Heck, yes, it’s that time of year again! Fall, autumn, harvest, whatever you want to call it. But I’m not quite ready for Oktoberfest and all the other fall classics coming to our bar that time of year. Of course, we love our pumpkin ciders and deep dark stouts, but let us not forget we are in a transitional phase. Let’s ease into summer and tiptoe into this fall with this month’s selections. Let’s go!
A lot of fruit is going out of season as the leaves hit the breeze, but there is always one fruit you can rely on even in its overripened state of being… I’m talking about Banana Bread Beer. This one hails from Eagle Brewery (formerly Charles Wells), and they have baked up a delicious banana bread beer. This decadent creation has a surprising ABV of 5.2% and a silky, crisp, rich brew. Prepare for that royal, amber-colored pour with a quickly dissipating bubbly head. The smell and flavor are as advertised – banana all the way. On the plus side, the banana flavor is legit; it doesn’t taste overly sweet. That initial taste is backed quickly by a maltiness, in the vein of being robust, but gentler; I would call it cakey. Letting it sit produces more of these breaded notes.
Maybe you are in denial… Summer is not over, its just cooling down, and it feels like your vacation is just starting. This tropical apricot ale is just the solution, and it’s called Whiskers on Kittens. This is the long-awaited Fat Orange Cat and von Trapp collaboration. This Gose-style ale is made with Wachau apricots and Austrian salt. Teamed up with von Trapp, Fat Orange Cat devised a sour apricot ale that’s enough to make you grow whiskers on your face. But Whiskers on Kittens pours a lemony sunshine hue and is embedded inside a pale haze. As the tangy and tantalizing scent of citrus, cider, vinous fruit, and raspberry aligns on the nose, the taste is fruity but like saltwater taffy. As the sweetness dissipates, the fruit flavors of apricot apply a bold overlay of fruit along with the underlying and natural Gose tartness of lemon, lime, and sour white grape. Applying a sharp acidity to the middle palate, this one trail leads us into a rounded sherbet of fruit and just a touch of Australian salt salinity. The finish on this plays similar to a salt rim on a margarita.
A pinch of salt has just been my obsession this summer, and Keypunch by Urban Artifact is a total Key Lime Fruit Tart sprinkled with just a pinch of salt and a dash of whole vanilla bean. It pours a cloudy, golden straw color with an aroma to the nose of some dude spilling a bunch of sea salt onto a key lime pie, resulting in the scent of this beer being simple but oh-so pleasant. The flavor is similar, but the coriander just blasts through like the Kool-Aid guy. The feel is about right for the style… light-bodied with a bit of lively carbonation, which offers a nice bite to this tart beer.
This last one is like a love letter to summer while also having that hardiness to welcome fall and harvest season. Tart Strawberry M-43 by Old Nation Brewing Co. has subtle additions of strawberry aroma, flavor, and tartness to accentuate that addition. Amarillo, Calypso, Simcoe, and Citra hops are used in their composition. A vast and delicate pineapple, mango, and grapefruit aroma is dominated by citrus and tropical notes. A soft, pillowy mouthfeel complements those aromas. Despite the mild hop bitterness, this New England IPA is very drinkable, even for non-IPA fans.
Yep, it’s that time! You can call it autumn, fall, harvest, or whatever you like. Oktoberfest and all the other fall classics are still being prepared for our bar for that time of year. Yes, we’re in a transitional period, and the selections for this month are perfect for easing into summer and tiptoeing into fall. Enjoy!
-by Maeve Black
