Astringent citric-hopped phenol-spiced straw-hued light lager gets watery fast. Diluted candy-soured orange rind and lemon peel bittering tops sullen grain tepidity and corn-oiled gloom. Parched lime-like acidity and skunked vegetal waft overwhelm frail finish.
Murky cocoa-soured astringency, lousy compost waft, and nasty vegetal spell ruin dried prune-fig souring as well as Muscat wine appeal. Mired in nebulous day-old black bread funk, this warbled German-styled brew seems unbalanced, spreading inconclusive black grape, fennel, and pumpernickel illusions across rotted bock-like variance to phenol finish.
Robust 9.5% alcohol-fueled tan-headed brown-bodied barrel-aged slow sipper allows welcoming sherry opening to invigorate hop-oiled grain-roasted cedar-burnt bitterness and cocoa-powdered prune-dried raisin puree and black cherry illusions. Chewy molasses-sapped black coffee, brown chocolate and vanilla bean notes surface above warming burgundy-bourbon finish of outstanding full-bodied winner.
Brewed with fresh oysters to add hop-toasted dryness and mocha malt creaminess to black chocolate-y dark-roasted coffee theme. Chewy molasses richness picks up cedar-burnt charcoal-tar bitterness and black cherry souring, receding to smooth bourbon-burgundy finish that’s smoothly robust.
Rich amber-hazed autumn seasonal with cookie dough-like yeast sinew and honey-roasted mocha malting receives sharp hop-spiced gourd acridity, revealing cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and gingerbread resonance adjacent to pumpkin pie crusting. Rigid phenol finish depletes tertiary sugared fig, almond, chestnut, and pecan illusions. Engaging dessert fodder. On tap at Biggie’s – 2016, sweeter gingerbread-spiced pumpkin pie template perseveres as spritzy lemon snip crackles.
Initially, fruited aroma hits nose and infiltrates spruce-y pine hops. First sip reveals tangy apricot-apple-pineapple zest countering sharp grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering. Harsh nuttiness and juniper berry add to bitterness as alcohol burn assaults creamy caramel malt sweetness.
Luxuriously spectral Grateful Dead-inspired Belgian-styled tripel counters candi-sugared fructose sweetness and coriander-clove spicing with dusky fungi-like earthiness in uniquely balanced bottle-conditioned fashion. Thick yeast sediment creates heavy viscosity as luscious white ale confections such as gin-like juniper, buttery Chardonnay, and red-purple-black grape illusions settle above herbal white-peppered green tea sash. Apple blossom, pink grapefruit, and overripe peach regalia welcome luscious tropical cornucopia (pineapple-mango-cantaloupe-banana) to juxtapose oncoming cider-y sourness until grassy horsehide-rawhide dryness presents farmhouse barnyard funk to the mix. Beware: well-hidden 9% alcohol whir will spin heads.
Respectable auburn-hued Belgian-styled quad ‘for the mature connoisseur’ retains winter warming brown ale character to medicinal wintry holiday finish. Unmistakable Belgian yeast funk deluges chocolate-spiced sugared date, stewed prune, brown banana, black cherry, bruised orange, and overripe peach illusions fortifying plush Grand Marnier-Cognac-Chardonnay trifecta as well as tertiary spiced wine, dry port and dark rum flirtations. Chewy molasses-like caramel malting completes the score. Boasting more depth and richness than Boulevard’s superfine Long Strange Tripel, this round-tripper’s a true homerun.
‘A strong dark brown beer’ better defined as wintry English strong ale with veritable schwarzbier makeup. Fruit-dried dark chocolate rises above holiday-spiced expectancy. Molasses-sapped cocoa-powdered caramel-chocolate roast sidles bittersweet prune-fig-raisin-apricot coalition above malt-smoked rye wheat bed. Sour-creamed walnut undertones deepen mocha-spiced plethora.
MISHAWAKA, INDIANA
Within walking distance of Mishawaka Brewing, maroon-lettered sandalwood-bricked eatery-bar, GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREW, positioned inside University Park Mall (next to JC Penney), became the 26th of 30-plus Granite City restaurant-breweries along the Midwest trail, July ’08 (and closed 2019).
Visited November ’09, this midsize watering hole opens to stainless steel bar with white slate columns and wood veneer. Behind left side booths were glass-encased brew tanks serving a terse assortment of light-to-dark brews.
A slight buttery creaminess gave lemony peach-grapefruit-centered wood-hopped maize-dried Northern Light Lager the heads up over phenolic Miller/ Bud Lite fare.
Spice-hopped wheat-honeyed cornbread-like Wag’s American Wheat and sour-fruited gourd-spiced fig-sugared hop-sharp Octoberfest were crisply lightweight.
Duke Of Wellington Pale Ale retained bright IPA-like apple-peach-orange fruiting, dry pine lacquering, and juniper berry-sharpened grapefruit peel bittering.
Dry hop-roasted espresso-coffee-finishing Broad Axe Stout rendered surreptitious vanilla bean influence.
Sugarplum, cinnamon-spiced apple, candied nuts and praline bedecked Brother Benedict’s Bock, which was bettered by bock-styled Northern Light mix, Two-Pull, a corn-husked dry body with spicier fig-date-almond sugaring and harsher hop phenols.
Nearby ‘fan-centric’ South Bend sportsbar, Legends Of Notre Dame, located on campus across famous Notre Dame Stadium, served great local microbrews during November ’09 trip to watch the Fighting Irish oppose Connecticut on the gridiron. Prior to and after the game, enjoyed Goose Island Harvest Wheat and Mad Anthony Ol Woody Pale Ale while checking out sports memorabilia and regalia lined across interior walls of alehouse. Enjoyed burgers, sausages, and chicken tenders underneath canvassed courtyard beside outdoor patio.
With four locations in Mishawaka/ South Bend, City-Wide Liquors featured deep selection of microbrews and imports. Found Boulevard Brewery’s Long Strange Trip Ale, Double Wide IPA, and Sixth Glass Quadrupel as well as Three Floyd’s Moloko Milk Stout.