On tap at 381 Main, capacious cinnamon-spiced pumpkin pie theme runs thru ambitious autumnal ale. Creamily rich caramel malting, modest gingerbread niche and sugared vanilla respite deepen detailed pumpkin puree interior. Sugar-spiced butternut squash, glazed acorn squash and sweet yam undertones add to overall sweetness. Sharp carbolic fizz nips at the nose. Perfect sweet-tooth dessert.
CRICKET HILL PUMPKIN ALE
On tap at 381 Main, sessionably smooth sweet-spiced pumpkin pie alternative offers cinnamon-sticked nutmeg, allpsice and ginger seasoning for elegantly buoyant setting. Sweet orange peel zest adds citric appeal to delicate pumpkin sugaring and thin pumpkin-skinned salting.
STONE LEVITATION
On Tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, highly respected hop-forward amber ale compares favorably to sessionable IPA’s with its bright fruited frontage and resinous floral pining. Up-front, red apple and pear sweetness rules the roost over mild yellow grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering. Wood-toned hops sharpen the bitter end and contrast the light biscuit-y malt base.
TROEGS OLD SCRATCH #139 BELGIAN STYLE SAISON
On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, soft-tongued saison brings lemony orange rot to herbaceous white-peppered hop zip and light crystal malted spicing. Silken French saison yeast adds champagne sparkle to wheat-honeyed tangerine, peach, apricot and banana snips. Minty evergreen freshness serenades zesty citrus finish.
SOUTHERN TIER FARMER’S TAN SESSION INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern, sessionable mainstream summertime IPA provides stylish lemony orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering (and light floral-perfumed waft) to pleasantly spiced quince and stone-fruited sweetness. Red apple, red cherry, red peach, mango and anjou pear illusions hold up well against the increasingly sharp piney hop bite. Musty earthen grains and biscuit-y cracked wheat bottom stay soft anchoring the clean citric finish.
URBAN LEGEND THE CREATURE BLACK IPA
Embraceable black chocolate-smoked dark malt roast contrasts bitter hop-charred wood burn before reaching piney citric peel center. Dried cocoa, treacle and bonfire toffee illusions reinforce deep mocha influence.
URBAN LEGEND SCYLLA’S GRASP MOSAIC PALE ALE
Climactic yellow grapefruit bittering lingers as piney citric-oiled Mosaic hops harken West Coast IPA styling. Freshly-squeezed lemon juicing subsumes earthen herbs, sweetening at tropical-leaning citrus finish, leaving tertiary pineapple, mango and papaya undertones.
4 HANDS PYRUS SAISON
Stylistically expansive and well-balanced French-styled saison brings subtle pear juicing to musky lemon tartness, zesty orange briskness, vinous white grape esters and wavered cider nip. Parched straw, hay and barnyard leathering affects earthen bottom, contrasting its passive sweet side, where cotton-candied vanilla, butterscotch and banana bubblegum illusions abound. Funky saison yeast affects subtle white-peppered floral dusting of pyrus-influenced farmhouse ale.
KARBACH HELL-FIGHTER IMPERIAL PORTER
Excellent strong porter (9.5% ABV) drapes capacious caramel-burnt brown chocolate sweetness atop subtle oak-charred bittering and nutty dried fruiting. At first, chocolate milkshake creaming gathers strength, followed by coffee-roasted cappuccino, espresso and cocoa nibs respite. Beneath chewy mocha surface, fudgy dark toffee, hazelnut, walnut, cola nut and molasses illusions reside alongside bittersweet raisin-prune conflux. Scattered anise, licorice nibs, sarsaparilla and burgundy undertones complete the score. A busier chocolate milkshake!
KARBACH EL HOPADILLO NEGRO BLACK IPA
Heavy dark-roasted graining, smoked mocha malting and Blackstrap molasses sinew envelop bitter chocolate-cocoa stead above piney citric hop restraint. Subtle grapefruit, black grape and pineapple fruiting picks up amiable spruce-tipped bittering as well as ashen nuttiness.
KARBACH RODEO CLOWN DOUBLE IPA
Miscast as an India Pale Ale, its honeyed cereal oats, toasted caramel malting and cookie dough richness befit a sweet helles lager instead of a hop-embittered IPA, regaling stylistic orange-peeled pineapple-grapefruit-tangerine tang and resinous pine oiling with more resonant peach-pear-apple supplement. Peppery hop-spiced influence stays moderate.
SAINT ARNOLD BOILER ROOM BERLINER WEISSE
Likable light-bodied (3.5% ABV) sour wheat ale brings tart lemon limed pucker to the fore as gose-like coriander salting takes a backseat. Lightly acidic green apple mildness and vinous grape tannins provide soft pungency. At the finish, fresh-squeezed lemonade niche and plain yogurt milking reinforce lactic wort-soured citrus continuance.
