On tap at Copper Mine, dry-hopped black coffee overtones enrich oats-charred walnut bittering contrasting black chocolate-y hazelnut sweetness. Stove-burnt coffee souring and ashen peanut shelling dot mocha nuttiness.
WEYERBACHER TANGO BELGIAN DARK ALE WITH CHERRIES
On tap at Copper Mine, robust Belgian dark ale boasts strong sour ale overtones (but qualifies as a cherry ale due to its fruitier appropriation). Abundant sour cherry tartness reaches nirvana above rich mocha malting and coarse hop spicing. Cherry cordial, black cherry, rum raisin, plum, fig and raspberry illusions rush through candi-sugared sweetness. Buttery bourbon, burgundy and Chardonnay wining simmers inside rewarding black and red cherry canvas as well.
BALLAST POINT HABANERO SCULPIN
On tap at Copper Mine, interestingly divergent hybridized IPA brings abrupt habanero-peppered burn to overwhelmed up-front citric fruiting, bettering its slim hot-spiced competition. Grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering that leads the way for the standard Sculpin IPA (plus tertiary mango, guava, pineapple and papaya tropicalia) get whisked away by habanero heat as well as jalapeno chili peppering and phenol capsaicin pungency of deviously peculiar dry-bodied offshoot.
(TROIS MOUSQUETAIRES) WEIZENBOCK GRANDE CUVEE
Rough-hewn hybridized dark wheat ale collides vinous Cuvee-like purple grape wining with coarsely sharp-hopped dried fruiting. Dessicated fig, raisin, apricot and banana spoilage as well as whiskey-soured citrus nuances infiltrate shaky pumpernickel wheat spine. Raspy alcohol burn swallowed up.
CLOWN SHOES EAGLE CLAW FIST IMPERIAL AMBER ALE
Assaultive full body brings bright floral fruiting to refreshingly spruce-tipped gin-like juniper bittering. Grapefruit-peeled orange rind bite lifts juicy pineapple, peach, melon, honeydew, strawberry, apple, passion fruit and mango briskness above cotton-candied honey sugaring. Oily cilantro-peppered hop resin and stiff alcohol burn sharpen spry fruitful luster as well as tertiary rose-watered lilac, daisy and dandelion nuances.
(DE TROCH) LAMBRUCHA BELGIAN ALE
Unique moderate-bodied lambic hybrid (with chartreuse beige haze) retains herbaceous gueuze-like souring and gose-like Berliner Weiss attributes. Active yeast cultures create sour brettanomyces sinew for black Kombucha tea entry and salt-watered white wining. Dry champagne-sparkled green grape pucker and lemon-wedged orange souring segue into ginger-leafed lemongrass-sage-basil-chamomile conflux above musty white peppercorn burn. Vinous grape esters receive curious mustard-seeded dill pickle, pencil shavings, perfumed cologne and floral lavender-heather-hibiscus nuances. Unripened kiwi, guava and passion fruit settle below busy mix. Pair with oysters, halibut, pollock or cheese for better taste profile. Strictly for seasoned sour ale freaks.
(UNIBROUE) TRADER JOE’S 2011 VINTAGE DARK ALE
Elegant Belgian strong dark ale places ample dried fruiting alongside buttery red wining and silken caramelized molasses malting. Dry burgundy warmth pacifies raisin puree entry, stewed prune follow-up and tertiary plum-fig-cherry-banana conflux over peppery hop spicing. Sedate citric peel bittering and distant red grape pucker penetrate creamy chocolate-spiced fruitcake finish.
GOOSE ISLAND BOURBON STOUT (2012)
Spectacular 2012 version with heightened 15% alcohol volume brings lustier bourbon whiskey warmth to creamier chocolate-caked vanilla, anise and molasses richness. Belgian chocolate spicing drapes cherry cordial, whiskeyed cherry and cherry coughdrop illusions as well as less aggressive raisin-prune-fig dried fruiting. Jack Daniels whiskey, cognac and sherry undertones serenade chocolate brownie finish to wood-charred honeyed oats spine.
SMILING CHAMELEON DRAFT HOUSE
LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
Nestled one hour north of State Capitol, Harrisburg, in a commercial farming center just off the West Branch of the Susquehanna River lies the pristinely detailed 19th century-styled town of Lewisburg. Home to Bucknell University and the famous Campus Theatre (a treasured Art Deco movie palace), this middle Pennsylvania suburb also houses Market Street’s rewarding SMILING CHAMELEON DRAFT HOUSE, opened for business September 2010.
Serving decent pub food and great drafts while mantaining a comfortable downtown atmosphere, the wood-paneled bar offers 30 tap handles plus a nice bottled beer selection. Its rustic interior features an antique mirrored right wall sidled by booths and tables across the stone-walled 20-seat bar (with 3 TV’s). A Bison insignia promoting Bucknell sports is above the tap handles. Fine local beers from Stoudt’s, Troegs, Victory, Yeungling and Elk Creek are interspersed amongst Guinness Stout, Boddington’s Ale and Moosehead Lager.
On this cold Saturday evening in early November 2012, my friend Paul and I grab a few seats at the bar to watch the Alabama-LSU college football game while consuming two previously untried beers. As Robert Johnson’s blues classic “Going Up The Country” plays in the background, our waitress brings over Old Forge T-Rail Pale Ale, a refreshingly soft-toned citric spritzer with a mild IPA bent. Afterwards, I down Elk Creek Johnson IPA, a richer offering displaying piney fruited juniper bittering.
Though Smiling Chameleon may be small in stature, its friendly neighborhood feel will attract both locals and travelers. And the quickly revolving taps do a great job serving the community with some of the finest elixirs the Keystone State could offer.
ELK CREEK JOHNSON IPA
Refreshingly spot-on stylistically, as usual piney fruited suspects come to the fore. Brisk orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering never relegates equally fine peach, pear, pineapple, red apple and melon sweetness over grassy-hopped earthen graining. Juniper berry bite at sugary citric finish gains modest gin-like alcohol burn.
OLD FORGE T-RAIL PALE ALE
On tap at Smiling Chameleon, soft-toned citric spritzer reaches moderate India Pale Ale-like heights with its brisk wood-dried grapefruit rind bite. Bright orange-tangerine-pineapple tang and zesty lemon juicing regale mineral-watered twig-bark earthiness. Toasted caramel malting at bready yeast base tempers mild bittering.
(HIGH FALLS) GOLDMINE LAGER
Slickly glutinous pale-strawed fodder (reticently contract brewed by Genesee’s sponsor) promises the goldmine but gives us the shaft. Stale whiskey entry depleted by nasty corn-sugared malt liquoring and oily-hopped diacetyl buttering. Skunky cat urine salting further cheapens ruggedly coarse $2.99 per 6-pack dreck.