Rich velvety amber thickens resolve as bottle drains. Fresh mountain water softens fecund wood-burnt India Pale Ale-like hop bitterness. As smokiness subsides, slight citric zest lingers to honeyed maple finish.

Special 10th anniversary ‘grand cuvee’ typifies Unibroue’s more uniquely styled brews which are truly in a league of their own. Compares favorably to Belgian white ales with its wheat wine essence, zesty orange wisp, and carbolic hop-spiced clove seasoning. Unexpected cinnamon-nutmeg backdrop adds pleasant holiday spirit. Still, more fluffy than creamy, hurting its persistence.

First impression: lightly pined copper-hazed ale compared favorably to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Sinewy caramel yeast foundation provides perfect ‘tap beer’ essence while subtle nut bitterness firms up wheat-chaffed floral bouquet. Damp dry-hopped orange rind dankness envelops succinct mineral grain finish.

First brewed in 1975 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere’s historic ride, Liberty Ale is hand crafted at small traditional brewery. Light spice-fruited aroma, resinous mocha palate, biscuit-y wheat spine, and dry-hopped lemon rind bite beget curious red and brown ale traits. Vivacious, bubbly, dry-bodied ale pleasantly funnels down the throat to rock you like a hurricane.

Smooth medium-to-full-bodied Country Chase celebrates the first hunt of the season, matching terrific Bass Pale Ale caramel malt character to smooth red-orange fruiting. Pleasant hop-spiced bitterness calibrates sweet stone-fruited quince stint. Strong dark ale just a tad less distinct than brewers’ world renowned Bass Pale Ale.

Commemorating hilarious Monty Python movie, dry honeysuckled Brit (with clinging Brussels lace) matches thick caramel sweetness to light floral-hopped citric spicing. Abiding wood-smoked tinge, reminiscent of an India Pale Ale, endures to mildly bitter mineral-grained vegetal finish, but soapy aftertaste lowers vitality.

Swell barley-toned pale ale with buttery malt pleasantry, candy-coated chocolate elegance, and mild prune undertones. Exquisite crystalline water suits moderate-bodied softie worthy of pilsner or lager crossover.

Rewarding rocky-headed bottle-conditioned ale pours off-white before revealing hazy bleached yellow hue. Spritzy Saaz-hopped signature picks up wheat biscuit exertion as dried banana, tangerine, apricot, grapefruit, and lemon fruiting enlighten sour-candied honeyed clove finish, revealing latent grassy herbal mint nuance.

Thin clear amber moderation brandishes meagerly Scotch-licked rye-wheat malting, tingly lemon-bruised grapefruit bittering, brief sourdough cameo, and trifling French vanilla dip to acidic chemical-like compost finish. Rough juniper-like alcohol burn will displease softer palates.

Slightly better than Dundee’s Amber, this translucent auburn pale ale retains sour-fruited dryness and sharp clove-hopped frolic above cracked wheat spine. Unripe white peach, lemon, and grape tartness overtaken by sweet tea-leafed tobacco dalliance, but oily nature and phenol acidity decrease credibility.

Dry-hopped toasted barley complements cocoa malt sweetness in similar successful fashion perfected by East Coast brewers such as Ybor, Weeping Radish, and Blue Point. But sugary water finish weakens and dilutes “Extra” pale boast.

Easy drinking hop-fueled pale ale with crisp water flow and casual barley-oats finish tastes more like strong premium pilsner, remaining weightier than lesser-grained Coors.