FALLING DOWN BEER CO.

United States Brewpubs,

WARREN, MICHIGAN

Perhaps less eccentric, over-the-top and wide-ranging as Warren’s two magnificent brewpub staples (Kuhnhenn and Dragonmead), FALLING DOWN BEER CO. nevertheless has a fine lineup of craft brews. Located inside a converted diner and open for biz, March 29, 2013 (but closed February 2018), this blue-topped red-bricked pub maintains a charmingly blue collar appeal serving light Americana food with its approachable liquid fare.

Visited by friend, Dennis Flubacher (who brought back samples to Jersey), Falling Down never tries to be too fancy or audacious, settling for a quaint suburban atmosphere approved by many locals.

During his two-hour dinner stay, Dennis imbibed  six ample samples, starting with easygoing light body, Chiller’s Revenge Amber Ale. Its clean-watered caramel toasting and phenol hop bite may’ve been unremarkable, but it’d suit amateur thirsts.

Next up, Rye My Donkey Rye Saison brought a large yellow-pink grapefruit contingent to Russian rye-breaded pumpernickel flouring and sweet banana-clove undertones.

Perhaps even better, Ninja Chicken American Pale Ale got elevated by an aggressive India Pale Ale-like hop bittering that amplified piney tropical fruiting and zesty orange-peeled grapefruit rind tang.

Royal sour cherry-candied sidestep, Vampire Bunnies Cherry Blonde, offered a tart cherry pucker to crisp crescent-watered freshness.

On the dark side, Cascadian Dark Ale, Black IPA kept its dark-roasted black chocolate malting ahead of mild charcoal hop bittering.

Similar in style, dry Irish-styled FnA Stout worked cocoa-powdered Baker’s chocolate and mild black coffee into clean-watered hop briskness.

www.fallingdownbeer.com

ROCHESTER MILLS CORNERSTONE IPA

Beers A-Z

Fine pint-canned, rust-cleared medium body plies brown pear and yellowed crispin apple fruiting to usual pink grapefruit, navel orange and tangerine tang of standard citric-pined India Pale Ales. Dry-hopped evergreen florality, ginger-like turmeric peppering, raw vanilla bittering, subtle black tea pungency and metallic tinge contrast underlying caramelized butterscotch sweetness.

(THORNBRIDGE) KIPLING SOUTH PACIFIC-STYLE PALE ALE

Beers A-Z

Disappointingly overrated golden-hazed English pale ale with under-utilized New Zealand-bound Nelson Sauvin hop astringency feigns unspecific tropical fruiting (kiwi, grapefruit, passion fruit, papaya, guava, pineapple) as simple carbolic lemon spritz covers up bland stylistic moderation. Forget any intended Sauvignon Blanc white wining. Instead, its minor grassy hop spicing tingles the senses but leaves very few citric pleasantries.

SIXPOINT HI-RES

Beers A-Z

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, bold full-bodied Imperial IPA (limited ’14 edition with high hop resin) drapes rye-honeyed fructose tropicalia over tangy grapefruit-orange ripeness, but rigid 11.1% alcohol burn, massive 111 IBU hop bittering and chewy caramel malting completely overload fruity onrush. In skinny 12-ounce can, clay-hopped pine needling sharpens syrupy cotton-candied pineapple, peach, nectarine, tangerine and mango tang.