‘Transcendental IPA’ happily not as ‘brutally bitter’ as advertised. Yellow grapefruit-peeled bittering outlasts juicy orange-dried tartness. Ancillary pineapple, peach and mango whims provide contrasting sweetness. Juniper-like gin boozing awakens resinous pine needling at bright citric finish.
Assertive collaboration with Florida’s equally respected Cigar City takes Green Flash 30th Street Pale Ale on an ultra-dry woody hop journey, bringing bitter India Pale Ale fruiting to light Spanish cedar wood lacquering. Pungently dry grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering leads the way over spice-hopped peppercorn salting and resinous pine deferral. Ancillary pineapple, tangerine and navel orange tang picks up gin-like boozing.
On tap at Three Wise Monks, conquering super-hopped triple IPA never gets too bitter despite being first-class hophead delight. Instead, robust floral-fruited New Zealand green bullet hop oiling adds brighter citric zest and juicier tropical tang. Lemony orange rind bittering and resinous pine sapping gain prominence contrasting delightful pineapple-grapefruit-mango-nectarine-peach bouquet. Creamy caramel malt sugaring sweetens its juicy-fruited goodness further. Juniper-nipped vodka snip provides boozy ethanol burn.
Enviably enterprising West Coast trailblazers flood market almost monthly with absolutely delectable fresh hopped IPA fare. On tap at Growler & Gill, highly expressive full-bodied November-bound beauty spreads sweet pineapple, peach, grapefruit, melon, tangerine, mango, nectarine and cantaloupe fruiting across moderate pine-needled orange peel bittering. Elegant floral bouquet scintillates sugary crystal malting as well as lusty fruit juicing, resinous hop sharpness and wafting evergreen splendor. A hint of lemon zest brightens the mood even further. Magnificient!
Rich dubbel ‘brewed with plums’ really hits the mark. Candi-sugared Italian plum influence weighs heavy on peppery Belgian yeast strain. Musty muscat grape-juiced stewed prune musk and cinnamon raisin breading pick up sharp hop spicing. Tertiary green grape, blackberry, raspberry and boysenberry tartness stays beneath surface. Fizzy grape soda sweetness contrasts vinous oaken grape tannins at ripe plum finish.
Profoundly embittered dry Irish stout loads hop-charred roasted coffee and sappy Blackstrap molasses atop smoked barley malts. Black rye-breaded spine picks up Baker’s chocolate bittering, acrid charcoal tarring and creamy vanilla bean affectations. Dark nuttiness abounds beneath heavy mocha concentration.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, enjoyable soft-watered nitro version of classic stout loads sugary brown chocolate sweetness atop molasses-dipped toffee, anise and cocoa illusions. Light gingerbread spicing contrasts ashen hop-charred charcoal bittering. A fine mocha-enriched dessert treat.
Indeterminate pumpkin-roasted fall harvest seasonal brings vegetal gourd-yam rusticity to understated brown-sugared spicing. Salty pumpkin-seeded oiling and brisk hop rasp overtake depleted cinnamon-nutmeg-clove conflux, undermining any true pumpkin pie proclivity.
Long-time Virginia brewery specializes in midrange medium-bodied ales like this golden-cleared German-styled pale lager. Reedy earthen hops and caramel-roasted barleymalts pick up vegetal astringency by honeyed rye finish. Diacetyl buttering is a drawback. Nevertheless, one of the better Dortmunder knockoffs.
Stylistically aggressive dry-bodied Czech pils brings raw-honeyed fruiting to delicate grassy hop spicing. Light lemon-seeded bittering recedes at doughy baguette bottom. Easygoing summer lager for indiscriminate tastes.
