Profound vegetal-herbed India Pale Ale extends stylistic boundaries with positive results. Tart green tomato-like naranjilla adjunct brings light celantro-peppered wisp, limey rhubarb twist and neutral celery crisping to daintily spiced grapefruit-orange tang. Just another interesting IPA offshoot.
Well-balanced medium body (in a can) brings brisk citrus pining and pale malt stimulance to sweet cookie dough center. Sharp citric hop bittering and grassy residue never outdo summery orange-peeled lemon zesting. Tangy pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine and cantaloupe undertones sweeten the core.
Drab “Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Stout” in a can leaves phenol day-old coffee ground souring and musty dark chocolate chalking upon oily hop resin. Aromatic milk chocolate-y Yoo-Hoo sweetness totally undermined by cocoa-soured soy sludge.
Intriguing Belgian-styled dark ale (with robust 11% ABV) proves worthy as brewers’ 20th anniversary offering circa 2015. Ripe dried fruiting inundates coriander-spiced star anise sugaring and chewy caramel malting. Elevated raisin, plum, fig and prune conflux regales front end while less prominent blackberry, blueberry and red grape undertones as well as buttery coconut smidge add depth to richly complex dessert treat.
First new year round offering in four years, 2015’s supposedly profane brown ale loads “obscenely malted hoppiness” atop dark-roasted nuttiness, black tea herbage and light floral citrus perk. Dry walnut, sweet pecan and honey-glazed hazelnut illusions inundate black patent malt setting. But its charred hop bittering seems understated despite obscene gesture.
Velvety bourbon influence and caramel-burnt sugaring define soft-toned New Orleans digestif. Rum-spiced bourbon sweetness intensified by oats-roasted chocolate malting and creamy vanilla subtlety. Cookie dough, toasted coconut, maple molasses, fudged brownie and almond nuances settle below.
Moderate German-styled pilsner (in a can) picks up shady blueberry-soured respite for polite lemon seltzer spritz, mild raw-grained grassy hop bittering and wispy herbal nip. Minor phenol astringency never depletes lemony blueberry tartness.
New ‘Colorado-styled’ year round offering (2015) stays mellow and crisp. Floral-daubed tropical fruiting and light pine resin seep inside honeyed wheat spine. Easygoing Mosaic-Cascade hop influence sharpens lemony orange, grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, peach and passionfruit tang over fresh mountain water base.
Moderate wheat hybrid brewed with Chardonnay grape juice loses vineyard essence to cloy corn-sugared malt liquor syruping. Pomace-bound grappa brandy dapple, dry champagne sparkle, vinous green grape tartness and musty Scotch lick never blend effectively, leaving inefficient Chardonnay wining to fade near the bland wheat cracker bottom.
Outstanding bourbon-barreled elixir loads spiced brown chocolate sweetness inside rich vanilla creaming, burnt caramel center and oaken barleywine conviction. Lovely bourbon tones coat its smashing interior as brown-sugared maple molasses, glazed hazelnut, cherry puree, buttery rum, toffee, blackberry, cinnamon and fig illusions lightly sweeten the warm mocha-bourbon finish.
Luxurious bourbon influence spreads across rich black chocolate syruping and lightly wood-charred ashen hop bittering, picking up vanilla-sweetened burnt caramel, smoky molasses, black coffee and fudge illusions. Tertiary bruised cherry, red plum and sugared fig nuances bring dried fruit contingent to back end of comforting bourbon-aged dark ale.
Abundant pecan pie sweetness gets loaded atop maple-sugared hazelnut, honeyed praline, toasted almond, white chocolate, coconut shavings and butternut illusions, leaving an intense and unique impression. Candied pecan glaze picks up latent cinnamon-spiced pumpkin puree respite, mild cream soda impression and light almondine glitz. Nearly perfect as a slightly unconventional dessert treat (but picked up slightest diacetyl buttering on second tasting).
