FIRESTONE WALKER XVII ANNIVERSARY ALE

January 17, 2014Beers A-ZFIRESTONE WALKER, oak-aged aleJohn Fortunato

Diligently combining brewers’ oak-forward Bravo Imperial Brown, Stickee Monkee Barleywine, Helldorado Blond Barleywine, Velvet Merkin Oatmeal Stout, Parabola Imperial Oatmeal Stout and Wooky Jack Black Rye IPA, velvety smooth full body reaches dessert beer nirvana on first sip. Lovely bourbon warmth reigns supreme above decadent vanilla-creamed chocolate caking, comprehensive fruit-dried red wining and advertised ‘cinnamon-glazed almond’ waft. Inviting cognac, whiskey, sherry, port and dark rum boozing reinforces bruised cherry, rum raisin, sugared fig and black grape fruiting. Molasses cookie dough richness increases rounded complexity further. Creme brulee, cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, hazelnut and marshmallow illusions deepen mocha pervasion. Highly recommended.

(BEER HERE) KREMLIN CRUDE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zimperial stoutJohn Fortunato

Industrious flavor profile hybridized by rauchbier-like peated malt smokiness while anchored by dark-roasted chocolate and coffee bittering. Chocolate-chipped cookie dough center picks up molasses sugaring, depleting some of the early beechwood-like campfire sear and prolific Band-aid waft by the bold mocha finish.

WARSTEINER ZITRONE

January 17, 2014Beers A-ZradlerJohn Fortunato

Despite contrarian rumors, syrupy soda-like spritzer successfully plies sweet lemonade adjunct to light-bodied summertime radler. Reminiscent of a lemony tea-leafed ginger ale, its explosive carbolic hop thrust adds salty astringency to the citric pleasantries. Deep in the mix are mandarin orange, navel orange and tangerine notions that affix the candied lemon sugaring.

AMSTEL BRIGHT

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zpale lagerJohn Fortunato

From an original Dutch Caribbean recipe, sessionable light-bodied pale lager ransacks sunny lemon zest brightness with phenol grassy hop astringency, minor acetylene acridity and metallic tinge. Hints of lemongrass nip soft rice-grained white wheat spine. Designed for sweltering beachtime activities.

BATEMAN’S ROSEY NOSEY

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zwinter aleJohn Fortunato

Totally ‘proper British bitter’ places expected dewy peat mossing, dry tea-leafed tobacco roast and reedy hop resins above holiday-styled fruitcake subtlety. Raw-honeyed astringency and fungi-like earthiness greet latent fig-dried sultana grape tartness.

TIMOTHY TAYLOR’S LANDLORD PALE ALE

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zpale aleJohn Fortunato

Perfectly sessionable off-dry English bitter layers spring-watered earthen minerality across dewy peat moss, crisp tobacco roast, reedy-hopped foliage and poppy-seeded rye grains. Herbal black tea notion contrasts lightly caramel-toasted backend.

HERKENRODE BRUIN

January 17, 2014Beers A-ZdubbelJohn Fortunato

Easygoing Belgian dark ale crowds sweet cotton-candied entry with banana-bruised coriander spicing and doughy sugar breading. Although astringent ethanol burn overrides wispy dried fruiting, latent raisin-grape-cherry undertones enrich its caramelized backend.

LEFFE RADIEUSE

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zstrong aleJohn Fortunato

Well-attenuated Belgian strong dark ale transitions candi-sugared Belgian yeast sweetness and honey-spiced mead spree to dry red wine acridity. Fructose black cherry, sultana grape, bruised banana and green raisin sugaring contrasts raspberry-soured rhubarb pie tartness. Light bourbon, burgundy, port and brandy undertones fortify tannic back end.

(STEENBERGE) VAMPIRE PALE ALE

January 17, 2014Beers A-ZBelgian pale aleJohn Fortunato

Drab Belgian pale ale allows carbolic fizz to undermine yellow-fruited spicing and butterscotch malting, depleting its honeyed wheat base. Lemony yellow grapefruit tartness contrasts sweet banana-bruised vanilla creaming. Mild saffron-honeysuckle spicing engulfs ancillary green grape tannins. Nowhere near as ghoulish as its blood-sucking imagery would suggest.

ALFA EDEL PILS

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zlight pilsnerJohn Fortunato

Drab spring-watered light pilsner compromises cotton-candied caramel sugaring, sweet corn incentive and soft-toned grassy hop crisping with raw-honeyed mineral grain astringency. Beneath, murky lemon-soured spritz contrasts doughy white bread sweetness. Passive blue-collar fare for indiscriminate tastes.

JUPILER BLOND BEER

January 17, 2014Beers A-ZBelgian pale aleJohn Fortunato

Supposedly Belgium’s best selling beer, this sessionable pale lager maintains a thrifty flavor profile but lacks overall oomph. Indistinct Belgian yeast candi-sugaring affects sugary corn cereal frontage, allowing phenol hop acridity as well as barnyard-dried alfalfa, wild oats and rye graining to overrun soft sourdough spine. Faux gluten-free aridity depletes scurried sweetness.

HERTOG JAN PILSNER

January 17, 2014Beers A-Zlight pilsnerJohn Fortunato

Commonplace moderate Dutch pils relegates musky grain-husked minerality to pungent hop-embittered skunking. Not far removed from Heineken, only lighter and less evolved taste-wise, its white-breaded pale malt spine dissolves quickly.

BEERMELODIES

For Beer Geeks And Rock Freaks

FIRESTONE WALKER XVII ANNIVERSARY ALE

(BEER HERE) KREMLIN CRUDE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT

WARSTEINER ZITRONE

AMSTEL BRIGHT

BATEMAN’S ROSEY NOSEY

TIMOTHY TAYLOR’S LANDLORD PALE ALE

HERKENRODE BRUIN

LEFFE RADIEUSE

(STEENBERGE) VAMPIRE PALE ALE

ALFA EDEL PILS

JUPILER BLOND BEER

HERTOG JAN PILSNER