Washed-out strawberry tartness plus murky green grape, watermelon and mango reminder fail to deliver as astringent phenol hop spicing ascends. Muted strawberry finish lacks creamy malt expectancy.
(FOOTHILLS) CAROLINA STRAWBERRY CREAM ALE
NATTY GREENE’S OLD TOWN BROWN ALE
Gunky peat soiling inundates dry cocoa-powdered chalking, nutty chocolate-coffee sentiment and dark-grained black breading. Coarse walnut-hazelnut smear stays ineffective.
NATTY GREENE’S FREEDOM AMERICAN IPA
Soft citric pined bittering pleasant enough for sessionable approachability. Delicate but unspecific yellow-orange fruiting may lack hop-headed stylistic bitterness, but mildly creamed caramel sugaring provides decent coverage for blurry orange-peeled lemon-grapefruit-pineapple murk.
NATTY GREENE’S BUCKSHOT AMBER ALE
Muddled flavor profile deprives easygoing session ale. Toasted caramel murk contrasts musty earthen-grained pale malt dankness. Spritzy hop spicing affects musky asparagus-squash-fennel conflux and green-black tea spell.
NATTY GREENE’S SOUTHERN PALE ALE
Brewers’ deep Southern heritage notwithstanding, unassuming phenol-spiced citric hop moderation picks up slackened piney nuance above metallic tinniness. Brisk yellow grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and lemon-seeded souring need better penetration.
THE DUCK-RABBIT HOPPY BUNNY A.B.A.
Self-righteous ‘Dark Beer Specialists’ do a good job designing mahogany-hued American Black Ale. Pungent hop-charred pine tarring and dark-roasted chocolate malting sidle muddy coffee nuttiness. Dried-fruited blackberry, red grapefruit and pickled plum illusions sit below, increasing the bittersweet mocha sentiment.
DEEP RIVER DOUBLE DON WATERMELON LAGER
Easygoing watermelon-infused lager retains pallid fruit-spiced tartness over soft hop-fizzed white bread spine. Jolly Rancher-like sweet ‘n sour watermelon flavor melts down as lackluster cranberry, cherry and lemon snips fail to fill the gaps.
NO-LI WRECKING BALL IMPERIAL STOUT
‘Intense’ full-bodied dark ale takes black chocolate roast up pine charred barley-hop trail leading to coffee bean-embittered Blackstrap molasses finish. Heavy mocha influence hides latent dried-fruited nuances.
BOTTLETREE IMPERIAL RED ALE
Deviously malleable Imperial Irish Red Ale closer to nut brown ale or mocha porter. Sweet brown chocolate entry picks up dark-roasted barley roast over sugary toffee malts as well as pine nut, hazelnut, chestnut and pecan nuttiness. Wispy raisin, plum and black cherry snips fade fast.
TRIANGLE INDIA PALE ALE
Ambiguous canned IPA (a.k.a. Revolution IPA) downplays stylistic hop bitterness for more approachable, less specific flavoring. Faint floral citric spicing depleted by gnarly petro-fueled alcohol burn. Phenolic lemon-oiled grapefruit and orange musk picks up timid wood pining above fleeting bread crumb-like pale malting.
(CRAZY MOUNTAIN) MOUNTAIN LIVIN’ PALE ALE
Sessionable hot summer night canned ale maintains herbal hop-forward aggressiveness and pallid citric niche. Rye-dried back end needs deeper penetration.
(MOTHER EARTH) SECOND WIND PALE ALE
Easygoing sessionable canned pale ale with pungent pale malting, soured citrus fruiting and spritzy carbolic luster stays refreshingly light-bodied. Grassy-hopped vegetal spell allows crisp celery, fennel and carrot nuances to sidle subtle herbaceous nip.