Russian Imperial Stout

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
Archetypal stouts originated in Dublin, Ireland, more than 250 years ago. Initially, the Irish brewers aimed for pale ales and “bitters” rivaling those of England, but the region’s highly alkaline waters rendered many beers horribly astringent. Soon, they discovered that brewing with dark roasted grains naturally balanced the alkali, delivering [...]

1554 Enlightened Black Ale

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
When it comes to dark, full-bodied beers, there’s nothing like a rich stout with a creamy head. Properly poured—in two parts, and in a 20-ounce tulip glass like those filled at E.J. Malloy’s—a pint of stout is a mature beast, profound yet unpretentious. But if you’ve had your fill [...]

German Pilsner

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
Pilsner is a light-colored, yet incredibly delicate and flavorful beer with historical ties to Pilsen, Bohemia, in the Czech Republic. The naturally soft waters of the region allowed brewers to be the first to make their beers with a base entirely of pale malted barley, absent of “specialty” grains. Early pilsners [...]

Honey Moon Summer Ale

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
As summer weather approaches, people begin lurking from Broadway toward the ocean to enjoy the sea breeze, oil islands, polluted water and slightly fishy air. While one might emerge as a character from Toxic Avenger after taking a dip in our oily seas, we don’t like to think of [...]

Saison

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
Saison is a Belgian-style beer that is historically linked to the Wallonia region in the south of Belgium. Also known as “farmhouse ale,” saisons were first brewed many centuries ago to quench the thirsts of farmworkers during the harvest season. (In the course of the summer, some farmers would drink as much [...]

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES
This would be a challenge: a rich, dark ale made with real dark chocolate—on the palate of a Hefeweizen girl who hates chocolate. Okay, so maybe “hates” is a bit strong: I have, on occasion, been known to desire chocolate covered macadamia nuts; but I am by no means a chocolate-lover. Stout [...]