HOLBROOK, NEW YORK

Making some of the crispest East Coast India Pale Ales your heart will desire out in Long Island, diminutive warehouse-bound SPIDER BITE BEER COMPANY also earns big points for its awesome Boris The Spider Russian Imperial Stout (reviewed in Beer Index) and several other stylishly resounding offerings.

An eight-seat bar with eight tap handles, proprietary bottled-canned selections, beer banners and one TV crowd the small main room as a few tables near the overhead garage door provide more capacity. Brew tanks are off in the back end.

Dry tea-like Craft Cares Irish Red Ale placed fig-spiced caramel malts alongside mossy peat earthiness and nutty biscuit residue.

Sweet ‘n sour saison-fruited Blanc Grisette let lemon zest, sour orange and vinous grape gain a tart edge above leathery dry hops.

Approachable Fundur Session India Pale Ale brought tangy orange-peeled peach, grapefruit, mango and tangerine illusions to dank piney hop musk and herbal spiced licks.

Juicy Second Bite India Pale Ale let its bittersweet orange-peeled grapefruit tang awaken grassy hop astringency, pungent earthen musk, tingly sugar spices and grainy pale malts.

Less pronounced and more subtle, IDK IPA allowed subdued Nelson Sauvin hops to add passionfruit and gooseberry tones to its floral citrus midst and soft biscuit base.

Dry-bodied Melba’s Toasted Brown Ale offered a crisp tobacco roast to wheat-floured Melba toasting and soft spicing.

 A cool little spot the locals love, Spider Bite’s definitely worth the ride.

spiderbitebeer.com