Explosive carbolic thrust withstanding, stylistically robust Australian pale ale utilizes peachy passionfruit-like Galaxy hops to inform the peppery floral spicing and drape the light caramel malting. Lemon-peeled grapefruit zest freshens the bittersweet passionfruit tartness. Resinous pine and fresh-cut grass waft thru the tropical-fruited frontage as well as the candi-sugared mango, pineapple, papaya, guava, tangerine, nectar and lychee undertones.
Tiresome lemon pulp souring receives soft yellow-wooded Amarillo hop bittering over skunked vegetal herbage. Raw-honeyed ginger and ginseng notions never fully integrate and doughy malts pick up gluey paper residue. Befuddled citric sourness belies surprisingly clean finish.
Easygoing, toned down version of popular India Pale Ale varietal. Subtle grapefruit, pineapple and orange tang nearly upended by dry-hopped toasted rye breading. Docile date and fig dried fruiting drifts into light vegetal niche before brisk floral citrus finish pushes it aside.
Effervescent Bavarian-styled moderation brings soft-toned citric-candied acidity to raw-honeyed lemon rot souring and brisk mineral watered crisping. Gentle grassy hop dryness and mild coriander spicing caress yellow-fruited simplicity.
Precariously labeled an ‘old ale,’ this chocolate-flavored moderation (6% ABV despite equally misguided strong ale appellation) needs to increase its sweet ‘n sour cocoa-dried brown chocolate spicing and Madagascan bourbon vanilla influence. Instead, the watered-down flavor profile remains distant. Whimsical molasses, toffee and port notes never fully integrate. And its mildly coarsened hop toasting becomes a tad phenol.
Seductive well-rounded medium body contrasts musky Belgian yeast peppering with ripe raisin rampage and brown-sugared molasses malting. Caramelized brown chocolate nuttiness and grape-jammed plum-fig-date dried fruiting heighten its complexities. Tertiary dark rum, brown banana, black cherry and blackberry nuances sweeten the back end.
CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND
Inside a freestanding brown warehouse with copper aluminum roof and blue-yellow signpost in westernmost Cranston, BRUTOPIA BREWERY & KITCHEN opened its doors springtime, 2014. Championed Rhode Island brewer, Sean Larkin, created the trusty beer recipes and the variegated hickory-smoked barbecue menu also deserves plaudits.
A capacious Industrial sportsbar with exposed ducts and metal rafters, its left side windowed brew tanks, rectangular central bar (with 24-plus taps and multiple TV’s), separate dining room and far right enclosed patio deck (with umbrella-laden picnic tables) provide plentiful open space.
Brutopia starts getting packed as I settle into eleven 5-ounce samplers while chomping on delicious fried pretzels with homemade cheese salad this early Friday evening in October ’14.
Larkin, a well-experienced brewmaster, initially gained respect at nearby Providence mainstay, Trinity, then spread his time reinvigorating Rhode Island’s oldest brewery, Narragansett, and creating fine microbrewery, Revival. His taste usually runs towards the more robust, fuller bodied dark ales, but there’s no stopping his fertile imagination as proven by the Belgian and autumn influenced elixirs currently available at Brutopia.
While sessionable Bliss Light Lager suited blue collar thirsts, a finer choice may be fruit-spiced moderation, Valhalla Amber Ale, a stylishly hearty caramel malt-sweetened nicety with apple, peach and pear fruiting contrasting mild grapefruit tartness, acrid wood tones and toasted hop bittering.
A dynamic citric front end enveloped the sharp wood interior of Never Ender IPA, where orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering contrasted the tropical pineapple, mango and kiwi uprising.
Citric ‘hop bomb,’ First Coast Belgian Double IPA, brought wafting perfumed florality to piney hop oiled lacquering and yellow grapefruit-imbibed lemon rind bittering.
Earthen nuttiness and fruity caramel spiced enlightened Munk Belgian Abbey Ale. A more demure Belgian, refreshingly moderate Blossom Belgian White layered black-peppered Belgian yeast fungi atop orange-peeled coriander spicing, corny pilsner malting and earthen hop resin.
On the dark side, brown-sugared Bonfire Brown Ale countered honey-roasted toffee sweetness with citric-soured hop spices and soily nuttiness.
Soft-toned Hello Darkness blended Revival Imperial Stout with White Electric coffee and retained a light chicory-roasted hazelnut coffee serenity as wispy charcoal-burnt hop bitterness and subtle berry tartness seeped inside its splendid java theme.
Dry-bodied Dark Marvel Stout stayed mildly creamy, overloading black coffee bittering with dark-roasted chocolate malting.
By 7 PM, the place was jamming and I tried the two autumn seasonals. While crisply clean Oktoberfest brought wood-toned citric bittering to corn-sugared malts and leafy hops, a better choice was outstanding cinnamon-toasted pumpkin pie-like The Patch, an alcohol burnt full body combining Blossom, Munk, Bonfire and Dark Marvel with impressive results. Its vanilla-sugared gingerbread, chestnut and nutmeg illusions surged alongside the sweet pumpkin pureeing.
www.brutopiabrewery.com
On tap at Aidan’s, impenetrable autumn ’14 seasonal never clearly defines ‘brown ale’ status since stylish mocha nuttiness plays possum. Instead, minor molasses-like Vermont maple syrup adjunct barely affects latent dark-roasted chocolate malting and leafy hop oiling. Timid brown-sugared spicing and barren nuttiness lost in a wave of carbolic fluff.
“Limit”-less sunny-hazed Bavarian wheat ale drapes herbal lemongrass-ginger-chamomile accents across mildly tart lemon zest and muted banana-clove-vanilla sweetness. Dry citric spritz tingles light wheat biscuit backbone. Tertiary apple and pear undertones flutter. Pliable herbal nature may put off more restrictive or sensitive hefeweizen palates.
On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, excellent hybridized Cascadian Dark Ale overcomes any preconceived notions by adding peat-smoked rye to dark-roasted chocolate malting and resinous hop-charred dried fruiting. Black tea-like pungency, light earthen musk and piney charcoal singe deepen chalky cocoa insistence above moderate orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple and green grape bittering. Best of class.
On tap at Ambulance Brew House, well-rounded medium body never gets too bitter – despite its ferocious ‘triple’ declaration. Instead, honey-glazed fruited malts stand toe-to-toe with pronounced Chinook/Centennial piney hop bittering and misty floral perfuming. Emphatic tangerine, mango, canteloupe, honeydew and melon sweetness plies juicy-fruited tang to bitter grapefruit-peeled orange rind contrast. Nevertheless, iodine-affected ethanol solvency may chase away lighter thirsts.
On tap at Ambulance Brew House, uniquely hybridized limited edition (2014) amber ale/ IPA blend spreads honeyed spices across a less hoppy/ more malty flavor profile. Caramel-toasted ‘German red’ malting receives top billing alongside tangy Mosaic-hopped grapefruit, apple, pear and pineapple fruiting and lacquered applewood-birch sentiments.