On tap at Taphouse 15, approachable dry pale straw Belgian blonde lays on the hops as peppery lemongrass and grassy hay leathering soak up mild floral-spiced citrus zest. Lemony white grapefruit bittering seeps thru. Closer to a sessionable American blonde ale since its arid Belgian yeast lacks luster.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, smoothly off-dry Belgian pale ale lets slightly sour lemon musk contrast gentle banana-clove sweetness and tart plantain-guava-gooseberry subtleties.
On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, holiday-spiced Golden Monk variant saddles its stylish candi-sugared plum, fig and raisin conflux, white-peppered white wining and modest fungi-cellared Belgian yeast with Christmastime brown-sugared cinnamon and nutmeg seasoning and spritzy cranberry-soured orange peel zesting for a somewhat boozy gingerbread cookie-like Belgian strong ale.
Unique mixed-cultured, gin barrel-aged Belgian strong pale ale with murkily orange yellowed turbidity lets oaken vanilla tannins tease briny limed pineapple zesting and mild yellow grapefruit bittering. Floral-herbed juniper berry influence provides clean gin resonance.
On tap at Taphouse 15, lightly lactic Earl Grey tea knockoff is stylishly blurry, ill-defined and unassuming. Supposed Belgian influence lacks focus and buttery almond adjunct fades fast as herb-tinged bergamot orange oiling seems misplaced or underused.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, 800th anniversary Belgian pale ale remains steadfastly subdued as bubble-gummed banana and clove sweetness pervades zesty lemon briskness and honeyed tea sugaring while polite chamomile-lemongrass-peppercorn stint beckons below.
On tap at Kitchen And Beer Bar, fairly complex Belgian-styled blonde leverages lemony saffron florality and mellow orange tang with herbal ginger riffs, botanical Vermouth snips and musty barnyard acridity over its honeyed French bread spine.
Endlessly sessionable aluminum yellow-hazed Belgian tripel spreads pickled lemon zesting across reserved banana-clove sweetness, herbal ginger-spiced white peppering, fungi-spiked grassy hop pining, mossy peat earthiness and latent plantain-clementine-grapefruit licks over its mild white bread spine.
Busy Belgian pale ale lacks specificity. Wayward candi-sugared Belgian yeast skirts coriander-spiced orange zesting and mild banana-prune-raisin illusions above muskily grain-hopped bittering in slightly phenol manner.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, strong golden ale (8.6% ABV) aged in wine barrels with orange Muscat grape juice maintains tannic oaken barnyard acridity. Lightly vinous champagne sparkle reinforces tart orange Muscat wining of crisply clean Belgian-styled blonde ale hybrid.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, dry hazy pale ale utilizes Hallertau Blanc hops to stimulate honeydew, melon, white grape and peach fruiting as well as tangy grapefruit spritz above earthen celery-fennel rusticity, unveiling “orange blossom-watered clover honeying” at the supple finish.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead – Haledon, mildly vanilla-creamed banana and clove scurry gains cologne-perfumed lemon twist to combat subtle white-peppered herbage and brisk vodka crisping. Sugary citric banana spicing latently caressed by wispily honeyed guava, passionfruit and pineapple tropicalia. Just a tad ‘wayward’ stylistically, but expressively so.
