Taproom Talk

I picked up the ominous sounding Smuttynose Brewing Company’s Shoals Pale Ale thinking that with a name like theirs they had to have good beer. This dark copper colored ale poured with a nice medium head which gave off a pleasant hoppy smell with hints of malts. On first taste, I was pleasantly surprised by its light smoothness which proved to be refreshing; however, I found myself quickly wondering where the rest of the taste was.

Like a batter with an impressive swing who never manages to hit the ball, this beer didn’t follow through. After my first sip with its initially refreshing taste, I eagerly took another expecting something (like a pleasant bitter Pale Ale taste) that wasn’t ever delivered. This second attempt left me wondering why I was still drinking this uninteresting beer.

This beer has won awards before; however, tonight it struck out after the third sip. I hope their other beers have better batting averages.

Magic Hat Brewery turns out some of the funkiest brews on the East Coast. If you doubt this in the least, please visit the Magic Hat site. Their Saint Goontz is a dark wheat ale and if you love the crust on a sandwich (ok, who loves the crust on bread….really?) then this wonderfully wheaty brew is for you. Deep bark brown, this ‘blessed ale’ has the chickory flavor of chestnuts, with a pleasant yeasty aftertaste.

I may be harsh on this beer being that I am bitter today. This beer is also bitter, so all I can say is, “Oh Fudge,” in memory of Darren McGavin. Yes, the “Old Man” has lost his battle with the furnace. Nothing short of a sexy leg lamp could cheer me up, so this dark elixer from Magic Hat has left me sour and bitter.

All I can do is say a prayer.

Roughly the color and with the same amount of carbonation as cream soda, Dogfish Head Olde School Barley Wine Ale looks harmless. At $13 a 4 pk and 15% alcohol (not a typo) it is far from it. A ‘howdy doody-esque” character is on the label almost saying, “Hey partner! C’mon over here. There’s nuthin a’matter. Now Drink me. Open me up and drink me!” The greenish-yellow cap with a triangle with an exclamation point is your only warning.

I was shocked at first sip to taste copper. Full on, bit my lip, there’s a penny in my beer copper. I don’t know if this is a common bottling mistake, or if it is another problem; my beer production knowledge is minimal. I decided to let the beer sit for a minute, and whether it dissipated or the alcohol began to wash over me - I don’t know.

This is a crisp and light beer for being such a powerhouse. It has all the finesse of a British pub style ale with the kick of Colt 45. Having tasted the actual Liquor de Malt, I can say that the aftertaste is strikingly similar to that available in ‘glass kegs’. Dogfish Head is a brewery that also creates spirits, so it’s not suprising to come across a beer that tastes like somebody poured gin in it.

I’m sure some find it foul, others find it fun, this beer is unusual and a MUST if you like Barley Wine.

Years ago I bought a 4pk of a beer that had long intrigued me. With a viking on the bottle, Skullsplitter is an Orkney Ale from Orkney Brewery in Scotland. The beer is named after Thorfinn Hausakluif or Skullsplitter (I wouldn’t want to hang around with him after a few too many) who lived about 1,000 AD around a small group of islands off the northern tip of Scotland.

I wondered what this was all about. One thing is 8.5%. Skullsplitter has a strong caramel flavor with a smokey overtone. Date, molasses and barley are in the aftertaste. Its flavor is too straightforward in my opinion, and when combined with all the strength of the alcohol content, is unpleasant. We’ve come a long way in 1,000 years. There’s no reason to go backwards. I’ll recommend Skullsplitter as a novelty. Just remember what you’re in for if you set sail with this viking.

The flavor of fresh, ripe fruit comes though right away in this Belgian ale. It is deep purple in color; it looks like grape juice. The bite of this tart fruit infused lambic ale is strong but crisp and enjoyable. Its taste is reminiscent of non-alcoholic sparkling juice. Blackcurrant liquer isn’t something that I’d usually ever touch. It must be that Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck, under the St. Louis label, is responsible for a great Framboise, the almost candy flavored Kriek and the, “I will only try it once” Gueuze. Something just attracted me to this Cassis. Maybe it was the fact that I had just tried Unibroue’s version. Premium Cassis lives up to its name and is definitely worth a try if you’re in the mood for something different.

I love hoppy beers. I’ve had some pretty good beers from the team at The Tröegs Brewery too. So naturally, I bought a 6 pack of Tröegs highly anticipated Nugget Nectar today. But Tröegs Nugget Nectar tastes like mango juice. Bad mango juice at that.

Coming in at a hefty “93ish” I.B.U’s, this Imperial Amber beer definitely has a hoppy kick to it; however, it doesn’t work well. The taste is aggressive, but in a medicine-like way- I found myself getting a headache as I sipped it. The finish is harsh as well.

In fact, I didn’t finish it. I am a Nugget Nectar defector and will taper myself the next time I see something interesting from this brewery.

First it was the sweet Milk Stout followed by the Winter Warmer. But, can the Lancaster deliver on a third brew? You bet! The Gold Star Pilsner from The Lancaster Brewery is a knockout!

This darker than normal Pilsner pours with a juicy thick head, which emanates a pleasant but non-aggressive hoppy smell that begs to be imbibed. Its crisp orangy taste has a subtle bitterness to it that is wonderfully balanced with a dry finish.

As I’ve confided before, I usually don’t enjoy Pilsners; however, I am once again completely floored by this outstanding showing. Lancaster’s Gold Star wins the gold tonight and for the foreseeable future. Go team!

Flat flavor and an even hoppiness are the attributes of Big Daddy IPA from Speakeasy in San Francisco, CA. It’s easy to drink and has a clean, dry taste. The aftertaste was pleasant and combined with a lingering sensation of ginger in my throat. Overall, the stimulation is in my cheeks and throat - my lips and the tip of my tongue feel left out. I’ll keep my hopes high for the Untouchable Pale Ale and Prohibition Ale, which I’ll try next. Although I would never think it was brewed in a bathtub, there would have to be a prohibition for me to drink another Big Daddy. No matter what the Mob threatens, I’ll speak my mind. This Speakeasy offering can stay underground.

I don’t know what it is about Mendocino, CA but beer is taken extremely seriously there. Tonight, I’m enjoying Anderson Valley Brewing Company Hop Ottin’ IPA. This vulgarly hopped ( and I love it ) India Pale Ale carries 7% alcohol and powerful flavor. It’s the closest thing I can think of to striking gold in the California hills. All of the Anderson Valley beers are spectacular, but Hop Ottin’ IPA has a special place in my heart for its obnoxious tone and unrelenting hops.

The cork and wire topped bottle of Ephemere from Unibroue might imply a heavy, strong brew, but this flavored ale is refreshing and light. I was pleased with aroma that met me after working out the stubborn cork. It was fresh strawberries and a mild floral essence. At 5.5% ‘bottle refermented’ Ephemere is golden-ruby in color. Ephemere, which has been available as an Apple flavored ale in the past is (as a 2005 offering) a wheat ale, flavored with black currant. Black Currant isn’t the sweetest berry on the bush, the flavor has the tartness of a blueberry and the sweetness of a blackberry. This is a great beer if a framboise is just is too much for you.