In 32-ounce crowler (a.k.a. canned growler), citric-laced rye malting gains immediate tobacco-roasted crisping and light pecan-walnut-chestnut conflux. Mild lemon peel bittering seeps into leafy hop rusticity just below the surface.
RAPSCALLION PALE ALE
Sweet caramel-malted Scotch licks, mild lemony orange tang and prickly hop spicing pick up light phenol acidity for sessionably straightforward moderate-to-medium body. Decent middle of the road fare for less adventurous ale imbibers.
RAPSCALLION OATMEAL STOUT – CASK
On cask at Brew City Grill, soft-toned dry stout retains bittersweet oats-charred black chocolate theme atop subtle hop char, picking up casual cocoa, vanilla and coffee undertones.
BREW CITY GRILL
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
In an old brick building on a bustling corner of Worcester’s rustic downtown, BREW CITY GRILL slowly became a local craft beer haven after a decade in business selling macros. Just down the street from Wormtown Brewery, this glorified sportsbar served local families, businessmen and brewhounds alike on my initial January ’16 noon time visit on a cold Sunday.
A 15-stool right side bar with front tables and one private booth features decorative street lamps, 40-plus tap handles, fine wines, unique cocktails and several bottled-canned beers. Multiple TV’s fill the bar and left side 20-table dining area (where a brew kettle mural and wallpapered locomotive adorn the walls). The food menu includes reasonable pub fare and my wife and I order bourbon wings, potato skins, hummus (with feta and olives) while watching the Patriots and Jets football games.
Beginning with two cask conditioned ales, Berkshire Mint Chip Drayman’s Porter and Rapscallion Stout, I then quaff terrific Maui Coconut Porter and slyly hybridized Mystic Three Cranes Saison with Cranberry. (All reviewed in Beer Index).
A congenial hotspot in New England’s second largest metropolis, BCG boasts a respectable Massachusetts craft beer selection any outsider would appreciate.
OSKAR BLUES DEATH BY COCONUT
On tap at Poor Henry’s, scrumptious Almond Joy-candied porter spreads shredded coconut milking above cacao nibs sweetness and dark-roasted black chocolate malting. Subsidiary vanilla, caramel, crème brûlée and creme de cocoa notions receive light powdered sugaring. An impeccable coconut-flavored dark ale.
BOLERO SNORT VARIABULL 003 PORTER WITH CINNAMON AND VANILLA
On tap at Dog & Cask, easygoing brown porter needs more pronounced cinnamon spicing and vanilla bean licks to infiltrate molasses-smoked black chocolate base (first used in Happy Buck’n Anniversary Imperial Porter). Dank hop roast dissipates toasted coconut, marshmallow and coffee subsidies.
SAUCONY CREEK X RESERVE IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT
On tap at Amazing Grapes, devilishly enticing Sumatrian coffee roast picks up milk-creamed espresso linger and caramel-burnt French dark chocolate sweetness. Mild hop char deepens smoked chicory, cayenne pepper, semi-dry port and black grape illusions.
DEMENTED BOEWULF PORTER
On tap at Amazing Grapes, rich dark-roasted chocolate malting outdistances day-old coffee dankness and charred nut bittering above moderate charcoal-hopped sear.
AGAINST THE GRAIN KENTUCKY RYED CHIQUEN
On tap at Poor Henry’s, tranquil whiskey barrel-aged amber ale lets piney India Pale Ale-like citric fruiting softly affect spicy caramel malt sweetness and dry fig-plum conflux to its leathery barnyard hide.
KANE MANDARINA
On tap at Poor Henry’s, tenaciously sharp Citra-hopped pale ale’s unyielding yellow grapefruit tang picks up sunny lemon juicing above sugar-spiced crystal malt base. Wispy mandarin orange, blood orange and tangerine illusions increase bright citric glisten at clean finish. Exquisite.
FOUNDERS AZACCA INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Poor Henry’s, ubiquitous Azacca hop tropicalia embittered by bark-dried pine resin above spicy caramel malt bed. Juicy mango, grapefruit, mandarin orange, peach, pineapple, papaya, clementine and tangerine overtones glimmer against mild black peppering and dried fig snip. In the bottle, streamlined yellow grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and sugar-spiced candied citrus tartness reach biscuity malt bottom.
HARPOON EHOP COLLABORATION
Well-designed 2015 limited edition collaboration with Oregon’s Deschutes utilizes locally sourced sage and thyme as well as employee-grown hops to spice up toasted caramel malts, fig-sugared dried fruiting and dewy cereal-grained sweetness.
