On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, superb ‘dessert beer’ highlights pink Himalaya-salted brown chocolate luxuriance and coconut-flaked marshmallow sugaring above honeyed Graham Cracker malting. Re-creating a Samoan cookie with unrivaled success, it’s also similar to a S’mores campfire treat. Yummy.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, tart blueberry puree entry swayed by mildly acidic lemon-limed cranberry, boysenberry and gooseberry souring above sourdough wheat stead. Lactic blueberry yogurt midst gains slight grassy hop musk.
On tap at Growler & Gill, exuberant reddish-cleared liqueur-like Manhattan cocktail aged in bourbon barrels brings massive cherry juicing to vermouth-like sweetness. Medicinal cherry coughdrop midst picks up cherry cordial, cherry pie, Maraschino cherry and brandy illusions for syrupy sticky-sweet (14.1% ABV) strong ale. Inspired by the timeless cocktail, its feisty bottled version ‘harmoniously’ spreads chewy whiskey-soaked Maraschino cherry syruping all over its orange-bruised vermouth veneer. Medicinal cherry liqueur lacquers ancillary sugarplum, pecan pie, Cognac, Courvoisier and rum undertones.
On tap at Morris Tap & Grill, mildly creamed lactose-sugared vanilla icing coats cinnamon-toasted pastry sweetness of well-designed winterized dessert treat. Cinnamon apple pie crusting nearly conceals holiday-styled gingerbread, nutmeg and mulling spice illusions.
On tap at Growler & Gill, ‘traditional English India Pale Ale’ lets tropical Mosaic hops infiltrate dewy earthiness, creamy pale malting and herbal nuances. But its distant pineapple, mango and orange illusions should be brought forth more to improve its multi-tiered English mosaic.
On tap at Curley’s, excellent Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie alternative joins brewers’ classic Crème Brulee, Choklat and Mokah dessert treats as rich, inviting chocolate lovers’ favorites. Junior Mint-like freshness retained as dry Belgian dark chocolate malting and cookie dough sweetness gain syrupy layer above dark-roast hop bittering. Beneath the mocha-minted surface lies mild vanilla, coffee, cappuccino and walnut illusions. Decadent.
On tap at Liberty Craft House, easygoing coffee-infused pale ale is first Southern Tier satellite brew for Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week. Smoked coffee bean entry gains mild lemony orange tartness above dainty mocha malting.
On tap at Taphouse 15, vibrant tangerine-candied sweetness leads the way as juicy blood orange and red grapefruit adjuncts deepen syrupy citrus tang of well-defined ‘high-gravity’ Mosaic-hopped wheat ale. Tart tangerine peels inundate the full-on fruit-juiced finish.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, mildly creamed chocolate mint expanse gains sweet peppermint frosting and whimsical cocoa powdering. Fudgy chocolate caking sidles Thin Mint finish of surprisingly decadent sweet-toothed dessert beer.
Soft-toned pinkish amber fruit ale sits flat on the tongue as tart raspberry puree piquancy gains dusty floral sweetness over barley-malted white wheat base. Raspy raspberry onrush gains watermelon, pink lemonade, pink grapefruit and orange illusions, but tepid washed-out finish needs spritzy kick.
On tap at Growler & Gill, sweet malt-spiced tingle meets dank compost salting of ‘seasonal standard’ spice ale. Previous so-called ‘Swedish Glogg’ retained firmer orange-peeled cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger root spicing while avoiding cat urine smidge.
Straightforward yellow-cleared blonde ale slides down the throat with ease. Sugary citric-spiced pale malt pleasantry spreads across musky oats-wheat graining and earthen hop moderation. Crystalline German pilsner-like mineral base maintains easygoing flow. Fine mainstream brew served at Buffalo Sabres game.
