As with previous ‘Cruiser’ version, bland 2012 edition lacks specificity. Wintry brown-sugared mulling spices get musty and phenol hop bittering dissolves alongside dreary caramel malting. Murky orange, cherry and apple nuances never suffice.
SAMUEL ADAMS MERRY MISCHIEF GINGERBREAD STOUT
On tap at 381 Main, domineering brown-sugared gingerbread cookie theme gets lift from nitrogen gassing as chewy molasses-soaked cookie dough creaminess, supportive cinnamon spicing and dark-roasted chocolate malting underscore wintry full-bodied dessert treat. In the bottle, mischievous winter warmer loses some luster. Gargantuan gingerbread pinnacle fades a tad as vanilla, anise, nutmeg and clove illusions embellish brown chocolate midst and teasing bourbon nip.
FOUNDERS BREAKFAST STOUT
Extremely ambitious full-bodied Oatmeal Stout brings creamy dark chocolate, fresh-roasted Sumatra-Kona coffee and oats-charred hops to the fore. Resounding mocha vibe enriched by fudgy vanilla, toffee, caramel and maple licks. Ashen chicory sops up tertiary Brazil nut, walnut, hazelnut and cola nut slack. An immensely complex and luxurious treasure not just for breakfast.
PORTERHOUSE RED ALE
Unspecific medium-bodied Irish Red Ale immediately goes askew as no prominent flavor profile shines through. Mild hop-spiced honeyed tea entry picks up musty fig-soured dried fruiting, grape-stemmed cherry stone remnant and wispy orange oiling. Dry grain-toasted bottom and ethereal mossy peat leathering mired by coarse astringency.
(PORTERHOUSE) BRAIN BLASTA
Soily 7% alcohol strong ale (a.k.a. Braonblasta or ‘tasty drop’) may be nebulous stylistically or flavorwise, but it remains fulsome and robust. Mossy peat earthiness spreads across barley-flaked mineral graining, unsweetened baking chocolate bittering and fig-juiced black tea souring. Oily Fuggle hops drape ancillary marble rye breading and charcoal tarring contrasting sweet maple malt sinew. Alkaline-like alcohol astringency may preclude softer thirsts.
DARK HORSE SCOTTY KARATE SCOTCH ALE
Malleable ‘wee heavy’ brings peaty molasses-smoked Scotch malting to sharp-hopped dried fruiting. Fig-spiced cherry, plum and prune illusions cluster next to dim tobacco-roasted chocolate-vanilla conflux. Buttered pecan, vinous grape and caramel apple undertones fill out smooth medium body. On tap at Growler & Gill ’18, bold Scotch ale soaks peat-smoked cherrywood into brown-sugared toffee, dewy moss earthiness and uneasy perfume hop splotch, leaving dried fruiting in the rear view mirror.
MT. PLEASANT TRAIN WRECK ALE
Ambitious amber ale alleviates expectant sharp hop spicing and tart orange-tangerine ripeness with sweet maple-sugared Scotch malting. Though redolent of a Scotch ale, it snubs the off-putting whiskey-soured citric coarseness lesser stylistic derivatives maintain.
(ATWATER) TRAVERSE CITY CHERRY WHEAT
Coarse phenol hop astringency wearies tart Montmorency cherry rasp and darting lemon-soured spoilage of bland medium body. Muted raspberry, blackberry, black cherry and fig murk fails to register properly. Better than hard-candied cherry-flavored Lifesavers.
(DETROIT BREWING) DETROIT DWARF RED LAGER
Indistinct German-styled altbier lacks sufficient conditioning to be stylistically up to snuff. Mushy flavor profile meshes toasted cereal graining with mildewed cherry, orange, apple and apricot fruiting over phenol hop-spiced astringency. Muted chestnut, praline and almond undertones in deep recess. Could pass for a decent red ale.
SHORT’S PONTIUS ROAD PILSNER
Brisk citric-spiced yellow-hazed Czech-styled dry body pleats compost-wafted lemon-rotted souring with cardboard-like toasted white breading and pungent grassy-hopped lemongrass herbage. Astringent vegetal fungi earthiness and parched maize stalkings never overwhelm sun-dried lemon spoilage.
OMMEGANG SCYTHE & SICKLE HARVEST ALE
Although lacking significant autumn seasoning (pumpkin spicing or earthly gourd), sugar-spiced ‘specialty grain’ ale may be the most accessible Ommegang brew marketed. Closer to the lightweight crystalline sugaring Stella Artois approximates, this easygoing Biere De Garde brings flaked rye-oats cereal graining and sourdough yeast creaming to a honeyed biscuit malt base that sweetens humble apricot, pear, tangerine, cantaloupe and nectar illusions.
PORT JEFF PORTER
Initial chocolate-smoked malting receives organic honeyed saccharine sugaring to sway dark-roasted hop bittering and charcoal-stained dark chocolate acridity. Molasses-sapped pumpernickel toasting gains strength over ancillary ground coffee, burnt caramel, vanilla, anise, soy and dry bourbon illusions. Blackened nuttiness inundates smoked mocha finish.
