On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, amiable moderation lets lemon-rotted orange and tangerine tartness drift into pale oats-flaked wheat graining and raw-honeyed chamomile tea niche. Faintest banana-clove-bubblegum whim found below.

Mildly interesting bronze-hazed moderation brings burnt buttered popcorn aromatics to soft pretzel-breaded wheat spine. Perky Seltzer hop fizz enlivens doughy pretzel scamper as well as tertiary sesame, poppy and caraway illusions. Stylistically – not related to any Shock-Top Belgian yeast strain yet encountered.

Directionless mishmash lacks clear identity but doesn’t necessarily suck. Despite having its hybridized light chili peppering depleted by dirty earthiness, pesky maple-sugared chocolate malting and subsumed raisin-prune conflux sweeten honeyed pumpernickel spine. A certain acridity beckons at the murkily mocha-derived finish.

Balanced, though nondescript, pale wheat ale (bottled for Illinois’ Local Option Bierwerker) recalls rich multi-grained Extra Special Bitter. Clean-watered minerality allows brisk lemon crisping to soften bread-crusted wheat biscuit midst. Dewy herbaceous remnant and a hint of brown rice found at unresolved finish.

Well-rounded golden-hazed moderation loads wildflower honey atop white-peppered citrus tartness and lightly creamed barley-wheat malting. Sourdough yeast picks up flatbread-buttered ‘liquid sopapilla’ pastry sweetness while subtle lemon custard, orange spritzer and banana illusions waver. Corn-sugared maca root niche and floral-perfumed herbal notion caress zesty lemon finish. Serve with orange peel for extra flavor (in similar fashion as hefeweizen).

Nebulous passionfruit-infused wheat ale brings vague tropical-fruited tartness to biscuity pale malting, picking up wispy black peppered jalapeno burn to complement light lemon pith bittering and mild orange candied souring. Pulpy passionfruit wisp and evaporative pineapple, guava, plantain, pomegranate and kiwi undertones need bigger push forward to deepen conviction. Musty earthiness, sharp metallic twinge and soapy finish deplete acidic fruitiness.  

Raspy yellow-fruited American-style wheat ale (circa 2012) retains protracted Saison-like lemon souring and raw-honeyed spicing. Woody Chinook hop dryness contrasts slim malted rye backdrop. Halfway to an acidic sour ale; lacking only the stylistic brettanomyces pungency.

Marginalized autumnal seasonal (brewed with maple syrup) needs better maple sapping, richer pastry-like malting and deeper honeyed wheat penetration. Syrupy sugared sinew sweetens bark-dried cedar-aged rum notch that fades way too fast to rancorous raw-honeyed dry hop astringency. Tinny finish disrupts latent chestnut, almond, pecan and toffee illusions. A nebulous disappointment less effective than Rogue’s similarly styled Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale.

Peculiar straw-hazed spiced beer relegates advertised agave flavoring to simple backdrop. Musty orange-dried spoilage and lemon-rotted souring cushioned by gentle resinous hop bittering to blanched white wheat spine. Residual cider sharpness, tart white grape snip, and delicate plantain leafing linger below. Herbal agave influence negated by acidic citric-influenced sour ale finish.