On tap at Beef Trust, tartly brined Margarita spinoff stays refreshingly clean, effervescent and light-bodied. Limey salt-rimmed tequila cocktail substitute usurps sour lactose acidity above meager flaked rye malting.
Tag Archives: TWO ROADS BREWING
TWO ROADS IGOR’S DREAM RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT – 2018
On tap at Growler & Gill, serene oak-aged whiskey tone guides treacly rye adjunct and rich dark chocolate malting above mild soy-sauced earthen peat scorch. Sweet vanilla, toffee, caramel, cocoa, coconut and black cherry illusions saddle cookie-like chocolate rye finish.
TWO ROADS CLEMENTINE GOSE
On tap at Growler & Gill, kettle-soured gose does good job fusing tart clementine orange into stylish salty coriander profile. Lemon-limed salting and cheesecloth funkiness whittle down wimpy white wheat spine.
TWO ROADS LIL’ HEAVEN SESSION INDIA PALE ALE
“Crushable” moderate-to-medium body lacquers pine oil onto mild yellow grapefruit-peeled orange and lemon rind bittering, retaining polite dry nature. In the distance, daintily spiced passionfruit, peach, mango and provide lilting sweetness against easygoing citric pining and laidback grassy-hopped pungency.
TWO ROADS PLUM GOSE
On tap at Growler & Gill, tart Italian plum adjunct subsumed by mildly acidic lemon-limed Granny Smith apple sourness over briny sea-salted spritz for approachable gose.
TWO ROADS / STILLWATER GROUND LOOP SOUR SAISON
Pleasant collaborative soft-toned farmhouse ale soured by mouth-puckering lemon-juiced acidity, mellow yellow grapefruit rind bittering and moderately vinous white-wined dryness. Tart sorbet illusions add bittersweet continuance to limited edition 2017 autumnal hybrid.
TWO ROADS TWO JUICY NEW ENGLAND STYLE IPA
Highly sessionable pearl-yellowed New England-styled IPA stays brisk, clean and tropical. Sunny lemon-peeled yellow grapefruit tang gains floral-spiced pineapple, orange peel, mandarin orange, mango and papaya reminder above delicate piney hop resin. Sour-candied citrus continuance sweetens over time as wispy phenol astringency provides soft contrast.
TWO ROADS ZERO 2 SIXTY TART IPA
Variant India Pale Ale brings peculiar eye-squinting citrus rot tartness (reminiscent of an acidic Berliner Weiss) to the easygoing fore. Brisk yellow grapefruit, orange, tangerine, mango and pineapple tang curiously turns to ‘kettle-soured’ lemony white wine tartness above compost-like sourdough spine. A newly hybridized ‘tart IPA’ that’s truly an acquired taste.
TWO ROADS ROADS GARDEN SAISON
Inviting edible flowering provides temptingly particular vibrancy to intriguingly complex saison. Tart lemon frontage gains herbal chamomile spell for refreshing lavender-calendula bouquet. Light white-peppered hop bittering contrasts honeyed pale malt sweetness as lively lemon meringue, lemon custard and lemon basil illusions tingle the tongue.
TWO ROADS / EVIL TWIN PACHAMAMA PORTER
On tap at Doherty’s, interesting novelty combines light aji panca chili peppering with sweet potato and purple maize adjuncts, but curiosities get stifled by ashen black chocolate-malted cocoa powdering and sour coffee murk. Dry cola, walnut and Brazil nut illusions drift by. In canned version, dry cocoa-dried black chocolate malting gains strength against less obvious chili-peppered potato and maize influence.
TWO ROADS ESPRESSWAY COLD BREW COFFEE STOUT
Luxuriously creamy Ethiopian-Sumatran ground coffee richness gathers syrupy black chocolate malting to contrast tarry hop-charred bittering above brown-sugared oats malting. Medium-roast coffee essence gains dry espresso, cocoa and vanilla tones. Fizzy carbolic Seltzer spritz tingles tempting java stout.
TWO ROADS BREWING COMPANY
STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT
Becoming the Constitution State’s biggest brewery at birth, TWO ROADS BREWING COMPANY occupies a mammoth red brick warehouse previously housing metal factory, US Baird. Just off Route 95 between New Haven and Bridgeport, Two Road’s impressive 100-barrel system bottles, cans and kegs four original staples and a host of seasonals, specialties and one-offs also served at the spacious 3,000 square foot oval-shaped bar up the stairs from the rustic brown-wooded right side entrance.
Headed by renowned Southampton brewer (and former New England Brewing associate) Phil Markowski, and helped along by local assistant brewer, John Rehm, the master craftsmen have created some well-balanced recipes that push the limits without losing focus. Four banners hanging over the centralized two-storey brew tanks sport the names of each signature beer conveniently available on tap for all to sample alongside light snacks. By 2015, two food trucks, a picnic area, growler station, hop yard shed and beer-accessory shop had been added to the expansive property.
A month after celebrating their long-awaited December 18th soft opening, I sojourned to this renovated landmark on a wintry January ’13 afternoon. Sitting next to the keg handles under long pendulum lights, I dig into the fine samples (fully reviewed at Beer Index) while classic rock echoes thru the crowded draught room.
My session begins with perfectly pungent Ol’ Factory Pils, a musky German-styled pilsner with lemon-candied tartness draping resinous grain-husked earthiness, dry-hopped bitterness and toasted rye malting.
Moving forward to a slightly more complex offering, Belgian candi-sugared Workers Comp Saison gained a tangy tropical fruiting above flaked rye, dried oats and straw wheat. White-peppered pineapple, banana, mango, peach and passion fruit illusions increase intensity.
Then, two contrasting India Pale Ales take center stage. For lighter thirsts, Honeyspot Road White IPA brings lemon zest, lemon curry and marmalade tones to white-peppered floral spicing.
Seasoned hopheads will prefer briskly assertive Road 2 Ruin Double IPA, a ‘hop-centric’ full body layering ample yellow grapefruit rind bittering above woody Cascade hop acridity. Ancillary apricot, pineapple, mango and tangerine fruiting deepens the attack.
On tap during the holiday season, a limited edition Biere De Garde simply named Holiday Ale, maintained an easygoing soothe (but drifted a tad from its traditional French farmhouse styling). Crystal-malted cinnamon toast, spiced tea, ginger and vanilla illusions battled for ground against a backend alcohol burn.
An instant success thanks in part to its highly accessible location, Two Roads’ lofty 100,000 square foot brewery has quickly expanded Connecticut’s beer-friendly landscape.
Following Boston trip, March ’21, revisited Two Roads to consume three newish sour-leaning fruit ales and one offshoot rye-aged stout.
Two totally tart ‘Tanker Truck’ kettle-soured ales led off, each featuring a salty lemon-limed Seltzer dryness. Passionfruit Gose let acidic citrus salinity wash over rhubarb-licked passionfruit tartness.
Meanwhile, Clementine Gose indulged lemon-peeled clementine salting with fizzy tangerine-pineapple snips.
Easygoing sour wheat ale, Peach Jam, left spritzy peach tartness in the dust as lemony hibiscus salting approached.
Mellowly creamed coffee-roasted whiskey tones topped Espressway Rye Barrel Aged Stout, a dryer variant with milked espresso tones and sugared maple oats softly punctuating its bourbonized rye finish.