All posts by John Fortunato

LOADING DOCK BAR & GRILL

October 28, 2024BEER PUBDUNMORE PA, LOADING DOCK BAR & GRILLJohn Fortunato

DUNMORE, PENNSYLVANIA

In the suburban Lackawanna County borough of Dunmore just outside Scranton off the Harry O’Neill Highway, LOADING DOCK BAR & GRILL truly keeps beer geeks happy serving 25 local craft draughts alongside a superb seafood-heavy menu (with top-notch pretzel melts, sandwiches, salads and entrees) and cordial cocktails. There’s even a backspace refrig with dozens of to-go cans.

A family-friendly sportsbar for serious beer tossers, Loading Dock’s square block interior includes a granite-topped 15-seat halfmoon bar (with Mosaic-tiled frontage), Prohibition-styled bronze-tiled ceiling and elongated pendant lighting – all providing vintage flare for the otherwise conventional setting. Walled sconces lit up the left side wood tables and chairs.

On a crowded Saturday night, October ’24, my wife and I grab bar seats as several college football games blare from the multi-TV’s. The bacon-wrapped scallops and pound of clams went well with my Rusty Rail Pumpkin Swirl, a popular local autumnal ale reviewed in Beer Index).

Competes favorably with Scranton’s Backyard Ale House and Cooper’s Seafood so get yer ass there.

LOUGH GILL CHUCKEE LARMZ MILK STOUT

October 28, 2024Beers A-ZLOUGH GILL BREWERY, milk stoutJohn Fortunato

On tap at Ambulance, Lucky Charms breakfast cereal marshmallow fluff serenades vanilla cream-topped brown chocolate, candied maple toffee and tart black cherry. Confectionery milk stout anchored by ascending Black Forest Cake, Dutch cocoa powder, marshmallow chocolate cake and chocolate eclair sweetness.

MORTALIS LETO

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zimperial stout, MORTALISJohn Fortunato

On tap at Taphouse 15, richly creamed dessert pastry brings fudgy brown chocolate sweetness to almond cookie confection in luxurious fashion. Vanilla beaned cacao nibs roast splendidly spreads across the cookie dough midst, leaving ancillary Kahlua and Amaretto illusions as well as spiced toffee, bruised black cherry and rum raisin snips.

HOUSATONIC REMEDY IMPERIAL STOUT

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zbourbon stout, HOUSATONIC RIVER BREWINGJohn Fortunato

Mellow 10.5% ABV stout aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels contrasts wood-charred whiskey tones and oak-seared bourbon licks with lightly creamed brown chocolate sweetness, picking up mild coffee roast.

CAPE MAY MEXICAN COFFEE STOUT

October 28, 2024Beers A-ZCAPE MAY BREWING, coffee stoutJohn Fortunato

On tap at Plank Pizza, rich Chiapas Mexican coffee knockoff gathers chili-dried guajillo peppering for dark chocolate syruping topping cinnamon, chicory and hazelnut coffee aspect in cocoa-dried dark roast hop setting of splendid autumn nightcap.

BOLERO SNORT PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST BROWN ALE

October 28, 2024Beers A-ZBOLERO SNORT, pumpkin brown aleJohn Fortunato

Superb sweetly pumpkin spiced dark ale drapes maple syrup upon abrupt cinnamon coffee-imbibed French Toast cake battering sprinkled by floury powdered sugar. Creamy vanilla influence daubs ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove cove sidled by slight anise spicing. Exceptional confectionery breakfast treasure.

CARTON DROWNED IN COFFEE IMPERIAL CREAM ALE

October 28, 2024Beers A-ZCARTON BREWING, imperial cream aleJohn Fortunato

On tap at Taphouse 15, luscious dark amber cream ale variant based on Affogato Italian coffee with vanilla ice cream then aged in bourbon. Dark-roast coffee continuance gains mild espresso milking and black chocolate respite to counter sweetly creamed coffee theme. Recommended.

NOD HILL ZOAR BROWN ALE

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zbrown ale, NOD HILL BREWERYJohn Fortunato

Dry dark ale with bitterly nutted light roast coffee frontage given dark-roast hop char contrasting less prominent caramelized maple molasses sweetness. In the backdrop, soy-milked hazelnut latte spell drifts into black grape musting and oaken cherry musk as tannic walnut-skinned bittering counters sugared hazelnut glaze.

ROSS / SHIP BOTTOM CRACKIN BATS BROWN ALE

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zbrown ale, ROSS BREWING, SHIP BOTTOM BREWERYJohn Fortunato

On tap at Pompton Craft House, fine Cracker Jacks-inspired knockoff places caramel popcorn and sugar-coated peanuts upfront as honey-roasted almond and molasses nut bread sweetness reinforce confectionery candied snack.

BARNSTABLE HERE’S THE KEYS BARLEYWINE

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zbarleywine, BARNSTABLE BREWINGJohn Fortunato

In the can, nitrogenated English style barleywine retains lightly creamed caramel roast for bourbonized dried cherry, prune and plum illusions and slight brandy-sherry wining to leathery whiskey back.

BARNSTABLE AILENE HOPS AWAY BROWN ALE

October 28, 2024Beers A-ZBARNSTABLE BREWING, brown aleJohn Fortunato

Briskly dry nutty mocha stead given moderate dark-roast hop bittering. Burnt toast base secures caramelized chocolate caress and mild chestnut-hazelnut sweetness.

IMPRINT SCHMOOJEE RASPBERRY ROCKY ROAD

October 28, 2024Beers A-Zfruited sour, IMPRINT BEER CO.John Fortunato

On tap at Taphouse 15, “Super fruited smoothie” drapes marshmallow fluff upon tart hard-candied raspberry onrush, fudgy vanilla-creamed white chocolate sweetness and ascending almond-pistachio nuttiness. Rich and chewy raspberry-flavored Rocky Road ice cream alternative.

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