Surprisingly tranquil despite harsh-toned moniker, dry-hopped amber ale (in a can) brings subtle amber-grained rye toasting and molasses-like caramel malting to docile brown apple, brown pear, black cherry, tangerine and apricot fruiting. Black peppercorn hints softly embitter the arid backend.
FINCH’S GOLDEN WING BLONDE ALE
Snazzy well-balanced light body in a can spreads smooth-watered citric hop spicing across dry wood-toned earthiness and buttered white bread bottom. Sunny lemony grapefruit bittering and grassy herbal nip pick up variable pungent astringency.
GOOSE ISLAND SOFIE PARADISI
Highly tauted grapefruit-juiced sour saison aged in wine barrels offers succulent citric peeled bite to vinous green grape tannins, bringing forth gin-soaked Chardonnay, pinot grigio and champagne wining by the dry-fruited finish. White peppering affects ancillary lemon zest, green apple, nectarine, mango, pear and kiwi illusions. Oaken musk and farmhouse elements (hay, horsehide, wild oats) properly dessicate fruity paradise.
GOOSE ISLAND 25TH ANNIVERSARY ALE
On tap at Track 84, easygoing English-styled Extra Special Bitter layers rustic raw-honeyed tealeaf herbage atop roasted caramel malts, resinous dry-hopped rye breading and slimmest nuttiness. Vague orange peel bittering fades precipitously. Surprisingly inconsequential for quarter-century silver jubilee, especially considering brewery’s sterling heritage.
SMUTTYNOSE NOONAN BLACK IPA
On tap at Three Wise Monks, Cascadian Dark Ale style reinvented by pioneering Vermont Brewery brewmaster Greg Noonan gets appropos sendoff. Creamy mocha insistence rides above polite piney grapefruit bittering. Dark-grained caramel malting and dark chocolate fudging seep deeply into coffee-roasted ashen nuttiness.
UINTA LABYRINTH BLACK ALE
On tap at Track 84, decadent rye-barreled Imperial Stout comes across velvety smooth despite well-hidden 13.2% alcohol volume, chewy mocha creaming, gooey molasses-sapped anise seepage and whiskey-nipped bourbon-burgundy wining. Oak-toasted hop char reinforces fudgy black-brown chocolate richness and ancillary black cherry, prune and raisin dried fruiting. Vanilla, marshmallow, coconut, pecan, praline and hazelnut subtleties abound below luscious creamed coffee theme.
UINTA WYLD EXTRA PALE ALE
Light, refreshing and unassuming canned pale ale with organic dry-hopped barley malting and resinous earthen wood enveloping misty lemony grapefruit and orange zest. Herbal respite softens bittersweet citrus tones.
O’CONNOR GREAT DISMAL BLACK IPA
Obliging mahogany-hued medium body offers blackened hop-charred bittering and wood-dried charcoal sear to mocha-fruited expectancy. Black chocolate roast deepens piquant piney-sapped grapefruit, pineapple and orange tartness. Black grape, fig and plum undertones waver.
O’CONNOR EL GUAPO AGAVE IPA
Nifty India Pale Ale offshoot uses blue agave sugaring to set up sweet melon-nectar lead-in, sour mango-guava tropicalia and bitter lemony grapefruit-orange peel subtlety. Delicate soft-watered floral hop serenity provides elegant backup.
O’CONNOR NORFOLK CANYON PALE ALE
Full-on medium body maintains rounded mouthfeel and hearty stylistic appeal. Perfumed herbal hops and sugary crystal malts affect zesty citrus spicing. Mild grapefruit bittering, tangy orange marmalade sweetness and dried fig souring reach toasted rye wheat spine. Rigid alcohol burn will scare softer thirsts. On tap, tangy grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering enjoins light piney hop-charred herbage over biscuity malts.
MAGIC HAT TICKET TO RYE
Astray amber-hazed 2013 ‘limited engagement’ needs deeper dry rye-pumpernickel penetration and richer dry-spiced caramel malting to advance on nearly forsaken piney fruited IPA tendencies.
(BOULEVARD) TANK 7 FARMHOUSE ALE
Captivating straw-cleared saison brings honeyed herbal regalia to effervescent tropical fruiting. Brisk grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, peach and mango juicing postively affects basil-leafed lemongrass-peppercorn-coriander nuances and soured lemon rind pittance. Prickly white pepper spicing and tangy lemon zest brighten the corners as the doughy malt backdrop usurps dry horse-blanketed minerality.
