats graining gain mild chocolate sweetness, retaining light-bodied crisping to the delightful mocha finish.
BACKLASH DEATH IMPERIAL STOUT (WITH BOURBON BARRELED ESPRESSO)
Put through an espresso-loaded Randall filter system at Boston Beer Summit ’15, sweet bourbon-soaked espresso lilt picks up dark-roasted coffee bean resilience and delicate black chocolate cadence. Recessive black cherry, port and sherry tones fade beneath the persistent java scurry.
BACKLASH GROUNDSWELL BLOND
Smooth moderation lacks specific Belgian styling, instead relying on lemon rind bittering, sour orange rot and bruised peach innuendo. Musty mineral graining contrasts sweet floral accents and mild candi-sugared malt creaming, but white-peppered Indian coriander adjunct never suffices.
