Delicately dry bourbon-barreled white wining mellows down as earthen barnyard leathering reinforces sour aspect. Light vinous grape pucker, tart raspberry rasp, oaken cherry wisp and champagne-like fizz flutter across sugary fructose subsidy. Plum-dried raisin, fig and apricot undertones add further depth. Betters Stone’s similarly soured Quadrotriticale.
FEGLEY’S VENOMOUS IMPERIAL HONEY ALE
BOULEVARD IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Taphouse Grille – Wayne, alluring limited edition 2015 dessert treat offers rich brown chocolate malting to light whiskey-barreled sweetness and heavily roasted rye, spelt and oats graining. Smoked molasses, cocoa and vanilla advance the sugary mocha theme further as anise-spiced black cherry, plum and prune undertones bring out fruitful complexities.
BLATANT IMPERIAL STOUT
‘Blatant’ off-center full body whimsically collides rich stout-like ambitions with murky sour fruiting, charred hop acridity and dank cellar-like mustiness. As a result, black patent malting, coffee-stained dark chocolate roast and chalky cocoa powdering take a backseat to burgundy-dried black grape, fig and prune souring, misdirecting the overall indistinct flavor profile. A hint of anise, molasses and cola nut add to the confusion.
EVIL GENIUS PURE EVIL CHOCOLATE STOUT
Undetermined black-malted dry body opens with friendly creme brulee sweetness but drops off to chalky Baker’s chocolate anonymity. Coarse hop char and flighty roasted nuttiness undercut oats-flaked dark chocolate malting as well as bittersweet cacao nibs snip. Unspecific.
DU CLAW DIRTY LITTLE FREAK (VANILLA BEAN)
Engaging offshoot of similarly mocha-malted DLF Brown Ale relies on tantalizing vanilla bean creaming and sweet bourbon overtones instead of caramelized coconut. Syrupy molasses sapping drapes dark-roasted mocha malting, fudgy milk chocolate froth and sugared coffee retreat. But its the rich vanilla presence that lingers loudest over tarry hop oils by the seductively noirish finish.
LAKE PLACID BIG SLIDE IPA
Approachable India Pale Ale brings sharp citric hop bittering to earthen wood tones. Initial grapefruit-peeled orange and pineapple bittering falls off a tad, leaving soft-toned lemon, tangerine, mango, pineapple and mango tang to pick up the slack effectively.
TIN ROOF VOODOO BENGAL PALE ALE
There ain’t much here, but what’s here’s pretty good. Sour citrus tartness receives crystallized candied ginger and Louisiana cane syrup sugaring, though with little resolve. Dry orange-peeled yellow grapefruit tang fades too quickly and the honeyed spine falters. Still…
TIN ROOF PERFECT TIN AMBER ALE
Uneven tin-canned amber ale never fully forms. Sharp citric-spiced herbal hop pungency and cocoa-leafed Bakers chocolate bittering refuse to take the lead. Needless acridity ruins the grapefruit-soured green tea spell and nutty caramel spine. Carbolic seltzer fizz adds static.
KEG & KESTREL
SUFFERN, NEW YORK
Right across from the railroad station in the bustling village of Suffern lied KEG & KESTREL, a Greek-related restaurant and beer pub refurbished and re-established as a craft bar during September ’14. Owned by the Roussos family since 2011, its cool beer-centric transition came with an updated food menu featuring both genuine Greek dishes (gyros, lamb shank, sauvlaki, falafels) and traditional American pub fare (burgers, seafood, salads).
However, by 2016, it was closed for business. The rest of the review follows:
Inside a snug mahogany den with olden 15-seat bar, twin private booths and opposing dining area, this rustic saloon features 14 bronze-stationed tap handles, copious liquor selections, two TV’s, one Touchtone jukebox, a whiteboard beer menu and elegant wood decor. Along the maroon walls are promotional Flying Dog, Sierra Nevada, Goose Island, Bells and Troegs banners.
Upon my initial visit in late March ’15, the diminutive bar fills up with mostly twenty-something denizens while Red Hot Chili Peppers. Offspring, Green Day and Nirvana play on the back-walled jukebox. My wife and I order the robust Ale House Burger, busy Greek Pizza (with feta-cheesed gyro meat and kalamata olives) and Trata Piato & Tzatziki (fried eggplant, zucchini chips and yogurt sauce with cucumber, dill and parsley) alongside two previously untried libations. Stuffed grape leaves with rice and lemon is also recommended.
Bar manager Patrick Reynar serves the newly discovered New York-based suds as we munch on dinner. Broken Bow Chinook IPA’s easygoing wood-dried floral citrus serenade contrasted Southern Tier 2Xpresso Stout’s coffee-sugared espresso theme. The next evening, I quaff Roscoe Trout Town Amber, a pleasurable mainstream moderation with laid-back orange-apple fruiting, spicy hop respite and leafy earthiness.
An increasingly popular Rockland County hangout drawing rush hour train commuters, curious brewhounds and young folk alike, Keg & Kestrel’s casual intimacy (and convenient 4 to 6 PM Happy Hour) keeps ’em coming. Along with Craft House, one mile east up Lafayette Avenue, Suffern now has two exciting microbrew options.
CRAFT HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR
SUFFERN, NEW YORK
Just up the hill from the center of town, CRAFT HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR joined the microbrew revolution in January ’15 (but closed down during 2018). Located at a green colonial homestead on Lafayette Avenue, this quaint Suffern pub’s Old World design comes straight out of the pre-Prohibition Roaring ’20s. With its retro-styled mahogany setting, Edison bulb lanterns, sturdy wood shelving and stainless steel-handled refrigerators, Craft House’s ambiance truly recalls a vintage alehouse.
Accessing the back door entrance near the side patio, I grab a seat at the charming 8-seat bar mid-afternoon March ’15. Featuring a private banquet room and spacious dining area, the homey confines suits families, brew crews, booze hounds and food lovers. Salmon Salad is highly recommended alongside various Americana dishes (burgers-sandwiches-pasta).
The quickly revolving 12-tap setup on this day includes two previously untried Empire State libations. The first, soft-toned Captain Lawrence Frozen Flowers, offers botanical elderflower sugaring, polite citric-quince fruiting and dry-spiced nuances. For a resounding changeup, briskly citric-embittered Long Ireland Balor IPA brought lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind sharpness to pungent hop astringency.
Happily, two Saranac reps walked in before I departed, offering the fabulous Saranac Immortality Imperial Amber, likable Imperial IPA and sessionable Summer Pils (all reviewed at Beer Index).
Craft House’s initial beer dinner showcased Captain Lawrence and the next highlighted new Wappingers Falls brewery, North River. Happy Hour is Monday thru Friday from 4 to 7 PM.
www.crafthouseny.com