On tap, inefficient Foudres wine-barreled oak-aged ‘bitter’ goes down too light for hop-obsessed IPA style. Raw-honeyed lemongrass frontage picks up rotten lemon souring, sticky anise careen, and astringent alcohol burn. Faded herbal nuance dissolves. A bit unbalanced, perhaps.
LAGUNITAS NEW DOGTOWN PALE ALE
On tap, resinous pine-needled dry-hopped bitterness seeps into soft-tongued yellow-fruited tartness of coppery burnished medium-bodied India-styled pale ale. Lemon-candied orange-dried souring proves resilient above earthen mineral graining. Tangerine, grapefruit, and orange notes flutter by.
BROOKLYN BLAST! PALE ALE
On tap, elegant soft-watered Imperial IPA with soothing butterscotch-vanilla creaminess impacting orange-bruised peach, pineapple and mango tropicalia picks up lemon custard, creamed corn and unspecific herbal illusions. Sweet anise tingle finds space inside somewhat unconventional stylist.
BALLAST POINT SCULPIN I.P.A.
On tap, grapefruit-peeled orange rind tartness and advertised apricot-peach-mango affirmation counter piney Cascade hop dryness, astringent wood-dried musk and finishing alcohol burn. Bright citric nose tingles. Tangy lemon-aided red apple, papaya, and tangerine fruiting supplements creamy honeyed malts.
DE DOCHTER VAN DE KORENAAR L’ENFANT TERRIBLE
Pour slowly extremely carbolic Band-Aid-wafted gueuze (with wild yeast funk) to avoid bubbly champagne overflow. Sour ale freaks will delight over musty oaken cherry bluster, vinous grape acidity, and green apple tartness. Peppery hop-fizzed lemon-dried bittering underscores vinegary brettanomyces grouting, chalky brimstone acridity, and nestled apple cider sharpness.
DE DOCHTER VAN DE KORENAAR BRAVOURE
Interesting wood-soaked grassy-hopped smoked beer closer to mainstream than other Dochter offerings. Bittersweet citric grape spicing accentuates smoked jalapeno peppering, grist-grained barnyard funk, and wafting Band-Aid remnant. Ginger, sage, and herbal tea fill out backend.
DE DOCHTER VAN DE KORENAAR NOBLESSE
Dry golden-hazed blonde ale could pass for light-bodied Farmhouse ale. Eye-squinting citric-soured longevity and dark floral bouquet impede mossy herbal whim. Mild resinous hop-spiced bittering secures lemon-seeded apricot-peach-apple souring to lemongrass finish.
DE DOCHTER VAN DE KORENAAR COURAGE
Busy limited edition prune-hued winter ale connects bourbon-port wining to chocolate-covered raisin affluence and sweet cinnamon-allspice-nutmeg seasoning. Punctual hazelnut, walnut, and macadamia incisiveness reinforces chewy butterscotch midst and recessive chocolate éclair finish. Mild almondine, plum wine and purple grape illusions ease into the mix.
SAINT SOMEWHERE SAISON ATHENE
Zesty lemon briskness punctuates aromatic lemon-peeled bittering, dainty white wine zip, and Shiraz red wine souring of champagne-bubbled Belgian-styled Farmhouse ale. Funky cellar-bound yeast sinew fortifies peach-orange-apple fruiting and spicy coriander-clove sweetness. White-peppered chamomile, lemongrass, ginger, and spearmint herbage fill out tannic grape backdrop. On tap at Copper Mine, lemon-rotted yellow fruiting endures above abrupt basil, thyme, peppercorn and eucalyptus herbage.
MC SORLEY’S IRISH BLACK LAGER
Creamy molasses-sugared coffee ice cream opening fades badly to abrasive nutty sourness. Resinous hop-oiled nut-roasted astringency picks up oats-toasted cocoa chalking, mild chocolate-seeded mellowing, and phenol dried fruiting. Ho-hum.
ROGUE JOHN JOHN DEAD GUY ALE (WHISKEY BARREL)
Boundless whiskey-barreled helles bock takes popular Dead Guy Ale on an intricate journey. Rum-soaked alcohol burn spreads across lingering butterscotch, marzipan, and almondine sweetness, cinnamon-toasted nutmeg spicing, and floral-hopped juniper bittering. Whiskey-smoked Jim Beam/ Jack Daniels illusions amplify caramel-chocolate malting to oaken vanilla finish. Tertiary walnut-hazelnut snip receives latent cocoa powdering. Just a tad less creamy than expected.
FULLERS HONEY DEW ALE
Affable golden-hued English pale ale brewed with honey retains advertised ‘mellow rounded character.’ Sweet honeycomb frontage, creamy butterscotch malting, and floral-spiced hop mediation buttress snippy peach-apple fruiting but buttery astringency overwhelms creamed corn finish.