Exhilarating golden-hazed eggshell-headed pumpkin-spiced autumn seasonal retains creamy meringue frothiness and splendid herbal fruiting. Lemony banana wafer pleasantry soaks up cotton-candied sweetness, orange-oiled peppercorn seasoning, ginger rooted supplement and wet-papered nuance above plasticine clay-hopped density. Medicinal 9% alcohol burn contrasts smooth flow.
CARTON 077XX EAST COAST DOUBLE I.P.A.
Easygoing zip-coded Imperial India Pale Ale brings succulent tropicalia to mildly creamed crystal malting and salt-watered mineral graining. Moderate dry-wooded grapefruit peel bittering seeps into candied pineapple, mango, melon, papaya and peach tang. A subtler take on a usually bitterer style.
CARTON LAUNCH GOLDEN ALE
Brisk ‘summer salad’ utilizing fresh-chopped herbs maintains fruity regalia. Tropical pineapple, mango, melon and peach tang inundates sharp lemony orange-peeled grapefruit bittering. Earthen dry-wooded oaken pining seeps into tea-bagged thyme-basil retreat. Ascending alcohol burn deepens ultimate complexity of richly balanced step up from usual moderate-bodied golden ale contenders.
CARTON BOAT BEER SESSION ALE
On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, straw-hazed Kolsch-styled summer ale balances sour citric zest with pronounced herbal respite. Dry-wooded lemon-bruised grapefruit bittering leads the way as lemongrass, basil and thyme seasoning decorate supple interior. Lip-smacked lemon rind, lemon peel and lemon pit tartness provides mouth-puckering acerbity. A fuller bodied affluence makes this a better bitterer choice than softer stylish competitors.
FLYING FISH OKTOBERFISH
Upgraded 10th anniversary version of ruddy copper autumnal from 2011 stays mild, underscoring caramelized crystal malting and grassy-hopped astringency with wispy gourd spicing. Indifferent orange, apricot and apple fruiting lost alongside fragile oats-toasted breading.
BROOKLYN THE COMPANION
On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, complex wheat wine (generally a wheat-malted strong ale with less red-wined dried fruiting than kindred barleywine) brings tangy tropicalia and creamy malt spume to alcohol-smitten Scotch dryness. Rich banana-pureed peach, pear, and cherry thrust wavers through oaken vanilla sedation and docile plastique notion to reclining cereal-grained spine. An effervescent stylistic changeup just a few steps removed from headier barleywines.
HARPOON DOCESNA CZECH HOP HARVEST ALE
Indeterminately chameleonic and stylistically evasive; reminiscent of a fluctuant German altbier. Cereal-grained caramel toasting rides alongside red cherry, orange, and tangerine fruiting as well as drier fig-date nuances. Gnarly citric souring gains ground on ginger ale fizz midway. On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, dry-wooded lemon-rotted bittering works its way into stylized Czech-like pale malt pungency. Peppery hop prickle, earthen vegetal respite and musty herbal tease subsidize orange-dried green apple piquancy, leaving parched mouthfeel.
BLUE POINT OKTOBERFEST
Blandly mild marzen-styled autumn seasonal (not far removed from brewer’s lambasted Toasted Lager) spreads soapy diacetyl buttering atop dry herbal-hopped citrus snip and brown-sugared toffee restraint. Tranquil leafy foliage and bread-crumbed biscuit nuance lost in the shuffle.
CRICKET HILL BELGIAN DUBBEL
Engaging 2011 limited edition tap-only strong ale pleats funky Belgian-styled candied yeast with creamy banana-pureed apricot-peach-pear fruiting and sweet clove-coriander spicing to contrast sharp peppery-hopped bitterness. Astringent alcohol acridity layered below expressive brown-sugared fruited spices.
CRICKET HILL FALL FESTIVUS ALE
Finely festive autumnal medium body retains acrid Extra Special Bitter-like timbre, crisp rye wheat sedation and leafy hop foliage. Mild orange-dried astringency coats arid earthen bottom. Minor gourd spicing found at grainy backend.
WELTENBURGER KLOSTER WINTER-TRAUM
Subdued copper-hazed ‘winter dream’ pleats conventional dried fruiting and tea-like rye dryness with slightest beechwood-like smokiness. Nebulous fig, date, apricot and apple illusions fade as quickly as distant pecan-chestnut conflux above soft fresh-breaded spine. Serious lack of wintry seasoning lowers appeal.
SAMUEL ADAMS DOUBLE PUMPKIN
On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, fantastic amber-browned full body perfect as a creamy dessert treat. Robust pumpkin-pureed dark spicing deepened by dark roasted graining, dry-hopped char, and stiff boozy waft. Chewy caramelized Scotch malting sweetens brown-sugared cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice nuances. Serve to dark ale fanatics as richer alternative to lighter hued pumpkin ales.