On tap at Ambulance, soothingly light-bodied zwickel lager (with frisky Americanized Citra-Mosiac hops) places musky lemon souring and dank earthen graining alongside delicate Saaz hop herbage, gaining waxy grapefruit and orange wisps (from zesty tropical hop influence).
On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, faintly bourbon-barreled 27th anniversary Imperial Porter promises more than it delivers -lacking dimension and fortitude. Its sweet nutty brown chocolate entry (courtesy of Theo’s cocoa nibs), while pleasant, overwhelms adjunctive pomegranate molasses-soured apricot puree tartness and wavered baking spices.
On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, briskly clean watered NEIPA lacks clearly defined designation, relying too much on mellowed down lemony grapefruit, orange, pineapple and mango evenhandedness than any true vanilla-creamed “juice bomb.” Zesty floral-spiced lemon spritz bubbles above gentle barley-flaked crystal malting.
Easygoing boho pilsner brings brisk lemon spritz to lemondrop-hopped tartness above biscuity French breaded carapils malting. Lightly spiced floral aspect caresses dainty lemongrass, chamomile and lupine remnants.
Complex pinot noir-influenced winter ale. Creamily caramelized toffee and brown chocolate sugaring receives affable dried fruiting contrasted quickly by sour purple grape tannins. Burgundy-licked raisin, fig and prune tartness sweetens over toasted barley malts, leaving prickly noir traces on the back of the tongue. A tad thin stylistically, yet wholly festive.
On tap at Denny’s Beer Barrel, decadent 28th Anniversary Imperial Porter tweaks molasses-sapped bourbon vanilla with milk chocolate-y cocoa nibs and peat-smoked wheat malts. Sweet orange peel adjunct seeps below the mix. Subsidiary toasted coconut, roasted tobacco, pureed raspberry, blueberry and port illusions add resilience to boozy (11.5% ABV) to oak-barreled dessert.
