Brewery: Southern Tier Breing Company
Location: Lakewood, NY
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B
In my glass today is the Southern Tier Porter. This porter is a deep orange-brown color with a deep tan head. The nose detects sweetness, winy notes, chocolate and faint hops notes.
On the palate, there are notes of smoke and roasted cocoa up front. There is a distinct mineral note. Notes of oatmeal, caramel, and earthiness are here as well. There is some alcohol, leaving a bit of a warming sensation. Faint notes of hops and cola are in the background as well. The Southern Tier Porter is medium-bodied with a slight carbonation fizz. The finish has roasted coffee and dark toast.
The Southern Tier Porter is a bit understated for a porter. It is not the typical big, bombastic, roasted porter. The flavor is well-rounded, but it could use a bit more hops for my tastes to fill the void left by easing back on the smokiness. This one is worth a try if you prefer your porters to have the smoke dialed back a bit.
Showing posts with label Porter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Porter. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sierra Nevada Porter
Brewery: Sierra Nevada
Location: Chico, CA
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
We've been having a bit of a cold snap up my way, and when the cold weather hits I always get a craving for dark beer. I'm following up on my last review of the excellent Anchor Porter with another great porter from Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada Porter pours up a deep mahogany with ruby highlights. There is a bit of sediment just barely detectable as this beer is nearly opaque. The head looks just like creamy rootbeer foam. The nose picks up smoky, roasted, and chocolate malt notes along with a fruity ale-like hoppiness.
On the palate there is a roasted chocolate flavor that is balanced by some fruity notes. There are both herbal and fruity hops notes along with a moderate bitter kick. A slightly juicy wininess plays well with the hops flavors. Smoke and black pepper highlights sit in the background along with some minerality. The Sierra Nevada Porter has a medium body and is quite easy drinking for such a dark beer. The finish has coffee and chocolate notes along with lingering fruity hops.
The Sierra Nevada Porter is a well-balanced and easy drinking porter. To me, it seems like it pulls some of the best qualities of a rich stout and a fruity pale ale and marries them perfectly. Put this one on your short list of dark beers to sip by the fire this winter.
Location: Chico, CA
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
We've been having a bit of a cold snap up my way, and when the cold weather hits I always get a craving for dark beer. I'm following up on my last review of the excellent Anchor Porter with another great porter from Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada Porter pours up a deep mahogany with ruby highlights. There is a bit of sediment just barely detectable as this beer is nearly opaque. The head looks just like creamy rootbeer foam. The nose picks up smoky, roasted, and chocolate malt notes along with a fruity ale-like hoppiness.
On the palate there is a roasted chocolate flavor that is balanced by some fruity notes. There are both herbal and fruity hops notes along with a moderate bitter kick. A slightly juicy wininess plays well with the hops flavors. Smoke and black pepper highlights sit in the background along with some minerality. The Sierra Nevada Porter has a medium body and is quite easy drinking for such a dark beer. The finish has coffee and chocolate notes along with lingering fruity hops.
The Sierra Nevada Porter is a well-balanced and easy drinking porter. To me, it seems like it pulls some of the best qualities of a rich stout and a fruity pale ale and marries them perfectly. Put this one on your short list of dark beers to sip by the fire this winter.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Anchor Porter
Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company
Location: San Francisco, CA
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A
In my glass today is the Anchor Porter. The Anchor Porter pours an opaque brownish-black color with some ruby highlights. The nose detects smoke, caramel, banana and some berry-like fruity ester notes.
On the palate the Anchor Porter has a nice roasted note up front reminiscent of roasted almonds. There are some notable complex, fruity notes of berry and banana. Herbal hops sit in the background. Dark toast fades in after a bit. Several minutes after pouring some of the fruity ester notes dissipate and the flavor evolves to that of a rich, fruity dark chocolate. The Anchor Porter is medium-bodied with some slight carbonation on the mouthfeel. The finish is deep-roasted bittersweet chocolate/coffee with a banana highlight.
The Anchor Porter may not have big, over-the-top roasted and smoky flavors, but it has some fantastic complexity that really sets this apart from the typical porter. There are some really interesting fruity notes here. While I found the fruit (the banana note in particular) to be a bit much at first, this beer actually improves after being allowed to breathe for a few minutes. The fruit then mellows out and you are left with what is simply an awesome brew.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A
In my glass today is the Anchor Porter. The Anchor Porter pours an opaque brownish-black color with some ruby highlights. The nose detects smoke, caramel, banana and some berry-like fruity ester notes.
On the palate the Anchor Porter has a nice roasted note up front reminiscent of roasted almonds. There are some notable complex, fruity notes of berry and banana. Herbal hops sit in the background. Dark toast fades in after a bit. Several minutes after pouring some of the fruity ester notes dissipate and the flavor evolves to that of a rich, fruity dark chocolate. The Anchor Porter is medium-bodied with some slight carbonation on the mouthfeel. The finish is deep-roasted bittersweet chocolate/coffee with a banana highlight.
The Anchor Porter may not have big, over-the-top roasted and smoky flavors, but it has some fantastic complexity that really sets this apart from the typical porter. There are some really interesting fruity notes here. While I found the fruit (the banana note in particular) to be a bit much at first, this beer actually improves after being allowed to breathe for a few minutes. The fruit then mellows out and you are left with what is simply an awesome brew.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Geary's London Porter
Brewery: Geary's Brewing Co.
Location: Portland, ME
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B
In my glass today is Geary's London Porter. This porter pours an opaque, deep mahogany color. The head is huge and foamy with a color similar to cola-fizz. The nose has smoke, caramel and some faint herbal hops.
On the palate the Geary's London Porter leads with smokiness which is followed by a touch of acidity. The hops sit well in the background with only a faint bite of note. There is some caramel and a slight warming sensation as well. Geary's London Porter is medium bodied, although it does seem a bit light for a smoky porter. The finish has long, smoky malt notes.
Geary's London Porter is an easy-drinking porter. I do find it to be a bit one-dimensional, and I think the flavor would hold up better to a bigger bodied beer. Despite this, the Geary's Porter is a nice smoky porter to curl up with on a cold winter night.
Location: Portland, ME
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B
In my glass today is Geary's London Porter. This porter pours an opaque, deep mahogany color. The head is huge and foamy with a color similar to cola-fizz. The nose has smoke, caramel and some faint herbal hops.
On the palate the Geary's London Porter leads with smokiness which is followed by a touch of acidity. The hops sit well in the background with only a faint bite of note. There is some caramel and a slight warming sensation as well. Geary's London Porter is medium bodied, although it does seem a bit light for a smoky porter. The finish has long, smoky malt notes.
Geary's London Porter is an easy-drinking porter. I do find it to be a bit one-dimensional, and I think the flavor would hold up better to a bigger bodied beer. Despite this, the Geary's Porter is a nice smoky porter to curl up with on a cold winter night.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper Robust Porter
Brewery: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.
Location: Akron, OH
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's tasting is Old Leghumper, an award-winning porter from Thirsty Dog. Thirsty Dog is currently distributed in 11 states, and by some lucky chance Rhode Island is one of them. If you can find them in your area, do yourself a huge favor and check them out.
The Old Leghumper Porter is deep mahogany, nearing black in color. It pours with a thick, light-mocha colored head that leaves a nice lacing behind as it fades to a clumpy foam. Its nose has liquid smoke, floral hops, citrus and woody notes.
On the palate, the Old Leghumper hits you with some bitterness up front, followed by a quick squirt of acidity. Following that roasted notes start to kick in. There is some sweet maltiness. Undertones of bitter hops, grassiness and carrots are present on the palate as well. There is a touch of steely minerality on the finish, along with roasted and citrus notes. The Old Leghumper has a medium to heavy body that is well matched with its robust flavor. This is a beer that just screams out "big porter". If that's your style, then do what you need to hunt down this beer. Your search will be well-rewarded.
Location: Akron, OH
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's tasting is Old Leghumper, an award-winning porter from Thirsty Dog. Thirsty Dog is currently distributed in 11 states, and by some lucky chance Rhode Island is one of them. If you can find them in your area, do yourself a huge favor and check them out.
The Old Leghumper Porter is deep mahogany, nearing black in color. It pours with a thick, light-mocha colored head that leaves a nice lacing behind as it fades to a clumpy foam. Its nose has liquid smoke, floral hops, citrus and woody notes.
On the palate, the Old Leghumper hits you with some bitterness up front, followed by a quick squirt of acidity. Following that roasted notes start to kick in. There is some sweet maltiness. Undertones of bitter hops, grassiness and carrots are present on the palate as well. There is a touch of steely minerality on the finish, along with roasted and citrus notes. The Old Leghumper has a medium to heavy body that is well matched with its robust flavor. This is a beer that just screams out "big porter". If that's your style, then do what you need to hunt down this beer. Your search will be well-rewarded.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery
Location: Frederick, MD
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
Today's tasting is the Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog's Canis Major Series. This is Flying Dog's "big beer" line. The Gonzo Imperial Porter is nearly black in color with a faint hint of reddish brown. It has a somewhat short, light brown head. The nose has chocolate and roasted notes. There are also fruity hops, reminiscent of plums.
On the palate the Gonzo Imperial Porter has cocoa, smoky and roasted notes. There is a mild bitter kick, as well as some fruity hops. There are background flavors of grass and cucumber as well. Through all of this a powerful smoky flavor remains dominant. There is noticible warming alcohol. The Flying Dog Gonzo Porter has a fairly heavy body that clings to the tongue a bit. The finish has some bitter notes akin to unsweetened chocolate. The powerful smokiness seems a bit out of balance to me, but if you're a smoke fan then this may just be the porter for you.
Location: Frederick, MD
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
Today's tasting is the Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog's Canis Major Series. This is Flying Dog's "big beer" line. The Gonzo Imperial Porter is nearly black in color with a faint hint of reddish brown. It has a somewhat short, light brown head. The nose has chocolate and roasted notes. There are also fruity hops, reminiscent of plums.
On the palate the Gonzo Imperial Porter has cocoa, smoky and roasted notes. There is a mild bitter kick, as well as some fruity hops. There are background flavors of grass and cucumber as well. Through all of this a powerful smoky flavor remains dominant. There is noticible warming alcohol. The Flying Dog Gonzo Porter has a fairly heavy body that clings to the tongue a bit. The finish has some bitter notes akin to unsweetened chocolate. The powerful smokiness seems a bit out of balance to me, but if you're a smoke fan then this may just be the porter for you.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter
Brewery: Samuel Smith's Old Brewery
Style: Porter
Location: Tadcaster, England
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Samuel Smith's The Famous Taddy Porter is one of the flagship beers from one of England's top craft breweries. The Taddy Porter is a very dark brown (nearly black) and completely opaque in the glass. The head is deep brown, like the color of chocolate milk. The foamy head hangs around for a good long while. The nose has coffee and chocolate notes detectable in the overall sweet and roasted aromas.
The initial flavors on the palate are coffee and caramel. Smoky, roasted notes start to pick up as the initial sweetness starts to fade. There are some fruity notes, like sweet cherries. There is a bit of acidity present as well. There is an initial fizziness from the carbonation that fades to a light-to-medium bodied creamy mouthfeel. The finish fades with more of the smoky, roast coffee and chocolate notes.
The Samuel Smith Taddy Porter is a world-renowned beer, and rightfully so. My only reservation is that to me this is a big beer stuck in a body that's just a bit too light. There are some big flavors here that seem a bit held back. Sometimes it's a good thing to be left wanting more, but not for me with this beer.
Style: Porter
Location: Tadcaster, England
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Samuel Smith's The Famous Taddy Porter is one of the flagship beers from one of England's top craft breweries. The Taddy Porter is a very dark brown (nearly black) and completely opaque in the glass. The head is deep brown, like the color of chocolate milk. The foamy head hangs around for a good long while. The nose has coffee and chocolate notes detectable in the overall sweet and roasted aromas.
The initial flavors on the palate are coffee and caramel. Smoky, roasted notes start to pick up as the initial sweetness starts to fade. There are some fruity notes, like sweet cherries. There is a bit of acidity present as well. There is an initial fizziness from the carbonation that fades to a light-to-medium bodied creamy mouthfeel. The finish fades with more of the smoky, roast coffee and chocolate notes.
The Samuel Smith Taddy Porter is a world-renowned beer, and rightfully so. My only reservation is that to me this is a big beer stuck in a body that's just a bit too light. There are some big flavors here that seem a bit held back. Sometimes it's a good thing to be left wanting more, but not for me with this beer.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter
Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Style: Porter
Location: Middlebury, VT
Brewer Homepage
Rating: A
Otter Creek has long been one of my favorite breweries. Their Stovepipe Porter is one of the main reasons why. I love drinking porters in the wintertime, and the Stovepipe Porter is my go-to choice for a easy to drink porter.
Stovepipe Porter is a deep brown-black, which is nearly opaque when poured into a pint glass. The head is a dark tan. The nose is balanced between roasted notes and fruity hops, similar to a coffee with high acidity.
The Stovepipe Porter has a creamy mouthfeel without being too heavy. There is a deep roasted malt flavor that plays the lead here. A tart, hoppy zing as well as some herbal notes and a hint of spiciness compliment the roast. The finish tails off rather quickly, but the bitter hops and roasted notes remind me of a good espresso or dark chocolate.
All-in-all the Stovepipe Porter has some big flavor, but still manages to be smooth and drinkable without being too heavy. Highly recommended.
Style: Porter
Location: Middlebury, VT
Brewer Homepage
Rating: A
Otter Creek has long been one of my favorite breweries. Their Stovepipe Porter is one of the main reasons why. I love drinking porters in the wintertime, and the Stovepipe Porter is my go-to choice for a easy to drink porter.
Stovepipe Porter is a deep brown-black, which is nearly opaque when poured into a pint glass. The head is a dark tan. The nose is balanced between roasted notes and fruity hops, similar to a coffee with high acidity.
The Stovepipe Porter has a creamy mouthfeel without being too heavy. There is a deep roasted malt flavor that plays the lead here. A tart, hoppy zing as well as some herbal notes and a hint of spiciness compliment the roast. The finish tails off rather quickly, but the bitter hops and roasted notes remind me of a good espresso or dark chocolate.
All-in-all the Stovepipe Porter has some big flavor, but still manages to be smooth and drinkable without being too heavy. Highly recommended.
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