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.
SHORT’S THE CURL IMPERIAL PILSNER
Mild straw-hazed pilsner offers mellow yellow fruiting and sugary candied malting to dry-wooded Amarillo hop bittering. Flaked maize drifts through soft-watered easement, speckling lemon-soured mandarin orange, tangerine, apricot and lime effervescence. Subtle pleasantry snuffs typically bold styling. Lighter thirsts will approve.
SHORT’S KIND ALE
Mellow autumn harvested ‘wet-hop’ pale ale nestles brisk citric fruiting beside wood-grained earthiness, resinous hemp-oiled acridity and fresh-cut grass waft to lacquered pine finish. Vodka-like alcohol burn flourishes beneath mandarin orange, tangerine and grapefruit zest. Marijuana smokers will enjoy it alongside kind bud.
SHORT’S SPRUCE PILSNER
Approachable yellow-paled moderation is lighter version of IPA-like Imperial Spruce India Pilsner. Soft-watered citric sprucing and forest-fresh spruce-tipped pine needling override mild Alpha hop bittering. Subtle lemon zest, pink grapefruit and mandarin orange illusions seduce resinous earthen minerality. Elderberry-shrubbed floral whim and eucalyptus nip register below. A perfect crossover for lighter thirsts willing to explore ‘hoppier’ India Pale Ales.
BREWERY VIVANT ESCOFFIER BRETTA ALE
Give New Belgium collaboration a higher grade if genuinely appreciative of uncertain whiskey-soured orange rot plot. Horse-blanketed brettanomyces funk inundates citric tartness, vinous cider pucker, mild earthen minerality and coarsely carbolic hops. Tangerine, clementine and navel orange undertones provoke winey green-yellow grape esters and bruised apricot-peach niche.
BREWERY VIVANT BIG RED COQ
Well rounded herbal fruiting engulfs farmhouse-styled Belgo-American. Airborne mineral graining informs grapefruit-peeled lemon zest and sugary citric midrange, picking up cilantro-peppered sage, rosemary and thyme undertones. Alfalfa, wheatgrass and poppy waft through the honeyed tea backend. Canned autumn 2012 release may be limited edition but it’s built to last.
BREWERY VIVANT SOLITUDE ABBEY STYLE ALE
Despite its intended flavor profile of ‘caramel, pear and raisin,’ a sour Cuvee-like white wining stretches across the perimeter more effectively. Purple and green grape esters turn lightly vinous as orange-rotted lemon pit souring increases.