Silken milk chocolate entry juxtaposes mild soy-soured coffee burn. Malted milk ball likeness reinforced by cocoa-dried burnt caramel sweetness. Cola, hazelnut and pecan illusions deepen impact. A smidgen of anise and a dollop of bourbon smear the dark-roasted oatmeal backend.
OLD SCHOOLHOUSE RENDEZVOUS PORTER
Smoothly creamed mocha porter allows bittersweet black chocolate fudging to spread across dark-roasted oats char and cocoa-dried cola nuttiness. Light tarring embitters ground coffee ascension, sharp hop spicing and molasses-breaded walnut snip. Well-balanced and approachable dark ale will win over moderate thirsts.
WIDMER BROTHERS FALCONER’S IPA
Perfectly sessionable moderate-bodied India Pale Ale (with lighter stylistic piney hop bittering) ups the biscuit-y wheat cracker sugaring to compete equally against expectant pineapple-grapefruit-orange tang. Helles bock-like almond-pecan roast and marzipan-sweetened candied apple frisk take ancillary positions. Some minor phenol astringency deters bright citric finish, but not by much.
SIERRA NEVADA OVILA QUAD WITH PLUM
Calm quad receives fine abbey-grown sugar plum adjunct that positively informs well-regarded original recipe. Peppery Belgian yeast add musty morning dewiness to plum-dried black cherry, purple grape, stewed prune and fig nuances. Beneath, brown chocolate, molasses and caramel sweetness seeps into lovely dried fruiting.
BELL’S OARSMAN
Easygoing salted coriander expectancy softens lemon-candied tartness, unripened green apple souring and vinous green grape pucker, narrowly avoiding acidic lactose overload. Delicate white wheat spine and wavered herbal nip lost in the shuffle.
ABITA ABBEY ALE
Inviting auburn-browned Belgian dubbel brings bittersweet raisin-pureed bruised banana to clove-spiced hop sharpness and mossy fungi earthiness. Brown-sugared stewed prune, dark cherry and pecan illusions contrast vinous black grape souring above musty cellar funk. Creamy caramel finish retains chewy dried fruiting. On tap, enjoyable candi-sugared dubbel blends sweet ‘n sour cider pucker into creamy caramel malting and wintry clove-gingerbread spicing. Lingering white peppered hop sharpness usurps peat-mossy red grape, fig, and raisin subsidy.
SQUATTERS HOP RISING DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Aidan’s, Utah brewery’s flagship beer succeeds at making bitter hop-head fare approachable for general consumption. Inviting floral-citric medium body contrasts brusque juniper-hopped grapefruit bittering and resinous pine sapping with tangy orange-tangerine-mango-pineapple fruiting. A glint of lemon zest crystallizes the citra-hopped finish. Heady vodka-like 9% alcohol volume intensifies bitter lupulin influence (but not at the expense of its rounded mouthfeel).
EVIL GENIUS BLACK EYE PA
Delicately pungent Black India Pale Ale (a.k.a Cascadian Dark) with penetrative dark-roasted chocolate malting and hop-charred flaked oats bittering receives resinous piney buildup to contrast light citrus smear. Bakers chocolate, black coffee, black currant, black grape, blackberry, cocoa and cola nut undertones waver.
(HOFSTETTEN) GRANITBOCK ZYMATORE – ZINFANDEL
On tap at Julian’s, exquisite red zinfandel-aged bock combines sweet red wining with vinous green-yellow grape pucker and buttery Chardonnay perk. Soothing oaken vanilla tones pick up sour cherry, rhubarb and crab apple snips. Wispy lemon and orange peel bittering recedes into the backdrop. A lovely white wine alternative.
PALE HORSE EXPORT STOUT
Brisk clean-watered milk chocolate entry picks up dark toffee, cocoa and coffee highlights over mild toasted hop char. Whoppers-like malted milk ball pleasantry contrasts lactic-soured dark chocolate bittering at the midst. Tart black cherry waver, wafting anise spicing and light bourbon nip fill out silken brownie-battered finish.
HOP CITY MR. HUFF PALE ALE
A simple pleasure. Biscuity medium-bodied English pale ale may lack vigor, but its easygoing session-ability will please tamer thirsts. Toasted barley-hop crisping, sweet caramel malting, dried orange fruiting and tingly spicing sit atop cereal-grained torrified wheat spine.
BUDWEISER BLACK CROWN GOLDEN AMBER LAGER
Amped-up Anheuser-Busch hybrid combines Michelob-related Scotch dryness with Budweiser’s beechwood-chipped corn sugaring for stronger 6% alcohol lager. Musky hop astringency addles starchy rice and cardboard-y caramel malts, but sweet spicing saves crisp, clean finish.
