At New York Craft Beer Freaktoberfest ’10, easy-to-drink gold-hazed double IPA retained smooth medium-bodied moderation only fierce hop-heads could deride. Soft cereal-grained chestnut-almond nuttiness centers floral-hopped grapefruit bittering and spicy apple cobbler sweetness. Pineapple, peach, and cherry illusions fill backend. Serve as crossover to lighter ale guzzlers.
NEBRASKA BRUNETTE NUT BROWN ALE
SHMALTZ CONEY ISLAND FREAKTOBERFEST
On tap, wayward ruddy magenta amber lager offers herbal dried fruiting to cereal-grained toasted malting. Orange-dried cherry-fig-date conflux perks up diminutive almond-buttered chestnut roast. Puzzling flavor mix is as freaky as beer’s circus-inspired moniker. In bottle, ubiquitous gin-soaked caraway-seeded honeyed wheat tapestry provides funky promenade for bodacious limestone-salted lemon-bruised grapefruit bittering and stewed prune souring, upping its rating.
ITHACA BRUTE GOLDEN SOUR ALE
Fertile Belgian-styled sour ale makes positive use of acrid brettanomyces acidity and really takes off. Oaken cherry, tart peach, and vinous grape absorb dry cider-sharpened champagne yeast. Sharp Granny Smith apple pucker soars alongside lemon-candied swagger and grassy-hopped barnyard funk at busy midst.
ROGUE SOMER ORANGE HONEY ALE
Understated straw-hazed pearly-headed summer ale (known previously as tap-only Eugene City Tracktown Honey Orange) brings subtle candi-sugared fruiting and herbal spicing to paper-thin oats spine. Mild wildflower-honeyed orange peel, lemon meringue, coriander, chamomile and menthol adjuncts brighten salty peppered grassy hop stead. Tertiary watermelon-soured tartness and tranquil lime spritz complete sunny light-bodied mood.
STOUDT’S KARNIVAL KOLSCH
Obtuse clear-yellowed pearly-headed springtime ’10 moderation brings unexpected corn-dried barley-hopped bittering to mild fruit-soured rye breading. Lacks dominant sweetly soured fruitiness benefiting other kolsch beers. Citric-dried lemon-pitted iodine-tinged aftertaste may be off-putting.
GREAT DIVIDE HOSS RYE LAGER
Interesting Marzen-styled lager places cherry jubilee, rhubarb pie, and whiskey-soured cherry illusions above phenol-hopped earthiness to dry rye spine. Ancillary strawberry-peach-grape sourness, tertiary cinnamon-allspice spicing, and twiggy wood tinge fill out busy backdrop.
GOOSE ISLAND 312 URBAN WHEAT ALE
Soft yellow-fruited Cascade-hopped light-bodied American wheat ale makes for refreshingly clean lawnmower fare. Lemony lime zest goes under the radar, herbal whim is nebulous and delicate white-breaded spine falters on first tasting. Yellow grape, green apple, and white peach illusions are barely audible. On ’13 re-tasting: Summery lemon zest briskness lingered better over sweeter glass-sugared honeyed wheat spine. On tap at Tommy Fox’s, lemony orange peel tartness picked up herbal perfumed whim.
(WILLIAMS BROTHERS) SCOTTISH HEAVY EIGHTY SHILLING BEER
Scottish brewer specializes in lighter-bodied 4% alcohol beverages. Subtle opaque auburn moderation lacks depth but not flavor. Sweet ‘n sour walnut-seared hazelnut glaze cuts through pleasant cocoa-chocolate buttering and distant brown-sugared raisin-fig dash secured by cake-like pastry malting. Ashen leafy-hopped sear counters any leftover sweetness.
(WILLIAMS BROTHERS) SCOTTISH SESSION GOLDEN ALE
Too tame and pallid to be offensive, unenthusiastic ‘session ale’ will please less finicky ale heads yearning for an inexpressive light-bodied refreshment. Peculiar earthen fungi yeast and cardboard-y vegetal nuance take away from muted orange-oiled sour-candied tartness to cracked wheat spine. Blasé.
(WILLIAMS BROTHERS) SCOTTISH JOKER I.P.A.
Smoother, less fruity, and less wood-embittered than most American-styled IPA’s, but quite rewarding as a simpler moderate-bodied changeup. Resinous earthen hop bittering comes to the fore, then fades abruptly as tangy orange-candied apricot-apple-pineapple mildness upends lemony grapefruit zest to toasted bread spine. Chewy honeyed malts underscore thin fruiting. Serve as crossover to lighter ale thirsts who’ll appreciate its understated nature.
(WILLIAMS BROTHERS) SCOTTISH MIDNIGHT SUN DARK PORTER
Peculiar peat-mossy root-gingered herbal earthiness funks up oats-charred cola nuttiness to ashen smoked malt bottom. Sour soy saucing, curried cayenne peppering and black grape tannins increase herbal porter’s unconventionality. Rosemary, sage and thyme make background cameos. It’s all too much. Sake drinkers may enjoy alongside blackened steak grill.