Busy ‘big beer’ is part of increasing limited edition Brewmaster Series. Well balanced complexities fortify sienna-coppered medium-to-full body. Orange-oiled dark cherry, red grape, pineapple and apricot fruiting glides safely above biscuit-y cocoa-caramel malting and toasted pecan-almond nuttiness. Swampy peat minerality and resinous piney oaken earthiness fill the backend. Scotch, brandy and sherry innuendoes deepen unassuming 7.9% alcohol flow.
Shallow, golden-cleared, hybridized rye saison retains moderate-bodied soothe. Traditional saison-based sour fruiting drifts into dry earthen resin creasing mild rye breading. Lemony mandarin orange, tangerine and apple tartness fades off as soft-focus peppery hop bittering disguises unassuming 8% alcohol volume. A sessionable summery retreat for lighter thirsts.
Overactive and ‘continuously evolving’ yellow-bellied wild ale spews rocky white-headed foam all over if soft-watered suds gets poured too quickly. Black-peppered cilantro and basil frontload capacious herbal entry above zesty citric endurance, resinous hop bittering and musty cellar-like yeast funk. Ancillary thyme, chamomile and peppercorn engage oncoming plasticene cologne lacquering. Fresh key lime pie ascendency brings lightened mandarin orange, white grape, green apple and bosc pear illusions to tertiary pine nut jut. Dry wheat-husked barnyard, horsehide, hay and alfalfa earthiness saddles backend of busy Belgian-styled farmhouse ale.
Approachable amber-ruddied red ale brings tart fruited caramel malting to honeyed maple nuttiness, finishing closer to a delicately sweet brown ale. Tart red cherry, red apple and orange fruiting contrasts astringent alcohol burn and ESB-like leafy hop bite. Oats-toasted praline, pecan and walnut illusions round out its balanced profile.
Dubious unfiltered hefeweizen brings sour lemon-wedged orange tartness to plantain-dried banana lilt and eye-squinting raspberry vinaigrette tinge. Light sourdough backdrop fades.
Dependable medium-bodied amber-cleared crossover for lighter pale ale thirsts despite bold 8% ABV and Double IPA tag. Casual citric-hopped bittering sticks to pine-sapped hemp-oiled tongue, but lacks thick resonation of richer stylistic competition. Sugar-caned caramel malt toasting embeds grapefruit-peeled orange rind prickle and sweet pineapple-mango-peach-pear-apricot conflux for nice contrast.
A total misfire! Dubious soft-toned whiskey snip debunked by sour yeast pungency, minor corn oiling and stale breaded backbone. Subtle hop bittering lost to glutinous wheat bed of bland English-styled pale ale.
Bereft red-fruited hop spicing wraps around toasted caramel malting and cereal-grained minerality as murky flavor profile meanders. Distant apple-cherry-apricot conflux and ascending grapefruit-tangerine tang battle back minor metallic astringency and soily earthiness. (Contract brewed by Genesee Brewing, New York)
Opulent pine-needled fruit spicing of an India Pale Ale meets the musty earthen peat dryness dabbing an English-styled Extra Special Bitter. Lacquered peach-pineapple-pear-tangerine tang binds mild crystal malt creaming and hard-candied sugaring to wheat biscuit backend. Grassy-hopped bottom picks up resinous undertone at citric finish. Betters most milder pale ales.
Cloy Shandy-like Anheuser-Busch offshoot (with fluffy pink head sitting atop opaque magenta body) mistaken for fruity soda pop. Corn syrupy raspberry tartness allows tertiary pineapple-candied cherry, blueberry and strawberry sugaring to saturate champagne-fizzed misfire. Unassuming 8% alcohol volume will attract wine cooler crowd.
