On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, imposingly robust rye-barreled full body combines Undead Party Crasher Imperial Stout with an experimental barleywine. Sweet bourbon influence initially flourishes over rich black chocolate malting and cookie dough yeast. Fudge brownie, dark cocoa, vanilla bean and roasted coffee illusions saddle rye whiskey midst. Tertiary sherry, burgundy and pinot noir snips provide boozy warmth to 12% ABV dark ale.
On tap at Ambulance, 2015 version of oyster stout (originally made for John Dory Oyster Bar) brings thrusting black patent malt roast to briny oyster-shelled creaming, mild charcoal-hopped bittering and seared earth bottom. Dark chocolate, dried cocoa and black coffee illusions overrun mild black cherry tartness at capacious mocha finish.
On tap at Ambulance, dry-hopped cask version of well-respected stout retains settling warmth. Evergreen-like Northern Brewer hop freshness inundates plentiful dark-roasted chocolate malting and freeze-dried coffee subsidy above vinous port-wined red grape tartness and distant black cherry snip.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, limited edition 2015 India Pale Ale brings pleasant herbal freshness to piney citrus fruiting. Mild basil-leafed influence perks up grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering while allowing subsidiary pesto, sage brush and pine nut illusions to flourish beneath.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, vinous white wine-barreled Belgian witbier showers bacteria-cultured barnyard rusticity with soured Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, sparkling champagne, hard cider and red-wined vinaigrette pucker. Musty lemon-dried backdrop picks up dry oaken musk.
On tap at Ambulance, fascinating Imperial Cascadian Dark places black-patented dark chocolate malting atop sappy pine tarring – blindsiding brisk grapefruit, pineapple, orange rind and black grape fruiting with a heavily roasted hop char. Tertiary black licorice, black coffee and charcoal illusions deepen massive mocha madness.
On tap at Ambulance, desirably delicate Bavarian hefeweizen proves wholly sessionable. Lemony banana-clove-bubblegum expectancy picks up brisk orange-candied tartness, subtle vanilla creaming, peppy hop spritz and mild sourdough snip above lightly honeyed Graham Cracker spine. Crisply easygoing blissfulness.
Essentially ‘Imperial Rubeaus Ale’ with four times the raspberry, this world-class framboise satisfies the senses immediately, leaving a beautifully effective tart raspberry rasp all over the tongue, nose and throat. Mouth-puckering hard candy tartness informed by lemon-drop souring, mild cider sweetness and dry cherry-pomegranate conflux, increasing sweet ‘n sour raspberry theme profusely. Faint barnyard acridity softens dry-grained spine. Tertiary red grape, plum, cranberry and balsamic vinegaring crowd raspberry soda-like finish.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, 2015 nitro version of famous dark ale retains remarkable Guinness Stout-like nutty mocha creaminess. Mild black chocolate-informed coffee resonance gently flows into soft oats-flaked hop char, leaving peanut-shelled walnut remnant at mocha latte finish.
Not far removed from Shebeen Cannoli Beer with its powder-sugared cupcake frosting and pastry-like sweetness. But its Nilla wafer waft, lactose-sugared vanilla bean influence and light funnel cake battering only affect the wispy cream soda finish as paltry lemon-dropped orange frontage fades fast above doughy white wheat base.
Abundant cocoa bean adjunct given chewy black chocolate malting, creamy cookie dough yeast richness and charred hop roast. Gooey anise uprising and black coffee bittering coat the tongue in the midst. At the massive chocolate-y cocoa finish, fudged brownie, chicory and cola nut illusions reside.
Fantastic milk stout powered by dark-roasted black chocolate creaminess and cookie dough yeast retains silken flow. Bittersweet cocoa, sweet brown chocolate, milk-sugared coffee, burnt caramel, espresso, marshmallow, molasses, vanilla and almond undertones enrich massive mocha mantra. Wispy blackberry, black cherry and blueberry undercurrents add further complexity to capacious chocolate-cocoa finish. On tap at Poor Henry’s, smoked chocolate entry gets embittered by black patent malting and dark-roasted hop char, picking up subtle dried fruiting.