Only a tad bolder than sterling Racer 5 despite doubling down on the oily pine hop bittering. Sugary peach, pineapple, mango, guava and tangerine tropicalia contrasts moderate pine-needled grapefruit rind bite. Floral-spiced lemon zest further freshens its spruce-tipped citric fruiting above the buttery caramel malting. Tertiary red apple, brown pear and marmalade illusions play possum. Hopheads unite!
TWO ROADS HONEYSPOT ROAD WHITE IPA
Sessionable soft-toned India Pale Ale retains delicate wheat-honeyed citric resolve. Mild piney hop bittering spreads across ripe pineapple-peach-apple-melon tones and misty lemon zest. White-peppered floral spicing wavers to wispy white wheat base.
DOGFISH HEAD NOBLE ROT
Well-constructed wine-like saison brings rotted lemon and orange putrification to vinous white and green grape esters. Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and dry champagne wining receives raw-honeyed Belgian yeast barnyard funk as well as musty cellar-like pungency. White-peppered grassy hops lightly affect sour grape scape and latent green apple tartness.
961 RED ALE
Respectable Middle Eastern medium body based on classic English amber. Subtle peach, lychee and passion fruit illusions hide inside mildly creamed cookie dough yeast and sweet caramel-toffee malting.
961 LEBANESE PALE ALE
Intricately designed English IPA-styled medium body (in generically labeled bottle) based on interesting Lebanese ingredients. Dry-hopped herbal spices smoothly lather cocoa-malted base. Wild thyme, chamomile, sage, mint and anise waver across ginger-rooted vegetalia. Subtle complexities take hybridized pale ale just a few steps beyond stylistic dimensions.
DEVILS BACKBONE VIENNA LAGER
Underwhelming nut-spiced moderation fails to register enough buttery chestnut, praline and almond pleasantries. Slim caramel-toasted Vienna malting and tepid bread-crusted biscuit buttering given tea-like sedation. Way too timid.
WILD WOLF ALPHA PALE ALE
Refreshing yellow grapefruit-peeled bittering overwhelms piney citra-hop stead. Mild lemon-seeded rasp and wispy peach juicing provide tertiary undertones. Crisp mineral watered briskness well-attuned to unending citric pleasantries. Never overbearingly bitter like stylistically stronger IPA’s, yet hopheads will be delighted and grapefruit lovers pleased.
TURTLESTONE GREEN SNALE HONEY BLOND
Eccentric herb-spiced blonde stays approachable. Honeyed green tea sweetness, floral citric respite and soft malt backbone lighten over time. Rose-petaled jasmine, dandelion and lavender undertones add delicate complexity.
TURTLESTONE AMERICAN STOUT
Rapturous ‘hoppy oatmeal stout’ with pronounced dark-roasted coffee bittering above oats-roasted black chocolate and vanilla illusions. Dark rye breaded bottom secures dry hop charred mocha theme. More bitter than sweet.
DARK HORSE RASPBERRY ALE
Casual light-bodied fruit ale brings washed-out raspberry tartness to the fore above mild lemony grapefruit bittering and soured olfactory farmhouse yeast. Salty carbolic fizz drenches tertiary oaken cherry, estery white grape and strawberry nuances.
21ST AMENDMENT SNEAK ATTACK SAISON
Moderate dry-bodied farmhouse ale in a can utilizes ‘assertive’ cardamom pod spicing to placate sour citrus entry and herb-roasted follow-up. White-peppered lemon verbena, yellow grapefruit and banana bread illusions settle alongside ginger-rooted green and black tea nuances. On further inspection, herbaceous chamomile, basil and peppermint notions pick up steam.
TAPHOUSE GRILLE – WAYNE
WAYNE, NEW JERSEY
In a haunted colonial-style edifice given landmark status as the French Hill Inn, Wayne, New Jersey’s tan-blocked TAPHOUSE GRILLE opened as a casual upscale gastropub-sportsbar during 2010. Nowhere near as beer-centric as Shepherd & Knucklehead’s, Andy’s Corner Bar, Cloverleaf or Copper Mine, its more trend-conscious, family-friendly, and classically decorated, concentrating on good pub fare but not at the expense of a well-selected tap selection. Visited during a vibrant Friday evening Happy Hour on a snowy January (2013), the comforting warmth of the low ceiling bar area gave it the neighborhood feel of a British tavern as I soaked up five previously untried brews.
At the cozily intimate 10-stooled left side bar there are three tap reservoirs stationing 24 tap handles that serve mostly limited edition microbrews. Multiple TV’s keep sports fans entertained. To the right and rear, quaint dining areas seat large and small parties. Up the central staircase, a private party room and lounge area exist. 5-ounce 4-beer sampler trays are available for those trying to pick ‘n choose their poison.
Tonight’s rare choices included lemon-aided IPA Stone 16th Anniversary; slow sippin’ whiskey-barreled chocolate-charred Epic Smoked & Oaked; nutty dried-fruited peculiarity Anchor Zymaster #2 Mark’s Mild Dark Ale; piney citric IPA-derived winter warmer Fish Tale Winterfish; fruit-musked Dieu Du Ciel Corne Du Diable and chocolate-draped holiday fruitcake Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper.
The following Friday, I revisit the Taphouse Grille before heading to a Hasbrouck Heights Beefsteak Dinner. I converse with house zymurgist, Matt Cinotti, the bar’s beer buyer, who generously gives me two tickets for tomorrow’s New Jersey Beer Expo at the Meadowlands (where I’ll try over a dozen new beers). At this one-hour jettison, soothing India Pale Ale, Captain Lawrence Re-Intro NJ, captures my attention. Its grassy-hopped perfume musk and zippy citric sparkle wake up the senses (full review at Beer Index).
During a brisk March ’13 Happy Hour session on Burgers ‘N Beer Tuesday, enjoyed excellent Crispy Fried Eggplant appetizer with three rangy IPA’s, an epic stout and a nutty chocolate-fruited strong ale. Kane Empower boasted a bitterer orange-peeled grapefruit rind prominence than wood-lacquered citric-pined Thomas Creek Class 5 IPA and marzipan-sweetened melon-fruited Speakeasy Double Daddy. Soft-toned bourbon-whirred chocolate-browned Goose Island Big John Imperial Stout nicely contrasted creamy peanut, raisin and black chocolate-affixed Carton G.O.R.P. (full reviews in Beer Index).
Serving great burgers and appetizers to go alongside finely hand selected beers and well-made cocktails, this multi-faceted pub challenges the area’s best beer bars. And there are plenty of specials to excite a wide variety of clientele.