Complexities abound for 2010 version of French Merlot-aged sour ale (a.k.a. American wild ale) that effectively utilizes Belgian- originated lambic-styled spontaneous fermentation. Piquant farmhouse yeast brettanomyces affects oaken grape dryness, leathery wet-grassed bark-dried barnyard funk, and dry herbal innuendo. Tart raspberry souring and sharp cider astringency slip into champagne-flowed white-wined pucker. Ancillary Bosc pear, green apple, persimmons, pomegranate, plum, and fig illusions absorb oaken vanilla acridity to dark-spiced tea-like backdrop.
ATWATER UBER URSA IMPERIAL PILSNER
On tap, easygoing golden-hazed moderation brings soft crystal-malted lemon-sugared entry to supple grapefruit-peeled peach-apricot-tangerine tang. Delicate vegetal undertones relegated by endearing spice-hopped yellow-fruited niche.
BALASHI LIMITED BREW
Efficient, if thin, Caribbean-styled pilsner retains toasted oats breading and mild baguette buttering to tidy salty-hopped corn-dried bottom. Zesty lemon spicing adds brisk crispness to clean-tasting session beer.
BALASHI PILSENER
Not far removed from styptic herb-embittered dry-grained 80 Shilling Scottish Ale or bland baquette-like Copper Ale, this medium-bodied pilsner-lager may be somewhat robust, but cardboard-like rye-breaded pungency, corn-husked brown rice musk and dirty vegetal earthiness skulk subsidiary sulfuric skunking. Desalinated tap water brings slight saltine hint. Richer and headier than Aruba brewery’s ‘Limited Brew’ as well as most lighter-bodied Caribbean beers, but dirtily vegetal and ultimately less rewarding.
BARRIER BELGIAN DUBBEL DOWN BROWN ALE
Alcohol-infused fungi-mildewed red-fruited entry receives cider-spiced kick above orange-dried sour malting. Casual char-hopped nuttiness burrows through bitter backend.
BARRIER BULKHEAD RED ALE
On tap, complex, yet approachable, red ale contrasts mildewed fungi acridity, mild hop-charred bittering and vinous cider sharpness against candi-sugared orange-oiled sour malting. Red-green apple tartness and teasing grapefruit-peach hunch backend ruddy-hazed moderate-bodied ‘bitter’ possibly better defined as Flemish Sour Ale. Further sips revealed pine-combed peach, pineapple and tangerine tang.
BARRIER RUTHLESS RYE I.P.A.
Immediate grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering reinforced by juniper berry, black tea, and peppery sage to white rye base of abstruse golden-hazed medium-bodied India Pale Ale. Though designated rye influence is minimal, earthen grassy-hopped peat malting firms up dry-spiced yellow-fruited finish. Finds convenient middle ground betwixt West Coast IPA and newfangled Black IPA styling.
BEAR REPUBLIC RYEVALRY
On tap, intense limited edition barrel-aged Double India Pale Ale combines candi-sugared Belgian yeast with aggressive American hop bittering for fruitful medium-full-bodied paragon. Twig-leafed lemon-dried orange rind bittering contrasts lively peach-tangerine-grapefruit juicing and dark floral herbage, leaving advertised rye malting to linger in the alcohol-burnt midst. Crisp, clean, tropical-fruited splendor for serious hop-heads and casual IPA buffs.
BLUE HILLS IMPERIAL RED I.P.A.
Interesting bottle-conditioned copper-hazed India Pale Ale does about-face as caramel malt profile unexpectedly surpasses stylistic hop bitterness. Toasted lager attributes such as creamy butterscotch-marzipan sweetness and cereal-grained toasting anchor crisp tamped-down clay-hopped fruiting. Cantaloupe, melon, honey dew, pineapple, and red grapefruit tropicalia brighten corners. A very approachable IPA perfectly suited for lighter thirsts.
BLUE HILLS WAMPATUCK WHEAT
Well-balanced, if under-whelming, traditional German hefeweizen with viscous saffron hue, sinewy yeast particles, and clay-hopped plasticine waft brings lemon-bruised banana-clove sweetness and refreshing carbolic spritz to glutinous wheat bottom. Curacao orange zest and herbal eucalyptus-ginger nuance register alongside baguette midst. Subtlety is its saving grace.
BLUE HILLS WATERMELON WAMPATUCK WHEAT
A fruit ale lover’s delight. Clumped yeast sediment invades sweet melon-y amber-hazed hefeweizen. Juicy watermelon extract brings Jolly Rancher tartness to bubble-gummy banana-clove center and wheat-honeyed cornbread bottom. Salty-hopped Seltzer-fizzed carbonation speckles honeyed nectarine-cantaloupe lacquering. Never gets cloy.
BLUE POINT TOXIC SLUDGE INDIA PALE ALE
Busy ‘toxic sludge’ mix of dry-hopped crayon-wafted Black IPA works in stages. Initial coffee bean roast tethers herbal hop-oiled mesquite-grilled charcoal bittering temporarily concealing back-tongued dry fruiting. Creamy chocolate-seeded midst picks up surfacing grapefruit rind, fig, and apple pleasantries to contrast pine-charred earthen wood singe. Not for the faint of heart.