On tap at Taphouse 15, highly touted dry kolsch allows sour lemon rot to penetrate peppery hop fizz and floral-daubed herbal spicing above crackery sourdough breading. ‘Cologne-styled’ moderation stays pleasantly effervescent, but its lemony souring may preclude some thirsts.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, highly rated year-round Bavarian helles lager disappoints. Corny rice starching, sour lemon rotted spritz and hay-like barnyard acridity creep above buckwheat-pasted buttered biscuit base in tepid manner – despite its acclaim elsewhere.
Glowing yellow-hazed New England-styled pale ale (sans piney IPA resin) brings floral citric-spiced banana sweetness to spritzy lemon zest and light herbal snip for easygoing drinkability. Tangy orange, tangerine and pineapple juicing counters grassy hay astringency at brisk pale malt-sugared finish.
On tap at Russell House Tavern, crisply dry Czech-styled pilsner brings moderate Saaz hop astringency to tingly lemony spicing as well as earthen spelt, oats and wheatgrass graininess. Soft doughy biscuit spine holds up well.
Easygoing IPA bolstered by lingering Chinook/Amarillo hop pining and less aggressive lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering. Sugary peach-pineapple-quince-cantaloupe-mango-tangerine dalliances and recessive floral nuances provide mild backdrop.
