On tap at Seven Lakes Station, amiable hybridized Belgian dark ale/ traditional stout allows sweet candi-sugared Belgian yeast fusion affect bittersweet cocoa nibs, fudged toffee, Bakers chocolate and barley-flaked caramel malts. Creamy dark chocolate center gains subtle coffee, walnut and hazelnut illusions as well as whimsical dried fruit spicing and slight wood-charred peat mossing. A fine chocolate dessert treat for the holidays.
On tap at Curley’s, complex and well-balanced wintry witbier lets sweet orange-peeled coriander adjunct, zesty lemon spritz and gentle vanilla sway gain lightly lingered white-peppered sea salting above wheat-flaked pilsner malting. Candi-sugared Belgian yeast obtains herbal fungi notion at floral-perfumed citrus finish.
Slightly curious winter ale hybrid brings dark-roasted chocolate nuttiness to spicy dried-fruited Belgian yeast and distant charcoal-scorched earthen hop char with winning results. Sinewy molasses-dipped mocha charm coalesces dark chocolate, coffee, cocoa and chicory tones as ancillary dark cherry, plum and fig snips contrast mossy latency.
On tap at Taphouse Grille – Wayne, complex tripel combines vanilla-creamed banana sweetness, honey-spiced cereal oats graining and silken white-peppered hop bittering above dank cellar musk. Latent white grape, peach, pineapple, pear and nectar illusions reinforce herbal-peppered tropical fruit aspect.
On tap at Taphouse Grille, enticing honey-spiced Belgian pale ale layers creamy vanilla sugaring atop juicy lemon-bruised orange tang and mild white-peppered herbal hop bittering, picking up honeydew, cantaloupe and melon illusions. Sweet fruited piquancy contrasted by fusel alcohol warmth at busy finish.
“Burgundian” dubbel contrasts laidback candi-sugared dried fruiting and sweet orange peel subtlety with sharp peppery hop bittering and wispy tobacco roast. Stylishly embedded prune, raisin and plum tones gain mild honey-spiced chocolate malting as distant licorice-rooted anise star adjunct gains tingly coriander and cumin accents.
On tap at Growler & Gill, summery dry-hopped witbier complacently blends lemon-soured mango, peach, passionfruit and kiwi tartness into grassy herbal thrift and mild fungi-like yeast mustiness.
On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, creamy brown-bodied Belgian dark ale (limited edition – 2017) makes fine winter warmer. Ripe fig and raisin adjuncts enjoin burgundy-wined black cherry, prune and banana fruiting above mocha-spiced molasses bread sweetness. Dark Belgian candi syrup thickens the mocha fruited frontage.
Well balanced medium-bodied India Pale Ale brings sunny yellow grapefruit brightness, sharp lemony orange rind bittering and tropical peach-pineapple-mango sweetness to the fore above mildly creamed sugar-spiced honey malt sweetness. Moderate pine needling, wispy herbal tinge and grassy hop astringency reinforce juniper-licked floral backdrop while phenol aspirin astringency lingers thru citric-juiced aftertaste.
Underwhelming limited edition 2016 Imperial Stout (with quiet 9.7% ABV) brings moderately creamy brown chocolate frontage, bitter coffee followup and brown-sugared dried fruiting to barley-roasted caramel malting. Oats-charred earthen peat saturates ancillary raisin-fig-plum conflux and latent cola-hazelnut whims.
Persuasively combining Belgian-styled witbier with hoppy American pale ale and prominent herbaceous overtones, well-balanced moderation deserves exalted status. Black-peppered thyme, rosemary, sage and fern herbage rumbles across lemon-seeded bittering and zesty mandarin orange tang above wheat-sugared oats spine. Lightly lingering resinous hop bite reinforces floral-bound citrus nature and raw-honeyed black tea respite.
Fantastic Belgian Kriek gains sour-fruited Flanders Red Ale influence by blending tart Bing cherry sweetness with champagne-fizzed oaken cherry tartness and medicinal cherry-candied astringency. Lightly acidic green grape tannins and puckered cranberry sourness contrast ripe red apple juicing and subtle strawberry sensation beneath rosé-wined cherry serenade.
