Stiff vodka kick rampages alongside candy-glazed tropical fruiting and understated clay-hopped pine needling. Advertised wet-wooded hop ‘dankness’ is nearly a misnomer. Instead, sugar-coated grapefruit, orange, tangerine, pineapple and mango tanginess battles back rubbing alcohol burn (13% ABV). Musky fennel, rosemary (?), hibiscus and ethyl undertones go awry.
On tap at Beef Trust, subtle kiwi and strawberry sweetness embraces light ‘acidic bitter coffee curbed by milk and sugar’ of fabulous fruited version of Basic Coffee Imperial Cream Ale. Milk-sugared coffee goodness also caressed by cinnamon, vanilla, blueberry and several anonymously wondrous illusions. Naturally recommended.
On tap at Plank Pizza, crisply smooth citrus-juiced Sam Calagione (of Dogfish Head) tributary retains centrist appeal while remaining stiff enuff for avid hop-heads to enjoy. Throughout, lingered lupulin oiling contrasts crystal pale malt sweetness. Juniper-nipped pine resin politely embitters lemony grapefruit, pineapple and orange tang plus dusty herbal residue.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, straightforward moderation retains lemony grapefruit tang, orange-dried tartness and grassy hop astringency above pilsner-malted wheat breading. A tad bolder than usual pale ale fare.
On tap at Plank Pizza, opulently updated Belgian tripel (2018) with earthen white truffle-perfumed flavor back-ending candi-sugared fruit mélange. Rum-spiced banana liqueur, lemon meringue, botanical gin, vanilla vodka, butterscotch schnapps and citron illusions reinforce loud 10.6% ABV.
Bustling carrot cake-inspired porter (in collab with Bolero Snort) goes way beyond rarefied hybridized style. Creamy dark chocolate syruping adds bittersweet crescendo to carrot-sugared walnut flouring. Ancillary Sambuca, Kahlua, creme brulee, Turkish coffee, cinnamon bark and vanilla illusions as well as cherry-pureed dried fruiting climb aboard in the midst above lactic milk-sugared oats base.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, tartly blueberry-pureed souring stays subtle alongside salty lemon spritz and vinous green grape esters for lactic Berliner Weiss. Desiccated straw-dried wheat base lays barren while sour blueberry adjunct sweetens ever so slightly.
“Simpler version of golden coffee cream ale” finished with espresso-roasted blend of Sumatran, Columbian and Ethipian coffee beans picks up sharp cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cardamom and mace spicing as well as brisk orange zest. Ancillary cappuccino, caramel latte, vanilla latte and maple-syruped French Toast illusions abound. Carton’s Regular Coffee base – utilized previously for fabulous offshoots like Irish Coffee, Kaffee and Kuchen and Café Corretto – proves magnanimous again.
Pleasant mulberry-juiced wheat ale collaboration with Interboro utilizes light lactic acidulation to enliven sharp hop-spiced grapefruit-peeled orange tang. Subtle mulberry tartness also influences ancillary lemon-licked pineapple, peach and mango tropicalia for bright medium-bodied venture.
On tap at Beef Trust, Carton’s highly exulted Regular Coffee Imperial Cream Ale gets soaked on Irish wood and given a peppermint twist. Creamy milk-sugared coffee frontage picks up sweet vanilla-chocolate tones, wispy green creme de menthe freshener and distant cappuccino, caramel latte and espresso macchiato snips. A richly fulfilling dessert treat.
Definitive old school wood-aged Newark IPA recipe utilized for cream ale malt bill and swampy Bullion hop oiling. Oaken-whiskeyed vanilla tannins subtly ascend above sharp orange-peeled yellow grapefruit tanginess, dainty spice tingle and mild phenol bittering.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, dry fruit-pureed pale ale with sharp New England IPA-styled hop profile retains lightly creamed caramel malting. Lemony grapefruit bittering receives mild phenol astringency. In the recess, candied orange, pineapple and peach illusions reside.
