Sturdy milk chocolate entry picks up maple-sapped molasses sugaring, contrasting hazelnut-pecan-cola nuttiness and peat-smoked black peppering to soured dark cherry finish of aggressive sienna-hued full body. At its foundation, mild double espresso milking picks up cedar-burnt pine singe and IPA-like grapefruit bittering, deepening mocha tenacity of dark roasted caramel malting.
Old-styled tan-headed brown body compares favorably to San Miguel Dark Lager. Smoked chocolate malting and brown-sugared burnt caramel sweetness contrast sour dried fruiting. Wood-singed tinge saddles ancillary cola-walnut-hazelnut conflux, soy-sauced cappuccino undertone and roasted tobacco crisping. Sweet bourbon whiskey afterburner kicks in by molasses cookie-daubed Mild Dud finish.
Plush with citric, tropical and stone fruits, softly creamed medium body inadvertently juxtaposes Pliney The Elder IPA with Rogue Dead Guy, perfectly combining fruited hop bittering with biscuit-y caramel malting. Resinous earthen wood tone and mild orange-peeled juniper hop bittering amplify peach, pear, cherry, tangerine, mango, grapefruit, melon and cantaloupe tenacity. A floral-wafted dash of rose, dandelion and hibiscus underlie fruitful splendor to salty bottom.
Modest winter warmer plies tobacco-roasted cigar leafing to resinous mocha dryness and nut-grained pumpernickel rye toasting. At the midst, peat-mossy honeyed molasses sweetness abuts wispy dry-hopped bittering (reminiscent of tamer Extra Special Bitters). Just don’t expect typical seasonal spicing to dot its mild blend. 2012 tapped version at Manhattan’s Jack Doyle’s Pub upped the cinnamon-toasted gingerbread-nutmeg seasonality, gained a creamier vanilla-chocolate stead and dabbed black cherry tartness onto the spruce-tipped evergreen recess.
Politely dry-bodied ‘innovative ale’ with burnished chestnut hue retains lighter Extra Special Bitter profile. Subtly oak-aged vanilla, almond and coconut toastedness sweetens sharp hop spicing to mossy earthen bottom. Sedate orange oiling underscores ancillary rye wheat crisping. ’14 re-tasting on tap at Ginger Man, dry Scotch proficiency gave smooth English strong ale a more intriguing profile.
Adequate so-called ‘schwartz’ with limited floral IPA niceties labeled brewers’ darkest signature beer. Smoked mocha malting picks up vanilla, toffee and dark-roasted coffee leanings. Pine resin, anise and currant mildly embitter brown chocolate center. A bit unassertive and less robust than richer Cascadian Dark Ales, but viable for smoked porter-stout fans.
Faultily labeled a wintry seasonal since expectant Christmas spicing never makes a dent, losing out to astringent hop sopping and cardboard-like glass sugaring. Advertised coriander and orange peel influence nullified by ESB-like peat graining or helles bock-like wheat biscuit pleasantry. Murky orange-dried apricot-grape spell and phenol cinnamon-nutmeg spicing never catch on. Bet it’s way better on tap at Pike’s Seattle venue, though.
Robust Imperial Stout gains smoked molasses malting above dark chocolate richness, black licorice waver and coffee-roasted espresso smidgen. Soured prune-fig-plum conflux heightens musty Muscat-wined burgundy, bourbon, sherry and Merlot musk. Rye, soy and cocoa nibs illusions deepen resolve but, as with its earthen wining, strays from stylistic mocha-bound perimeters.
Deviously abstruse witbier hybrid spreads peppery orange spicing over honeyed woodruff syrup and herbaceous Belgian yeast funk. Cedar-chipped jasmine, honeysuckle and sunflower illusions provide floral backdrop. Citric herbal peppering may seem offbeat to less experimental tastes.
Lighter aspects of advertised ‘Wheat’ profile, plus the lack of expectant IPA-like piney grapefruit bittering, puts this closer to a damn fine juicy-fruited pale ale. Brisk pineapple ripeness infiltrates mild grassy-hopped pine comb bittering, allowing lemon zest, naval orange, clementine, tangerine and passion fruit summering to grab hold of crisply citric moderation perfectly complementing sunny afternoon activities.
Arguably Sam Adams’ best 2011 newcomer, oak-aged full body gathers peat-smoked Scotch malting, hickory-seared maple sapping, burnt caramel sugaring and alcohol-stiffened bourbon whiskey warmth over hop-charred grain toasting. Ashy cedar singe penetrates tertiary black cherry, chocolate cake, rum-soaked raisin and cola nut illusions. It’s simply irresistible.
Smoothly exemplary bourbon-barreled version of excellent Storm King Imperial Stout brings chewy molasses malting and peat whiskey waft to softly creamed cocoa-buttered black chocolate setting. Oaken vanilla laces sweet blackberry-brandied Kahlua, crème de cocoa and pureed cherry illusions to soothing bourbon finish. A marvelous nightcap.