Ambitious full-bodied Cascadian dark ale betters the rest thanks to richer dark-roasted chocolate malting and spicier dried fruiting. True, its loud mocha overtones outdo the recessive stewed fruits, but the pine-needled wood char and dry hop bittering penetrate the surface. Black molasses bread, raisin toast, black licorice, ground coffee, Nestles Quik cocoa and chocolate fondue illusions round out the busy mix. Tertiary pineapple, grapefruit, black grape and peach snips hide below.
Extraordinary whiskey-barreled holiday ale (2014) drapes cinnamon-spiced gingerbread sweetness atop rich chocolate-fruited panorama. Brown-sugared nutmeg, coriander and allspice seasoning awaits buttery raisin breading and brown chocolate fudging. Medicinal 8.6% alcohol acridity saturated by tertiary spice rum, bourbon, cherry, fig, baked apple, vanilla and coconut illusions.
Temperate autumnal-seasoned winter warmer makes fine honey-spiced holiday moderation. Halloween-spirited pumpkin pie entry greets Christmastime sugar cookie, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove accents. Peppery hop bottom contrasts muted vanilla creaming. Sherry hints perk up delicate honey-fruited finish. 2018 version: spruce-tipped honeyed ginger resonance deepened cinnamon, nutmeg and clove seasoning.
Ambiguously complex oak-aged red ale relies on smooth whiskey tones to upend vinous wood-dried grape esters, light citric hop spicing and sour mash acidity. Dry bourbon and Scotch boozing sedates latent vanilla-caramel sweetness.
Winningly peculiar limited ’13/’14 release spreads sweet mango juice above and beyond candi-sugared orange, pineapple, peach, melon, kiwi, lychee and guava paradise. But it’s the hefty halapeno burn that’ll test one’s tolerance. Minor cayenne-chili peppering contrasts honeyed Graham Cracker spine.
Fabulously hybridized coffee-infused brown ale skirts imperial stout and mocha porter comparisons thanks to nuttier pale malt dryness overriding dark-roasted chocolate fudging. Cold-brewed One Village espresso roast gets mixed with post-fermented Kimberton coffee to climactic perfection as its sharp hop char lingeringly enlivens the creamy java theme. Hazelnut coffee, espresso, vanilla and maple molasses tones reinforce the nutty bottom. Serve to pale ale lovers sitting on the fence about coffee-flavored brews.
On tap at Biggie’s Clam Bar in Ramsey, crisp golden-hazed 2024 springtime white ale layers sweet orange peel tang, pleasant banana vanilla wafer likeness and piquant coriander spicing atop grassy-hopped white peppering and wheat wafer backbone. Recessive pineapple, apricot, mango and grains of paradise tropicalia as well as advertised plum and hibiscus notions fall away at brisk fruit-spiced finish. 2015 re-tasting on tap at Roxanne’s-Mahwah: creamily powder-sugared vanilla sweetness tingles tangy coriander-spiced orange peel zesting, lemon meringue tartness, salted mango swipe and red cherry snip. Superb mainstream witbier.
On tap at Biggie’s Clam Bar in Ramsey, ill-defined brown ale loads candi-sugared Belgian yeast and caramel-roasted dried fruiting into winter warmer-like spicing. Lack of stylistic nuttiness is stifling. Distant chestnut, pecan and praline tones lack luster. In the midst, sharp peppery hops contrast black cherry, bruised banana and fig notions as well as treacly vanilla sweetness. In the bottle, wintry copper-cleared moderation layers sporadic holiday-spiced caramel, toffee and chocolate sweetness above Belgian-sugared dried fruiting as well as roasted wheat malting. Fizzy carbolics deaden peppery yeast impact and subtle raisin-fig-plum conflux, leaving phenol hop astringency in its wake.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, murkily defined porter loses any sweet almond-milked flouring after first sip. Instead, sharp dark-roasted hop graining, bitter vanilla beaning and nutty remnant combine forces to undermine its musty nature.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, visceral cinnamon chocolate-caked dessert treat spreads powdered-sugared cannoli sweetness all over wintry gingerbread-nutmeg spicing and oats-flaked vanilla bean bittering. Black cherry-pureed date, fig and raisin illusions further enrich chewy espresso-milked chocolate creaming.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, superbly constructed amber-coppered full body brings creamy milk-sugared coffee sweetness to amiable pale malt dryness. Lingered espresso roast nestles whipped-creamed cappuccino, caramel latte, hazelnut macchiato, vanilla latte and maple sap richness. Further tastings revealed black pepper hints. Teaming up with local Fairmount Coffee Roasters, Carton’s hybridized stout/ pale ale wins on all counts.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, bold oak-barreled mocha porter drapes spicy Brinley Gold Ship Wreck rum over luxurious molasses-glazed bourbon piquancy, Belgian chocolate spicing and rich brown chocolate malt setting. Cookie dough, cocoa, coconut and cocoa nibs illusions deepen its conviction. Vanilla-sweetened Bananas Foster snip and dried-fruited bruised cherry tartness speckle the backend.
