On tap at Cloverleaf, ‘deconstructed’ flavored blunt (circa 2015) brings ashen tobacco, resinous ganja and charcoal acridity to up-front black chocolate richness as well as diminished candied orange peel zest. Black patent malt astringency reinforced by oak-smoked wheat char, dark coffee bean bittering, chalky cocoa beaning and soily peat earthiness.
CLIMAX CHERRY SNOW PLOW WINTER ALE
On tap at The Office-Ridgewood, genre-defying English winter warmer provides luscious sour cherry, medicinal cherry, bruised cherry and whiskeyed cherry tartness to wispy Blackstrap molasses sinew. Sherry, raspberry and orange undertones hide below the surface and the sugary cherry soda-like finish betters Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat. Connoisseurs may find take aim at its fizzy soda pop feel and indefinite stylistic candor, but it’s truly splendid. A perfect dessert treat, especially for fruity ale drinkers.
ALPINE CAPTAIN STOUT
On tap at Twisted Elm, creamy “chocolate oatmeal dry stout” places emphasis on dark-roasted mocha malting. Massive black chocolate entry picks up chicory coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla bean, hazelnut, cola nut and Brazil nut illusions over charred hop bittering. Tarry charcoal acridity deepens rich mocha finish.
ALPINE DUET
Undeniably awesome West Coast India Pale Ale breaks out the tangy citric-hopped fruitiness, elegant floral-spiced splendor and pungently resinous pine freshness to impress any true beer lover. Sweet navel orange, bitter yellow grapefruit and sour pineapple cut loose initially, followed succinctly by harmonious Valencia orange, clementine, peach, cantaloupe, nectar, tangerine, mango, pear and red apple juicing. A flavorful Simcoe-Amarillo hop adventure sure to please everyone (except lightweights thrown off by its minor aspirin-like astringency).
FLYING FISH EXIT 3 BLUEBERRY BRAGGOT HONEY ALE
Indelible honey-fermented fruit ale (with well-disguised 15% ABV) from an ancient recipe brings sweet ‘n sour blueberry tartness to zesty orange-lemon peel briskness, light Belgian pilsner malting, phenol champagne yeast and subtle white peppering. Sinewy demerara sugaring tips honeyed coughdrop midst increasing mead-wined blueberry persistence, picking up sweet vanilla illusions ’til the liqueur-like sloe gin fizz whir creates a spellbinding buzz for this glorious blueberry dessert.
CRICKET HILL NOCTURNE CHOCOLATE ALE
Cautiously moderate dark ale lingers in dark-roasted black patent malt purgatory as cocoa-dried dark chocolate illusions flatten out and its casual charred hop bittering and latent charcoal singe increase. Milk chocolate, espresso, anise and soy undertones never make full commitment.
NEW HOLLAND MICHIGAN AWESOME HATTER
Approachable IPA lowers the resinous piney hop thrust to allow cereal-grained caramel roast the same expanse as its stylish fruit-spiced tang. Crisp orange-dried grapefruit, pineapple, peach and lemon illusions crowd sugary sourdough midst. Toasted almond, coconut and praline undertones settle alongside dewy earthiness in the astringent backdrop.
BOULEVARD/ODELLS SILVER ANNIVERSARY ALE
Soft-focus 25th anniversary celebrator (2014 strong ale blending Odells Golden with Boulevard Golden) brings honey-spiced caramel sugaring and sweet fruit tang to cottony hop astringency. Light-bodied, despite elevated 7.3%ABV, its delicate floral citric effervescence sits gently on the tongue. Piquant vanilla buttering stays mellow and timid fig-date snip stays distant.
OVERSHORES BELLE FERMIERE
Dainty farmhouse-styled ale brings subtle tangerine-clementine tang and sweet ‘n sour lemon juicing to delicate pale malt stead. Crisply clean carbolic spritz nearly hides estery grape tartness, kaffir lime tingle and mild melon snip at the zesty citric finish.
OVERSHORES BLANC DE BLANCHE BELGIAN-STYLE WHITE BEER
Moderate fruit spicing and soft hop astringency outdone by reedy lemongrass-basil-celantro herbage. At the mild citric-herbed finish, light lemon-dried navel orange peel bittering contrasts subtle coriander seasoning and distant caraway-seeded sweetness.
OVERSHORES SIMPEL
Crisply dry chartreuse-hazed Belgian pale ale retains sessionable herb-spiced fruiting. Soft orange-grapefruit-plantain timidity allows herbal black and white peppering to reign over salty-bottomed mineral graining.
PARISH SOUTH COAST SESSION AMBER ALE
Easygoing honey-grained caramel toasting and spicy yellow-orange fruiting given light hop prickle. Simple, yet effective.