On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead – Haledon, ambitious ‘acorn squash abbey ale’ provides a nice ‘twist on traditional Belgian style.’ Like a fruitier mai-bocked barleywine, perhaps, its sweet candi-sugared crystal malting and zesty citrus perk gain earthen gourd resilience to contrast less tangible pumpkin-spiced reminder.
On tap at Plank Pizza, sweet-creamed cold-press coffee adjunct picks up dark chocolate, cappuccino, espresso and cacao nibs influence over lightly wood-charred hop bittering. Subtle dried cherry nuance seeps in.
Thinly fruited moderation. Washed-out strawberry adjunct bettered by subsidiary ginger-spiced cinnamon stick sugaring, tart lemon snicker and delicate Graham Cracker spine. Phenol carbolic fizz hinders candied strawberry tartness as well as wispy cornbread reminder. Veiled flavors defy daringly creative cream ale.
On tap at Amazing Grapes, rich wee heavy subtly aged in Scotch barrels (10% ABV) blends smoky brown chocolate malting with vanilla-spiced sweetness, subsidiary dried fruiting and dewy cellar-like mustiness.
On tap at Plank Pizza, marvelous full-bodied stout scintillates as sweet milked coffee creaming settles softly above oats-sugared spine. Mild dark cocoa, cappuccino and caramel latte undertones fill out Demented perfection.
On tap at Plank Pizza, easygoing dark ale brings soft-watered dark chocolate/ black patent malting to char-coaled black cherry and purple grape tartness. Subsidiary port, cocoa and raw molasses illusions fill out soft-watered Baltic porter-leaning oatmeal stout.
On tap at Amazing Grapes, rich dark-roasted chocolate malting outdistances day-old coffee dankness and charred nut bittering above moderate charcoal-hopped sear.
Steadfastly ‘hellbent’ West Coast-styled IPA plies resilient hop-oiled grapefruit rind and orange pith bittering above floral-spiced tropicalia. Dry wood tones and herbal tea leaf respite passively inform zesty peach, mango and papaya tang on the back end.
