NEW PROVIDENCE, NEW JERSEY
I’d already enjoyed fourteen different beers from UNTIED BREWING COMPANY before finally visiting this rustic red-bricked warehouse pub in Central Jersey during February ’23. Celebrating their fourth anniversary, Untied’s neon orange and blue insignia welcomes visitors to its industrialized gray brick-walled, cement-floored, high-ceilinged interior.
With an impressive stylistically varied lineup, Untied’s tile-walled draught handles serve the silestone formica-topped bar area, two metal-wood stooled community tables, a few white chaired four-seaters and a small couched space.
The third brewmaster since opening in 2019, Andrew Slick (formerly of Triumph and Kane), mans the rear tanks. We discussed all things beer while I ran the gamut of drinking all the previously untried suds available this seasonally warm winter’s day.
Sweet coconut toasting fortified corn-sugared cream ale, Clacking Coconuts, leaving macaroon, roasted chestnut, vanilla cookie, and marshmallow daubs.
Toasted amber grain crisping received musky dry-hopped Huelle Melon tropicalia as bright orange-peeled yellow grapefruit sunshine upended astringent herbal grassiness with a clean vodka nip for Morning Breeze Pilsner, a nearly white winey IPA-fruited alternative.
Mild lemony yellow grapefruit bittering, sweet orange peel zesting and subtle guava-pineapple souring engaged soft-toned 4th Trip Around The Sun NEIPA, leaving latent earthen pine resin to contrast its creamy vanilla froth.
Candi-sugared butterscotch rum warmth guided Thresh Tripel, a superfine Belgian ale with caramelized banana, pineapple cake, butter pecan, orange marmalade and honeyed peach sweetness contrasting white peppered fungi funk.
Rummy dark candi-sugaring draped Neuhaus Quad, another worthy Belgian styler with spicy fig, date and plum sweetness picking up caramelized pecan, bourbon vanilla and honey-glazed hazelnut illusions.
A nearly perfect dark lager, Dada loaded Folgers-like coffee crystals upon dark-roast chocolate and treacly cocoa nuttiness in a dark-roast hop setting.
Bittersweet dark chocolate and hazelnut coffee tones enriched Left In The Dark Imperial Stout, letting leathery cherry tannins supply slight acidity to the creamed mocha mandate.
As for the bourbon barrel-aged Left In The Dark, its sweet bourbon vanilla warmth penetrated coffee-roasted caramelized chocolate goodness and whiskeyed rye swipe.