Waveringly eccentric straw-cleared herbal-spiced hybrid ale (circa 2011) spreads honeyed lavender pedals across syrupy citric tang and wafting floral potpourri. Tangerine, grapefruit, and orange pick up grassy-hopped heather, hibiscus, and sage dusting. Stiff alcohol solvency will chase away softies.
Tag Archives: spice ale
NERREBROS JULEBRYG
BREWDOG DOGMA
Wavering spiced ale may boast kola nut, poppy seed, and guarana herbage, but these under-whelming elements barely register. Instead, brown-sugared chocolate malting, red grapefruit tang, orange-tangerine juicing, and floral hop spicing integrate with tertiary tea, hemp, and pine forest illusions. Barley-roasted heather honey sweetness validates citric malting. Nowhere near as innovative and enigmatic as label claims.
DOGFISH HEAD CHATEAU JIAHU
Sinewy yeast clouds coppery honeysuckle-glazed eccentricity. Floral chrysanthemum-lavender embrace gathers up-front Sangria, Muscat, and pinot grape esters, beckoning peach-tangerine ripeness and surreptitious lemon-limed orange-grapefruit smattering. Subsequent peppery hop prickle absorbs vinous white wine acidity, obscure herbaceous tuck, and latent gin-like juniper nip.
(SAMUEL ADAMS) PATRIOT COLLECTION- 1790 ROOT BEER BREW
Advertised ‘herbs, spices, vanilla, honey, and molasses’ only play dinky role in precariously overdone 5.5% alcohol-laced root beer. Instead, resounding black licorice foundation overwhelms expectant sarsaparilla twang, maple snip, and peppery wintergreen reminder. Good for a sugar rush and better than sticky Schnapps.
DOGFISH HEAD MIDAS TOUCH ALE
(SAMUEL ADAMS) PATRIOT COLLECTION- TRADITIONAL GINGER HONEY
FLEURETTE GIOIA DI VIVERE ALE
Like a corky Belgian cuvee or gueuze spreading unripe green grape pucker and Granny Smith apple sourness atop cloudy yeast sediment, this abstruse pinkish-highlighted amber golden aperitif gains many offbeat illusions. But advertised floral promise of rose, violet, and elderberry nuances never conquer lemon-dried mandarin orange burst or fungus-like olfactory dankness (though lavender and lilac hints persist). Black pepper spicing is inconspicuous.
SCHOUNE LA TRIP DES AVEC EPICES
GRAY’S HONEY ALE
TWO BROTHERS AVALON SPICED ALE
Superfine winter warmer celebrates holiday season with endless character. Served best cold, local apple cider provides bittersweet template. Loud cinnamon-nutmeg-clove spices tingle tongue as sweet candied apple thrust brightens red cherry-cranberry souring. Sugar plum, fig, and date engage baked apple backdrop. When served warm, acidic alcohol intensity and funky apple liqueur tartness overwhelm dissipating cinnamon-toasted spicing dramatically.
HITACHINO NEST XH (SAKE CASK)
Splendid multi-dimensional beer matured in sake casks saddles anticipatory rice wine aspect with earthen grape, stewed prune, sun-dried fig, and vinous cider souring. Reminiscent of dry oak-aged plum-wined Chardonnay at a distance, its glutinous wheat influence soon beckons heady whiskey finish, where distilled sake strengthens alcoholic punch.