On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, middling witbier brings sour yellow fruiting and perfume-hopped herbal musk to honeyed white wheat spine. Advertised orange peel and coriander influence seems to be an afterthought.
TWO ROADS ROADSMARY’S BABY PUMPKIN ALE
Affluent pumpkin puree spicing saddles plastique gin-soaked boozing and astringent hop sharpness up-front. For contrast, brown-sugared nutmeg, cinnamon and pecan illusions gain sweetness, picking up light vanilla sweetness over time. On tap at Blue Ribbon Tavern one year hence (2014), subtle rum barrel aging adds sweeter pumpkin affluence to cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice spicing, picking up peppier carbolic spritz, friskier hop snap and gluey paper mache pasting.
HARPOON SAISON VARIOUS
By blending four barrel-aged saisons into a sturdy farmhouse ale, likable citric-soured medium body shows off not-so-subtle complexities. Orange-peeled lemon-peach-quince-pineapple conflux, estery green-yellow grape tartness and musky herbal spunk affect prickly black-peppered yeast funk. A dash of coriander, white peppercorn and clove regale the busy backend.
FOOLPROOF KING OF THE YAHD IMPERIAL IPA
On tap at Doherty’s Ale House, bitterer, richer and reedier version of Foolproof Backyahd India Pale Ale brings wood-dried grapefruit rind bittering, tart orange peel briskness and gin-like juniper berry dryness to resinous hop fodder. Caramelized crystal malts contrast the overwhelming bitterness. Tertiary pineapple, peach and tangerine tang brightens the potent mix.
BALLAST POINT VICTORY AT SEA IMPERIAL PORTER
Notorious full-bodied ‘coffee vanilla’ flavored dark ale seamlessly combines complex mocha, anise and hard liquor adjuncts. Creamy molasses-smoked black chocolate malting drapes roasted coffee bittering, rich vanilla bean extract, chewy cookie dough yeast, gooey black licorice sinew and dark whiskey-toned bourbon-burgundy snip. Tertiary coconut, cacao nibs, hazelnut, espresso, cappuccino, pecan and marshmallow illusions reinforce mocha theme, picking up mild jalapeno-like peppering along the way. Betters French vanilla coffee.
EPIC BRAINLESS ON RASPBERRIES
Dense raspberry puree tartness thickens over syrupy candi-sugared Belgian yeast, sharp hop spicing and sugary soda pop fizzing (challenging less gunky Lindeman’s Framboise as perfect dessert fodder). Gooey raspberry juicing picks up maraschino cherry, black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry and caramelized apple illusions. Soured lemon-twisted citric pucker punctuates massive raspberry theme at the finish.
ELYSIAN OMEN BELGIAN-STYLE RASPBERRY STOUT
Blunt raspberry puree tartness nearly overwhelms creamy dark chocolate malting, bittersweet cocoa powdering and hop-charred chicory coffee dalliance. Black cherry, raisin and plum illusions deepen impact.
ELYSIAN TORRENT PALE BEET BOCK
Mildly interesting amber-rubied maibock utilizes subtle beet sugaring to affect maca-rooted chestnut roast, sarsaparilla-rooted sassafras and molasses hazelnut biscotti snip. Soft pink grapefruit, peach, melon and cherry undertones pass thru light hop astringency.
(RHINELANDER) THUMPER AMERICAN IPA
Lamentably underdeveloped India Pale Ale needs deeper pink grapefruit and orange marmalade penetration to anchor soft bark-dried wheat-grained bed. Petty resinous hop bittering minimizes tea-like backdrop.
(RHINELANDER) MYSTICAL JACK ALE
Better defined as a dewy mocha-nutted brown ale than English strong ale, rocky tan-headed amber-browned medium body gains unwanted astringency by its dark-spiced caramel-malted finish. Faint plum, raisin and walnut illusions and hesitant barleywine nip fade abruptly.
(SAND CREEK) LILYA’S ARGOSY IPA
Mundane India Pale Ale’s muddled flavor profile streamlines citric-pined expectancy while nasty alcohol astringency and soapy metallic solvency unnecessarily strengthen. Reedy Cascade-hopped grapefruit-orange drear, gnarly vegetal slip and light juniper nip fluctuate to the downside. Stylistically, Lilya’s Pulling Boat’s better as an offhanded IPA. This here’s a phony.
(SAND CREEK) LILYA’S PULLING BOAT PALE ALE
Unsubtle medium body snags grainier IPA-like Cascade-hopped citric fruiting for bitterer pale ale styling. Softly creamed crystal malts anchor spice-tingled pineapple, grapefruit, orange and peach nuances. But buttery diacetyl nature ruins biscuity bottom.
