Frustratingly chaotic, yet stylistically ubiquitous, limited edition (2012) saison places cluttered fruit lacquering above salty white-peppered hop bite. Cloying raspberry rasp picks up ancillary orange-bruised apple, peach cobbler and banana illusions as well as vanilla pastry sugaring. Buttered rum spicing adds alcohol luster.
KANE CLOUD COVER
Intriguing Belgian-styled witbier with wheat-dried barnyard-like farmhouse attributes blends floral citric pleasantries into crystal malt sugaring. Lemony mandarin orange rind bittering softly affects tangy pineapple, banana and grapefruit tropicalia. Herbal-honeyed hawthorn bush, heather and hibiscus flowering sweetens frolicking fruitiness while contrasting roughhewn alfalfa, whey and horse blanket illusions, deepening its full-bodied conviction.
OLD SCHOOLHOUSE RUUD AWAKENING I.P.A.
Fully charged West Coast India Pale Ale with juicy tropical fruiting dovetailing piney hop bittering and boozy ethanol burn. Brisk juniper bite enhances orange-peeled ruby red grapefruit tang, ripe pineapple-peach-apple conflux and sweet-scented floral potpourri over crystal malt sugaring for a well balanced medium-full body.
MENDOCINO BOCK BEER
Copacetic malty dessert treat contrasts buttery caramelized molasses sweetness against coarse mocha fruited dryness. Brown-sugared fig spicing, prune-stewed raisin pureeing and almond-toasted coconut oiling saturate busy brown chocolate midst. Tertiary red grape, brown pear, apple strudel and bruised banana illusions tempt backend brandy-soaked whiskey boozing.
FLYING DOG WILDEMAN FARMHOUSE I.P.A.
Gallant golden-hazed ‘wild farmhouse ale’ stays less bitter than standard India Pale Ale fare thanks to rich barnyard-dried mineral-grained herbage. Black-peppered basil, rosemary, peppercorn and thyme saddle pine-needled grapefruit souring as well as floral-dusted green apple, white grape and pineapple fruiting above sweet honeyed malt backbone.
(NEW BELGIUM) DIG PALE ALE
Fair springtime moderation for sweaty lawn mowers and beer-bellied boaters. Lacking a certain punch, slick lemony grapefruit sugaring overrides advertised ‘passion fruit-mango-peach’ tropicalia and grassy hop salting. Honeyed caramel malt backbone sweetens zesty citric aspect and earthen herbal nip.
BLUE MOON BELGIAN STYLE PALE ALE
Gentle-tongued citric-spiced groove stays pleasant. Easygoing orange peel mildness and dainty peppery hop spicing coerce advertised hibiscus flowering as well as minor wood pining. Honeyed pecan tease and mellow cherry niche blemished by tinny finish. An inessential yet smoothly straightforward Belgian-styled knockoff.
(LAUGHING DOG) SNEAKY PETE IMPERIAL I.P.A.
Charmingly complex medium-full body offers fresh-watered crisping to creamy caramel malting and brisk citric sashay. Prominent bruised orange fruiting picks up bosc pear, mango, pineapple and grapefruit illusions above whiskey-dabbed Belgian chocolate spicing, bringing great depth and clarity of purpose to endearingly expressive, well-balanced India Pale Ale styling. Further sips reveal spice-hopped pine comb bittering and resinous floral potpourri contrasting embedded cane sugared sweetness.
OLD SCHOOLHOUSE UNCLE BIG’S BROWN ALE
Impressively nutty chocolate creaminess aligns brown-sugared vanilla, caramel nougat and coffee bean influence with hazelnut-walnut-almond conflux above oats-toasted hop roasting. Mossy tobacco leafing and musty cellar dankness drift by tertiary raisin-fig souring. Moderate-to-medium-bodied mocha splendor will appeal to wide ranging dark ale, nut brown, porter and stout fans.
21ST AMENDMENT LOWER DE BOOM BARLEYWINE
On tap at Peekskill Brewery, savory barleywine allows sweet bourbon whiskey boozing to affect creamy brown chocolate spicing and chewy overripe fruiting. Black cherry-pureed banana taffy, red grape, raisin and fig engage brown-sugared malting and ancillary butterscotch-vanilla conflux. Well disguised 10.5% alcohol fusion pervades luxurious candied center.
LONG TRAIL CENTENNIAL RED
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.
KNEE DEEP RYEDENTITY CRISIS
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.
