On tap at Poor Henry’s, tremendous 20th anniversary strong ale (with pulverizing 17% alcohol burn) rides the lightning. Bourbon-licked Maraschino cherry, cantaloupe, peach, nectarine and pineapple fruiting spreads above whiskey-sweetened rum spicing, honeyed caramel spicing and serene chocolate malting. “A big old cherry chocolate liquid birthday cake.”
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During the autumn of 1998, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing iconoclastic heavy metal godz Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath’s guiding lights (above front cover shot from original Aquarian article). This was a few years before Ozzy gained exposure on his hit MTV Reality Show. After nearly two decades apart, the original Black Sabbath re-formed for an electrifying live Reunion in Birmingham, the English city where ghoulish shock rock frontman Ozzy Osbourne teamed up with respected guitarist, …
On tap at Doherty’s, heady 7.1% ABV heightens traditional witbier styling while foraged red sumac dryness drapes the usual Belgian yeast spicing, dainty orange peel tang and salty coriander-like spicing. Unmalted wheat graining adds light acridity to lemony gooseberry tartness, vinous green grape slake, green apple mist and cranberry pucker.
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TOMS RIVER, NEW JERSEY
Open since January 2014, Toms River-based RINN DUIN BREWING (named after a famous Irish castle and since 2019 operating as Toms River Brewing) crafted sessionable English-styled ales as well as approachable barrel-aged elixirs, a few hybridized treats and anything that struck their fancy. For their first anniversary, entrepreneurial father-daughter combo, Chip and Jacqui Town, created an approachable candi-sugared Belgian Dubbel using Irish barley, English hops and Irish yeast called Black Thorn.
Local disabled marine, Charlie Ryan, …
On tap at Ambulance, mildly creamed black malt-driven milk stout dovetails Columbian coffee and roasted espresso bittering into sweet chocolate-roasted lactose sugaring. Full-blown mocha theme receives unexpected peppery respite at dry coffee-milked finish.
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Bothersome nickel-hazed Czech pils (in a can) tastes like an infected sour saison or problematic Belgian pale ale. Superficial orange souring and lemon rot spoilage reach bad cider finish, picking up tannic white grape tartness and earthen musk.
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Sweet Czech dark lager brings caramel-burnt toffee, brown chocolate, molasses cake and creme brulee niceties to the front above light hop toasting. Honeyed pumpernickel breading and tobacco-leafed crisping sit way below mocha attributes.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Along Chicago’s youthful northwest Lincoln Park section, brown-wood-paneled gastropub, ATLAS BREWING COMPANY, opened in June 2012 (then closed in 2018). Brotherly brewers’ John and Ben Saller took the Atlas moniker from a pre-prohibition brewery specializing in diverse ales.
Competing with established local competitors such as Revolution and Piece, this laid-back modern Industrial lounge features one large community table, several booths, overhead Edison bulb lighting and black tin tiling. Glass-encased stainless steel brew tanks at the rear hold the …
PHARRELL WILLIAMS GETS “HAPPY” @ ICE CREAM SHOPPE
John Fortunato
Before becoming an international jetsetter, fashionable singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams co-championed Virginia Beach musical troupe NERD with Neptunes partner, Chad Hugo. Together, the dominant beatmeisters produced massive hits for Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and many other well-known artists along the way.
In 2013, his blockbuster collaboration with singer Robin Thicke, “Blurred Lines,” took the world by storm. Soon after, Pharrell hit the top of the charts …
CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK
Just a few minutes away from my Jersey home (across the border in Rockland County) lies friendly neighborhood joint, BLUE RIBBON TAVERN. An unfancy barn-like beer pub with good food that’s proud home to one-ounce bourbon flights, this casual wood-furnished dive with a quaint sportsbar atmosphere is located at an unassuming mini-mall in Chestnut Ridge (five miles north of Pearl River’s Defiant Brewing). Dispersing craft brews since July ’13, its ever-changing dozen-plus taps are spread across …
BRONX, NEW YORK
Inconspicuously perched a half-block down from Jerome Avenue’s elevated train tracks in the Kingsbridge section (bordering Riverdale), BRONX ALEHOUSE became a respected roadhouse-styled craft beer landmark upon opening, 2009. Owned by a few disenfranchised Manhattanites not willing to pay high midtown rents, they quickly went north to the upper Bronx to build their humble saloon. And now, Bronx Alehouse boasts possibly the fastest rotating drafts in the city.
A black-windowed frontage with weathered signpost welcomes neighborhood families, …