On tap, admirable 15th anniversary celebration (circa 2011) does Baltimore proud. Woody dry-hopped red-orange-yellow-fruited full body contrasts candied sugar malting against mildly resinous piney hop bittering and dark floral tinge. Ripe pineapple, grapefruit, apple, mango, peach, orange, and tangerine fruiting absorbs harsh grain-alcohol turpentine immersion.
CRICKET HILL CRICKET’S NOCTURNE DARK LAGER
Effective Munich dunkel lager (given noir-like dark ale labeling) contrasts cocoa-seeded black chocolate chalking, peat-smoked molasses malting and buttery toffee sweetness against coarse hop roast. Mild nut-roasted rye-pumpernickel breading overcomes fizzy phenol fizzing and slick schwarzbier-styled mocha plasticity. 2012 version boasted richer dark chocolate malting and deeper peanut-shelled hazelnut-walnut conflux.
GREAT SOUTH BAY BLONDE AMBITION ALE
Mellifluous coppery medium body brings unexpected sinewy honeyed creaminess to anticipated citric sweetness. Floral grapefruit-peach-apricot-tangerine tang hovers politely above wheat biscuit spine. Mild diacetyl buttering relegates nectar-juiced clover honey density, but only slightly.
GREAT SOUTH BAY MASSIVE INDIA PALE ALE
Approachable piney-hopped citric-ripened mocha-malted Long Islander not far removed from new-sprung Black IPA styling. Resinous hop char deepens cocoa-chocolate bittering above rounded spruce-tipped red grapefruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, and mango sweetness for truly amiable, well-balanced delight.
GREAT SOUTH BAY SLEIGH RYED RED RYE ALE
Dusky medium-bodied rye-malted winter ale connects murky barley-roasted dried fruiting and earthen wood twigging to pepper-hopped bittering. Advertised juniper berries lack resilience and vegetal fungi molding attacks diminished honey nut sweetness and placated plum-prune piquancy. Since wintry seasonal spicing takes a backseat, perhaps rye ale tag suffices.
GREAT SOUTH BAY SNAGGLETOOTH STOUT
Admirable coffee-roasted oats-toasted chocolate stout may not benefit from advertised cinnamon, apple, and licorice root adjuncts, but rich milk chocolate center holds up firmly atop mild Fuggle-hopped bittering. Vanilla, caramel, and mocha latte illusions simmer through cocoa malting. Tertiary black cherry, fig, and prune latency add depth.
LAKEPORT PUMPKIN LAGER
Up-front pumpkin spicing receives thick honeyed malting and viscous wheat gluten above citric mandarin orange, clementine, and tangerine mildness. Light white-peppered hop bittering addled by steely diacetyl buttering, decreasing appeal of moderate-bodied 2010 autumnal.
OTTER CREEK ALPINE BLACK I.P.A.
Rangy ‘Cascadian dark ale’ emphasizes barley-roasted hop-charred bittering above pine-sapped citrus zest and flourishing red-fruited ripeness, capturing mocha porter richness more than stylistic India Pale Ale traits. Minor wood-burnt sensation and sooty charcoal acridity crowd creamy cocoa-chalked chocolate milkshake center. Caramel-burnt toffee sweetness serenades distant grapefruit-apricot-nectar conflux as stove-burnt coffee, tobacco chew, and pine tar re-embitter tail end.
RIDGEWAY INSANELY BAD ELF IMPERIAL RED ALE
Dry rummy molasses entry and overripe fruiting undone by oncoming corn liquor outburst of stiff winter warmer. Bruised apricot, caramelized cherry, dried fig, navel orange, tangerine and pineapple fruiting sweeten caraway-seeded rye breading and herbal fennel snip, but nasty 11.2% alcohol coarseness will keep less adventurous yellow-bellied drinkers at bay. Serve to hardened Everclear purists.
ROGUE XS IMPERIAL YOUNGER’S SPECIAL BITTER ALE
Though twice as strong and thrice as sinewy as Rogue Younger’s Special Bitter, this soft-watered butterscotch-hued flesh-headed Imperial version may be a tad less preferable due to eccentric peculiarities. Weird sandalwood incensing seeps into curious herbal spicing, unusual cellar-like fungi molding, and astringent iodine backdrop. Mild black-peppered orange-oiled grapefruit bittering seriously contrasts heavily viscous nature.
SAMUEL ADAMS WHITE ALE (2010)
Mild gold-hazed Belgian-styled witbier stays sweeter than previous versions. Honeyed citrus entry places floral peach-apricot-tangerine tang and zesty lemon-squeezed sourness above astringent peppery hop fizz. Doughy white breaded backdrop soaks up pallid plum-dried orange-peeled bittering plus tertiary hibiscus, rose hips, and vanilla illusions. It’s quite approachable for lighter thirsts.
WOLTERS FEST-BIER
Strapping bohemian pilsner versatile enough to complement hardiest Octoberfest meal. Pungent skunked malts, reminiscent of numerous Dutch beers, proffers rich grain thrust and creamy caramel cluster above penetrating grassy hop bittering for crisp mineral-watered medium-bodied precision. Amiable corn sugaring contrasts maize dried astringency. A politely defined, well-balanced German.
