Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6
Brown sugar and molassas aroma. Hazy light brown color with a spiced malty flavor.
maniac (11822) reviewed Tapple Ale from The Tap Brewing Company (MA) 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
Amber color with a sour cider aroma. The flavor was of tart apple. A bit closer to a cider than a beer.
maniac (11822) reviewed Shoefly Stout from The Tap Brewing Company (MA) 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Dark black color with a brown head. A coffee aroma with dark chocolate and coffee flavors.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Hazy orange color with a white head. Citrus hops aroma and a strong hoppy flavor.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Lucky 7 from The Tap Brewing Company (MA) 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4
On draught at Publick House 9/27/2005. Pours a dark brown with some light magenta-auburn tinges as it settles out. Lighter chestnut browns around the edges as well. Head is small, off-white to beige but fairly well-retained, with light lacing. After settling, it’s quite transluscent, bordering on clear. Looks like a porter. Aroma of cigars, bakers chocolate, light cherries and dates, light yeast and buttercream, and then an appearance of light coffee?? Flavor takes it a step further and gets roasty. Not toasted, not bitter chocolate, but roast. Coffee flavored and porter like. It clearly has a Belgianish yeast, though it’s rather light on that, with some light caramel and cocoa sugars. Body gets watery very quickly, could use a significant dose of carbonation, while the roast just takes over. Probably wouldnt finish this if it was in a bottle. Hints of vanilla, cream and almost oat-like in flavor. Very odd, don’t know if this was supposed to be a Belgian porter, whatever the hell that would be, but it clearly called itself an Abbey Style ale, so I’ve just got to assume that something went wrong in brewing, or in the heads of the brewers. Either way, it’s relatively uncomplex, with a medium body and too loose a consistency.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
On draught, 5/14/2005 at the Publick House. Served in an oversized, concave wine-like glass, this beer had a immediately discernible Belgian yeast aroma, with some light hints of bubble gum, and bits of dry, orange fruits (nectarines, apricots). Notes of grainy malt, lightly biscuity and bready, create dryness, while there is a hint of, perhaps, honey and light sugary malt sweetness. Flavor begins with a moderate amount of yeast apparency, light honey and grains but then a bit of acidity creeps in, followed by too much astringency/dryness on the finish. Seems like the wild yeast has eaten up most of the malt sweetness, and though it runs a fine line between being dry enough/too dry, I can’t say I wouldnt mind some more substantial maltiness. Alcohol is well-hidden and plays no role, while there is minimal hops influence, perhaps some fleeting bitterness. Medium to medium-light body, though not watery. Low carbonation gives a fluffy, light mouthfeel. Appears a rusty-orange-amber color in the glass with an initially medium-white head, that recedes to cover, with some lacing.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6
On draught, 3/25/05 at the Tap with Martin, Stephen, David and Barry. Sampled from David’s glass. Pours a thick looking pencil yellow with some lighter golden tinges and a small, fluffy white head, not very long retained. Aroma of honey, slight corn, a bit of flowery hops and lightly fruity yeast. Flavor has a good malt backbone with creamy sweetness, moderate carbonation to add a good texture and only a small amount of hops bitterness. Solid yeastiness, adds a unique flavor of slight musty/dustiness and a bit of sourness. Body is medium to medium-full and there is no thinning on the end. Flavor is, perhaps, a little simple, but it’s well-made, with low alcohol apparency.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Merry Mac from The Tap Brewing Company (MA) 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
On draught at the Tap, 3/25/05. I forgot the rest of the commercial description, but that’s how it started. . .Anywho, this beer pours a dark brown, with strong hints of dark cherry and light auburns. Small, beige head disappears rather quickly. Large bubbles rise to the top, giving it a cherry-cola-like appearance. Aroma has notes of yeast, sweet red fruits, light milk chocolate and some lightly dry, heather-like notes. A touch of roast is perceptible in the background. As it warms, a sweeter malt presence comes forward in the aroma, honey and sugar. Flavor begins with light chocolate and strawberries, dry roasted malt in the background and a light yeastiness. Body is quite smooth but has a touch of grittiness to it that adds a pleasing texture. No hint of the high alcohol in this. Light berries on the finish, a touch of hops and chocolate. Sweet malt and raisins linger on the aftertaste. Medium body, low to moderate carbonation, quite drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4.5
CO2 draught at The Tap, 3/25/05 with Tiggmtl, MartinT, Muzzlehatch and Rastacouere. Dark black body is opaque and the head is initially about one finger high. Tan and fizzy, it quickly recedes to nothing. Aroma smells strongly of debittered black malt. Quite intense, so much so that the concentrated coffee/roast smell gives off soapy or almost metallic notes. Not much aroma behind the roast. Upon first sip, I’m greatly disappointed by the body, which is watery, to say the least. Notes of cappucino, mocha, light chocolate and slight roasted malt all wash over the palate, and there’s no lack of flavor, but I was expecting some sweet malt flavors, maybe some bananas, caramelized sugar, or something along the lines of, say, Lion Stout or even Coopers. The body denies all possibility of any chewiness or fat malt. Loose and ever thinner, as it warms and breathes, I am getting more of a dry stout, certainly in texture, with the requisite coffee bean and light barley flavors. It’s very drinkable and thirst quenching, being so light of body, and the alcohol is masterfully hidden, but I was looking for something more substantial. Low carbonation, rather lifeless body. 5/3/6/3/11.
Nitro draught later the same night. Yikes, this dosent seem well-suited to nitro. The already watery nature of the beer is hugely exacerbated by the thinning nature of the nitrogen. The flavor is dulled and it’s just a watery, thin mess of light coffee and a hint of chocolate. Little, if any, aroma. The light tan head is retained, this time, due to the nitrogen, but that’s about all this has going for it. 4/4/4/2/7
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
January 2005 draught. Completely opaque black with a head that is produced only when vigorously swirling the glass. When held to the light, it is still mostly black, with a dark, dark chestnut brown peeking through on the edges. Quite unfiltered. Aroma of licorice root, anise, some light hops and dry molasses. Flavor is dry, with plenty of dark notes: black strap molasses, black malt, anise, roasted malt, baker’s chocolate. Despite all of that, it’s not too dry and bitter. An English sort of consistency, that is to say, slightly watery and a very smooth mouthfeel. Dark, complex flavors swirl about the palate. Light, nutty hops on the finish with a drying effect from something I can’t pinpoint. Was looking for the smoke, but didnt find much. Maybe a fleeting instance of salitiness, or was that just some sweet brown malt and yeast mixed together? One of my favorites from my recent trip there.