On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, Napa Valley-barreled red wine esters positively affect tart saison yeast fruiting and desiccated barnyard acridity of nifty offshoot. Lemony yellow grape acidity, puckered orange juicing and zippy apple cider bite receive sedate black peppering beneath vinous Cabernet Sauvignon influence.
Impressive orange honey-blossomed weizenbock drapes maple molasses syrup atop bruised banana, plum, prune, red grape and black cherry fruiting as well as chewy chocolate malts. Charred oak bittering stays below surface alongside subtle chestnut roast and Cafe Dumond chicory coffee snip. At finish, gentle port and burgundy tones color fondue-like dried fruiting.
Perfectly rounded medium body brings sugar-spiced candy glaze to yellow grapefruit brightness, sunny lemon zest, tangy orange juiciness and tart pineapple sweetness. A sharp tropical-fruited delight, its escalating piney hop bittering, wafting floral bouquet and peppery dash deepen the spruce-tipped mango, peach, tangerine, nectarine, passionfruit and quince subsidies.
Stylishly complex American pale ale retains brisk mineral-grained water crisping that smooths out lemony dry-hopped bittering, glutenous wheat-rye-whey conflux and herb-tinged earthiness.
On tap at Biggie’s, inventively nostalgic oak-barreled English-styled barleywine from ’30s Newark recipe proves definitive in 2015 (11.3% ABV) version. Sharp hop-oiled IPA-like fruiting rises above rum-spiced alcohol burn and lightly creamed caramel malting. Bruised orange, red cherry, yellow grapefruit, pineapple, peach, plum, grape, peach, mango and tangerine illusions sweetened further by toffee-butterscotch sugaring to contrast oaken vanilla alcohol burn. Gentle on the tongue but forceful at the alcohol-drenched finish.
Link below is mighty thoughtful and informative:
http://beersinthehenhouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/if-ever-there-was-beer-in-american.html
On tap at Poor Henry’s, locally roasted Benfatto Coffee beans provide easygoing creamed espresso entry above wispy hop char. Milk-sugared light roast coffee splendor picks up mild vanilla bean bittering and possible cinnamon snip.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, reliable medium-bodied stout brings smoky dark-roasted black chocolate malting, powdered cocoa dryness and black coffee bittering to black cherry-pureed anise spicing.
On tap at Ambulance, affluent sweet stout packs dark-roasted black chocolate malting atop luxurious bourbon-burgundy warmth and burnt caramel creaming. Incidental black licorice, dark cocoa, fudge brownie, hazelnut coffee and vanilla undertones reinforce chocolate-y dessert treat.
On tap at Ambulance, richly creamed mocha-bound full body (limited edition 2015 release) may not live up to its heady moniker, but the results are fine. Though lacking expectant bacon-greased surety and smoky maple molasses intrigue, nutty black chocolate thickness and roasted coffee bittering gain prominence with full-throttle luster. Sweet chestnut-hazelnut conflux and bitter walnut char receive minor candied maple glaze overridden by demanding mocha assault.
Remarkable bourbon-aged porter imparts creamy rum-spiced chocolate milkshake sweetness to dark Belgian candi-sugared molasses thickness. Lovely bourbon vanilla licks accentuate oncoming chocolate liqueur, creme brulee, Irish coffee, dark cocoa, fudged brownie, flam custard, sherry and blackberry illusions. A persuasive dessert treat for the holidays.
Festive 2015 Christmastime brown ale blends “caramel and dark fruit malts,” picking up sharp hop astringency (50 IBU’s) and wily alcohol burn (7.7% ABV) to briefly overwhelm burgundy-dried fruit spicing. Dewy tobacco roast and dark chocolate mildness caress sugarplum, date, fig and raisin illusions as well as sweet orange peel spell. Subtle nutmeg, ginger and fennel wisps waver below.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, tremendous 20th anniversary strong ale (with pulverizing 17% alcohol burn) rides the lightning. Bourbon-licked Maraschino cherry, cantaloupe, peach, nectarine and pineapple fruiting spreads above whiskey-sweetened rum spicing, honeyed caramel spicing and serene chocolate malting. “A big old cherry chocolate liquid birthday cake.”
