On tap at Taphouse 15, ‘monstrous’ Widow Jane bourbon-barreled version (10.8% ABV) of lusty Bolshoi Imperial Stout layers pureed dried fruiting atop creamy dark chocolate syruping, light molasses sapping and smoked wood tinge. Heady black cherry and raspberry tartness seeps into dark-roasted mocha malting, promoting Black Forest cake, cherry cordial, raspberry juice, crème brulee, stewed plum, creamed coffee and burnt caramel illusions.
On tap at Growler & Gill, ‘super bold’ 10.5% ABV Imperial Porter inspired by sugar-spiced Turkish coffee retains treacly Madagascar vanilla bean creaming above black-peppered black cardamom, cinnamon, curry and cumin illusions as well as fudgy caramel-burnt black chocolate malts. Cacao nibs, cappuccino, hazelnut and cola subsidies round out rich dessert eccentricity.
On tap at Growler & Gill, mellow red wine-barreled farmhouse ale brings delicate brettanomyces yeast acidity and leathery barnyard funk to mild lemony strawberry tartness. Simmering red grape esters add subtle warmth.
On tap at Growler & Gill, hop-forward winter warmer drapes lemony grapefruit, pineapple, peach and orange tang upon piney hop resin and toasted caramel malting. In recess, pear, melon and cantaloupe illusions gain luster.
On tap at Taphouse 15. A bit slick compared to richer coffee-infused golden ales making the rounds circa ’17. Moderate cold-brewed coffee tone gains mild lemon rind bittering and distant cola nuttiness to contrast mellow milk-sugared sweetness.
Muddled Irish Stout mildly bourbon-aged then blended with an English porter and dark-lagered schwarzbier seems unresolved, taste-wise. Subdued brown chocolate malting receives leathery tobacco roast, dewy peat earthiness and nutty respite for off-dry medium body that may lack stylistic conclusiveness, but never offends.
Light maple syruping subtly affects mildly spiced dried fruiting, cocoa-powdered nuttiness and cellar-like dewy mustiness of satisfactory moderation.
On tap at River Of Beer, modest strong ale (with well hidden 9% ABV) will appeal to India Pale Ale fans with its sugar-spiced citrus pleasantries and aggressive hop astringency. Evenly dispersed grapefruit, orange, tangerine, apricot and plum fruiting sits atop caramelized Scotch-licked Maris Otter malting.
On tap at River Of Beer, mighty Imperial India Pale Ale (with unobtrusive 9.8% ABV) uses brewers’ citric-bound Resin as its base. Resinous dry-hopped fruiting picks up light pine lacquering to contrast lightly creamed honeyed vanilla malting. Tangy grapefruit, orange and pineapple juicing and zesty lemon briskness override tertiary mango-papaya-tangerine-peach-nectarine conflux.
On tap at River Of Beer, kaleidoscopic middleweight Imperial Stout dances on the tongue like a Bolshoi ballerina as molasses-enriched brown chocolate spicing and fudgy toffee sweetness gain ancillary brown-sugared fig and raisin sentiment. Chocolate-caked coffee, cocoa and vanilla illusions deepen sweet mocha theme.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, bold full-bodied Imperial IPA (limited ’14 edition with high hop resin) drapes rye-honeyed fructose tropicalia over tangy grapefruit-orange ripeness, but rigid 11.1% alcohol burn, massive 111 IBU hop bittering and chewy caramel malting completely overload fruity onrush. In skinny 12-ounce can, clay-hopped pine needling sharpens syrupy cotton-candied pineapple, peach, nectarine, tangerine and mango tang.
Exemplary full-bodied red ale with vibrant India Pale Ale leanings brings summery tropical fruitiness to wintry evergreen freshness. Zesty grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and resinous pine sapping thicken over brisk mineral-watered crisping. Ancillary honey-spiced pineapple, peach, tangerine and mango tang picks up rosy floral aspect.
