From the ‘freshly baked pale ale series,’ brisk banana cream pie knockoff allows lemony kaffir lime intrusion to outdo its pastry-like dessert sweetness and minor lactic acidity. Throughout, insistent lemon juicing relegates powder-sugared banana cream pie luster above mild honeyed wheat base.
On tap at Plank Pizza, “fluffy” soft-toned IPA guides apricot pureed tartness into powdered candy Hawaiian Punch stead. Sweet ‘n sour lemon-dropped raspberry, pineapple, passionfruit, papaya and guava illusions fade quickly to wispy white breaded bottom.
Washed-out light-bodied limited edition (2020) fruit ale aged on tart raspberry-blackberry adjunct receives sour lemon spritz and mild hibiscus flowering before getting a tad phenol. Under-ripened berry flow too subtle and pale malt setting too dryly sedate.
Sharp citrus hopped spicing gains sour cider scamper and dried apricot reminder to complement floral-bound blood orange tartness over light white bread spine. Sweetish elderflower and lavender nuances nearly lost.
Murky peach-mango sway relegated by lemony apple tartness and vapid pale malting. Easygoing Seltzer-like mango and peach spritz dissipates as phenol hop astringency eats away at compromised fruited profile.
Tart passionfruit and lime adjuncts bring dryly sour tropical fruiting to the fore as vinous white-wined green grape tannins and juicy lemon spritz gain mild acidity. Limey passionfruit continuance picks up herbal lemongrass snips to wispy white wheat base.
On tap at Beef Trust, blustery red-wined twist on brewers’ berry-heavy Belgian fruit ale, Fort, loads pureed raspberry, boysenberry, elderberry and blackberry atop rum-spiced brandy warmth, picking up vinous cherry tartness alongside boozy alcohol astringency at the bold whisky-dried cherry coughdrop finish. Candied orange, red grape and clementine illusions dot the back end.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, light vanilla creaming battles back lactic yogurt souring and tannic grape tartness. In the midst, rum-buttered banana daiquiri sweetness fades quick as dry plantain acridity sets in alongside tertiary boysenberry-gooseberry pucker. A bit waxy.
On tap at Hoover’s, candied raspberry-blueberry-blackberry tartness gains lemon meringue twist and wispy vanilla-creamed sweetness trying to dupe the essence of a Christmastime French pastry. Staying soft on the tongue, its thinnish finish needs more penetrative berry rasp.
Utilizing dried watermelon and honeydew rind to reduce its mild cantaloupe sweetness, above-average moderation will please some fruit ale fans. Lemony carbolic spritz blitzes candied melon tartness at the musty midst, leaving dewy cantaloupe ripeness alongside salted watermelon remnants right above the moldy wheat base.
On tap at Beef Trust, sharp IPA fruiting rides above salty peanut-floured boysenberry adjunct, leaving minor lactose acidity in its wake. Recalling a PB&J sandwich when the nutty resonance upstages the raspy boysenberry tartness as well as pureed blackberry-cherry subsidiary, this slightly askew eccentricity may intrigue the esoteric lunchtime crowd with its unique blend.
