On tap at Ambulance, finely textured sour ale brings raspy raspberry pucker to salty lemon-limed acidity. Sour-candied green apple, mandarin orange, cherry and peach tones as well as vinous green grape tartness underscore soft-toned raspberry theme.
STILLWATER OF LOVE & REGRET
On tap at Ambulance, lovely herb-spiced farmhouse ale drapes spring-meadowed ‘heather, chamomile, lavender and dandelion’ botanicals above dewy peat malts and grassy citric hops. Lemony grapefruit, orange, pineapple, peach, pear and tangerine tang brightens subsidiary honeysuckle, rose petal and hibiscus illusions as sweet cinnamon apple, bruised banana and honeydew undertones add further luster.
NARRAGANSETT LOVECRAFT HONEY ALE
On tap at Ambulance, dry-bodied amber ale celebrates Providence horror novelist HP Lovecraft by utilizing bittersweet mead-like honey adjunct in an IPA-like fruited setting. Herbal honeyed pale malt tangent picks up tart white-wined orange peel, grapefruit rind, pineapple and lemon souring that engages mild floral hop astringency.
FLYING DOG SINGLE HOP (HBC-431) IMPERIAL IPA
Experimental hop variety provides great floral fruited expression for impressive India Pale Ale. Crisp yellow and pink grapefruit tang enlivened by navel orange, mango, pineapple, kiwi, guava, tangerine, cantaloupe and melon tropicalia. Mild rye, cara-pils and biscuit malts complement elegantly bittersweet fruit spicing, contrasting wispy liqueur niche.
STONE ODD YEAR OLD GUARDIAN EXTRA HOPPY BARLEYWINE
On tap at Cloverleaf, highly expressive hopped-up version of annual barleywine brings juicy citric, tropical and stone fruited pleasantries to maple-sugared caramel malting. Tangy orange-bruised grapefruit, tangerine, peach, cherry, cantaloupe, melon, mango and pineapple sweetness as well as subsidiary red apple and brown pear illusions dance on the tongue alongside elegant cognac and almondine nuances. In the recess, boozy whiskey and vodka tangents reside. An excellent 2015 elixir.
CARTON ORANGE SWISHER BLUNT ALE
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.
