SARANAC SUMMER PILS
Sessionably soft summertime suds serenades subtle citrus spicing with floral Belma hops and reedy wood tones. Brisk grapefruit, pineapple and tangerine tang sweetened by honeyed carapils malting. Cardboard-like backdrop picks up pasty residue.
TERRAPIN LIQUID BLISS CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PORTER
Rife with dark-roasted peanut butter oiling, rich mocha porter effectively maintains nutty assault upending reticent mocha malting. Peanut-shelled black chocolate, black coffee and dark cocoa undertones receive raw molasses bittering. Although no countering sweetness seeps thru the heavily roasted peanut grid, its gritty legume intensity needn’t be compromised.
TERRAPIN HI-5 IPA
Durable surf-cultured West Coast-styled India Pale Ale in a can contrasts stylish piney fruited bittering and sharp hop oiling against lightly creamed crystal malt sugaring. Pungent grapefruit-peeled orange rind musk intensifies over latent charcoal acridity and delicate floral whims. Lemony pineapple, tangerine, peach, mango and papaya tropicalia adds summertime sunniness to raspy bittering.
DC BRAU THE CITIZEN
Fruitful Belgian-style pale ale (in a can) allows candi-sugared yeast to spread across lemony banana taffy sweetness, sugary caramel malts and soured cider. Subtle orange marmalade, yellow apple, pineapple, tangerine, mango and pear illusions add luster while minimal clove spicing, terse herbal honeyed niche and vinous white grape notions fill the backdrop. Fizzy carbolic overload brings unwanted aridity to delicate citrus finish where minor aspirin-like acridity seeps in.
DC BRAU THE PUBLIC PALE
In homage to District of Columbia becoming the 51st state, intriguingly aggressive, yet crisply clean, highbrow pale ale (in a can) brings spirited floral-perfumed citrus briskness, essential herbal hop oiling and wafting botanical flowers to resinous pine-needled bittering. Fresh spruce, skunky sativa and sagebrush illusions awaken lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind sharpness as well as tropical peach, pineapple, mango and papaya sweetness above the caramelized Vienna malt base. Astoundingly complex.
DU CLAW HELLRAZER IPA
Zesty medium-bodied India Pale Ale utilizes tropical-fruited New Zealand hops to moisten its floral-dusted sweetness and spruce-tipped herbal notions. Brisk yellow grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple, peach, mango and papaya illusions crowd the surface above saltine cracker-like malt for a freshly-squeezed tropical fruit punch.
DU CLAW HOP CONTINUUM NO. 1 BLOOD ORANGE INDIA PALE ALE
Cherished sweet ‘n sour blood orange distinction usurps resinous piney hop bittering and rye-flaked torrified wheat bed. Floral blood orange aromatics fill the air, leaving zesty citric innuendos. Pink, yellow and ruby red grapefruit juicing stays briskly fresh as tertiary pineapple, nectarine, peach and navel range illusions flutter by.
DU CLAW ANTI VENOM CENTENNIAL IPA
Vaguely defined ‘American adaptation of an English IPA’ plies pale-malted earthiness to lemony grapefruit bittering, resinous pine oiling and floral herbage (seeming too Americanized for mossier British styling). Sugary citrus sweetness contrasts ascending alcohol burn.
DU CLAW MORGAZM
Delicate blonde ale utilizes ‘grapefruit zest’ to briskly fortify mild dry body. Candied pink and yellow grapefruit tang sets the tone, then drops off a tad as subtle lemon pith bittering picks up. Light flavor profile withers too quickly.
LAGUNITAS SCARE CITY HIGH WEST-IFIED IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, lofty rye whiskey-barreled full body offers bourbon-sweetened brown chocolate spicing to ascending hazelnut coffee roast. Burnt caramel malting contrasts silken burgundy, port and sherry wining. Recessive French vanilla, espresso macchiato and frappuccino undertones deepen smoked mocha conviction, but rye influence deadens over time.
POINT WHOLE HOG ESPRESSO STOUT
Tongue-lashing espresso bittering lingers softly above black coffee, dark chocolate, dried cocoa, tarry molasses and vanilla bean undertones. Aged in coffee beans, its dark-roasted mocha malting fares better then slick charred hop oiling. Slightest burnt nuttiness contained by impressively detailed espresso roast.