Raspy yellow-fruited American-style wheat ale (circa 2012) retains protracted Saison-like lemon souring and raw-honeyed spicing. Woody Chinook hop dryness contrasts slim malted rye backdrop. Halfway to an acidic sour ale; lacking only the stylistic brettanomyces pungency.
FLYING DOG GOSE
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, German-spawned moderation (from an ancient recipe) stays sourer than lacto-fermented Berliner Wiess styling. Acetous lemon-limed mandarin orange tingle, tannic white-wined respite and leathery limestone acridity coat salt-watered minerality. Teasing coriander spicing, slight celantro quip and advertised herbal-spiced Old Bay seasoning found at deep recess.
CISCO PUMPLE DRUMKIN SPICED ALE
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, unspecific 2012 version places crisp hop sharpness above subdued autumnal gourd expectancy and wispy lemon-salted phenol spicing. Light crystal malt creaming never sweetens enough to contrast musty earthen leathering, pumpernickel-seeded breading and vegetal squash-pumpkin simmer. Moldy fig, pecan, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardomom illusions barely register below the haphazard mix.
CHAPPY’S TAP ROOM & GRILLE
MORAINE, OHIO
Easily one of the best beer bars in the Buckeye State, CHAPPY’S TAP ROOM & GRILLE is located at the Alex Bell Center mall just off Route 75 in the industrial town of Moraine. Just five minutes south of Dayton, this cordial sportsbar not only features great tapped beers, but also the finest large portions of fried chicken, homemade crabcakes and Cajun-fried or beer-battered shrimp.
On my first visit, September ’12, my friend Fred and I ordered a full rack of delicious barbecue ribs as we settled into a few terrific tapped beers (fully reviewed in the Beer Index). Sitting at a table in the central bar area (with 20 bar stools, 7 tables and multi-TV’s), we tried the soothingly smooth Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and Urthel Hop-It (an exquisite herbal fruited Belgian IPA) emanating from the rotating selection of tile-walled tap handles.
True beer buffs will enjoy the descriptive beer and ale menu, which included 100 bottled microbrews alongside 25 tapped choices. After supper, Fred and I relaxed with the highly impressive Brew Kettle Old 21 Imperial IPA, a vibrant Ohio-brewed full body with bright citric and tropical fruiting, resinous hop-oiled floral illusions and sugary malt sweetness.
Ultimately, this brown-and-tan publick house in the middle of a quaint mall certainly deserves plaudits and their attentive bartending staff did an excellent job serving brews and pub grub. Beer enthusiasts of every stripe will be thoroughly pleased.
(FLYING DOG) INTERNATIONAL ARMS RACE ZERO IBU I.P.A. (BREWED WITH BERRIES & HERBS)
Impeccable hybridized (2012 limited edition) botanical India Pale Ale is canine-steered Flying Dog/ Brew Dog collaboration with mutinous zero IBU hop measurement. Fine exotic herbal recipe smears tenacious blueberry-juniper theme above refreshing bay-leafed spearmint, rosemary and ginger seasoning. Brisk carbolic fizz prickles the tongue, reinforcing wild berry succulence and brisk orange peel niche. Usual piney citrus IPA flavoring dispelled by blueberry, edlerberry and huckleberry insistence.
(FLYING DOG) INTERNATIONAL ARMS RACE ALE BREWED WITH SPICES
The revolution against safe beers goes beyond restrictive boundaries with this limited edition 2012 offering. Gaining a spicier herbal seasoning than Berries & Herbs version, richly grain-malted medium-bodied gruit places dramatic gin-soaked blueberry lacquering atop white-peppered juniper-twigged bittering. Sugary crystal malting balances the bitterness and enlightens the wild berry finish.
SPRING HOUSE SEVEN GATES PALE ALE
Crisply clean fresh-fruited medium body appeases hearty hopheads with its bold approach and sharp IPA-like citric bittering, overriding stylistic parameters without excluding bourgeoisie pale ale accessibility. Spritzy lemon-hopped bite and dry floral pining reinforce tangy orange-apple-pineapple conflux (and recessive celery slip) to biscuity malt bottom.
KANE OAST HOUSE HEAD HIGH
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, Kane’s flagship IPA gets redirected by local Oast House farm hops for a double-dried version that enhances the original recipe. Bright pink grapefruit entry given brisk lemon-peeled bittering and bark-dried wood parch. Crystalline cane-sugared sweetness enlivens citric Cascade hop bite. Another hophead delight!
BALLAST POINT INDRA KUNINDRA
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, extreme cayenne-peppered dark ale spices up brown chocolate creaminess and coconut-toasted milking with sweet curry seasoning to hot jalapeno finish. Garam masala, cumin, paprika and kaffir lime add further Middle Eastern intrigue to complex elixir. A natural with spicy Indian dishes.
LOST ABBEY LOST & FOUND ALE
Musky monastic-styled Belgian dubbel, “brewed with raisins,” works sour dried fruiting into phenol hop coarsening and a sharp metallic sheen. Tempered raisin persuasion picks up light molasses-sapped caramel malting, but expectant candi-sugared sweetness lacks. Vinous green and yellow grape tannins bring mid-palate pucker to fig-dried banana breading. A hint of bourbon, almondine and chestnut found in deep recess.
PRETTY THINGS FIELD MOUSE’S FAREWELL GOLDEN ALE
Defying timid golden ale designation and much better defined as a fruitier saison, action-packed full body tosses peppery herbal-hopped briskness and honeyed rye graining at sleek citric-spiced persuasion. Lemon zest, naval orange, pink grapefruit, honeydew, peach, nectarine and banana illusions caress crystal-sugared malts. Mild sage, rosemary and woodruff seasoning brings musty twilight setting to lovely all-around fruiting.
(SKA) MODUS HOPERANDI INDIA PALE ALE
Reliable canned IPA faces enormous competition from friendly Rocky Mountain state. Plentiful red-fruited citric spicing receives sharp piney bittering and floral hop perfuming over creamy crystal-vanilla malting. Tart orange-tangerine splash and ancillary grapefruit-pineapple tang brighten fruitful finish.