FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK

Smack dab in the middle of downtown Farmingdale with a bright blue awning and glass-front window, LITHOLOGY BREWING CO. opened during 2015. A tiny two-room nanaobrewery with small silver metal three-barrel system, Lithology’s whimsical one-off ales are usually delicately persuasive soft-toned liquids for easygoing semi-conventional tastes.

The front bar room features a modern Industrial setup with cozy L-shaped serving station, tan floor tiles, Classical white ceiling tiles, one central TV and prestigious side-walled wood insignia.

The twelve Industrial metal tap handles serve New York farmhouse brews and there are several state-crafted liquor selections as well.

Behind the kitchen-designed brew room lies a small outdoor patio beer garden with metal furnishings. During my June ’19 stopover, I tried nine homemade suds.

Soft-toned Jay Walker Cream Ale – Nitro retained grassy hop astringency and celery-watered crisping for its maize-dried finish.

Dry lemony grapefruit piquancy fronted Sunrise Summer Ale, leaving its subtle citric spicing upon the simple pale wheat malting.

Understated The White, a Belgian witbier, let coriander-spiced orange tartness subtly sink into wheat-dried lemongrass herbage and zesty lemon snips.

Tea-like moderation, Lithology Red Ale, imbued dry amber-grained chocolate malting with murky orange fruiting.

Dainty mango soaping welcomed summertime moderation, Magothy Mango, a buttery wheat ale with subtle tropical fruiting.

Pallid Watermelon Blonde’s cucumber-laden watermelon tease and melon rind earthiness gained mild lemony hop bittering and dry pale malting.   

Waxy citrus tones brought mild bitterness to herbal-tinged Local Gold, a watered-down West Coast-styled IPA.

Black chocolate and dark toffee picked up earthen leathering for mildly nutty Brown Ale.

Minty chai tea illusions seeped into dark chocolate and licorice tones for nitrogenated Chai-Lo Ren Latte Stout, relegating its delicate spiced black tea notion.