O/O Brewing Porter Porter

As shipbuilding is very much a part of our heritage here in north-east England, I just had to take a moment before opening this Swedish porter to appreciate the stunning label artwork by Carl Bjerkås.  

It's a beauty both inside and out with a dark brown body and a deep tan head that lasts well and retains a thin layer.  It smells amazing with notes of malt, treacle toffee, dark tangy fruit (maybe cherry) and chocolate.

The flavour is quite light in comparison to the aroma.  As well as malt there are notes of tangy fruit and delicious smooth milk chocolate, followed by a slight bitter finish.  Mouthfeel is perfect for a porter with low carbonation and a medium body.

It's a lovely tangy bittersweet porter that is very pleasant to drink.  I would definitely recommend trying it if you're a dark ale fan and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by O/O Brewing, Sweden 
5.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at O/O Brewing

Bellfield Dark Sky Porter

 

This is a beautiful dark and fruity porter from Scottish brewers, Bellfield.  It's very dark, almost black, and it has a small, loose and rapidly vanishing tan head.

It has a mouthwatering aroma of roasted malt, treacle, chocolate and coffee with a hint of juicy red fruit.  It tastes as good as it smells too; it's sweet and fruity with notes of chocolate, treacle and caramel with an unusual and interesting coffee and tangy berry finish.

With low but firm carbonation and a full body, it has a smooth but tingly mouthfeel that made it really pleasant to drink.

It's a lovely fruity porter with a delicious sweetness that reminded me of candied fruit.  I have a sweet tooth so I really liked it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Bellfield Brewery, Edinburgh
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Bellfield Brewery

Winding Path 885 Porter

 

This porter from America looks like black velvet in the glass.  There's a small beige head on top of the dark body that retains a thin layer.  It smells amazingly malty with hints of roasted nuts and sweet treacle.

It tastes as malty as it smells with additional notes of liquorice, treacle toffee, roasted nuts and some dark fruit.  It has a surprising bitter coffee finish that I didn't mind at first but found it lingered a little too long after a few mouthfuls.  It's well carbonated and fizzy with a full body.

It's a lovely rich, dark porter that tastes like it's brewed with a bit of everything to give it a sweet, dry, roasted, nutty and bitter taste.  I would have scored it much higher if the aftertaste hadn't been a bit too overpowering for me but it's well worth trying, even though Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Winding Path Brewing Co., Dallastown, Pennsylvania, USA
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Winding Path Brewing Co.

Fierce Beer May Contain Brambles

I ordered a clearance pack of near dated/out of date beer from Beer52 and I was really impressed with this fruity porter from Aberdeen brewers, Fierce Beer.  It was a month out of date but it tasted AMAZING and I was delighted that I had three of them in my pack.

It pours a dark brown with a decent beige coloured head that disperses to leave a thin layer.  I poured carefully in case there was any sediment in the can from the fruit, but there was none.

As soon as you open the can, there is an amazing aroma of juicy blackberries on a malt and chocolate base and I couldn't wait to dive in for my first sip.  I was not disappointed at all.  

It's incredibly fruity and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.  The rich fruit flavour is followed by a hint of roasted malt and the bramble flavour returns to leave a delicious fruity finish.  It has a thin to medium body and the perfect level of carbonation that's neither too fizzy nor too flat.

This is a really unusual porter and I would never have thought that the tartness of blackberries would work in a beer but it really does.  It's a full flavoured porter that gets extra credit for being exactly what it says on the can.  I loved it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

  
Brewed by Fierce Beer, Aberdeen, Scotland 
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Fierce Beer

Tiny Rebel Stay Put Raspberry Ripple

 

Following my review of Tiny Rebel's Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip, next up is their other Covid-19 lockdown limited edition marshmallow porter - Raspberry Ripple.

It's a very dark, almost black beer with a small, very loose beige head that pretty much vanishes as it's being poured.  My disappointment at the lack of head was quickly forgotten when my nose was hit with the mouthwatering aroma of raspberry ripple ice cream.

The taste isn't quite as strong as the smell but it's lovely.  Notes of tarty, sweet raspberries combine with vanilla and chocolate and it's like drinking ice cream.

It has a medium body with low carbonation that gives it a smooth mouthfeel and you get the added bonus of soft raspberry chocolate bubbles bursting on your tongue.   

The flavours are perfectly balanced to give a sweet, tarty easy-drinking porter and I thought it was delicious.  It's very moreish and I would buy more of these if they brewed it again.  If I could, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport Wales
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel

Tiny Rebel Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip

 

When Tiny Rebel released limited editions of their marshmallow porter, Stay Puft, for the Covid-19 lockdown, I just had to try them.  First up, it's Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip.

It's a very dark brown beer with a small, loose beige head that retains a small layer of foam.  The aroma is very light but it definitely smells of mint choc chip ice cream with notes of chocolate, vanilla and mint.

The taste is very impressive.  It's a smooth, vanilla, chocolate porter with a hint of mint and a slight coffee aftertaste.  It's a very unusual blend and I didn't think it would work in a beer but it is stunning.  It's like drinking ice cream.

It has a medium body with decent carbonation that is quite soft, so it has a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

It's a delicious porter.  The flavours are perfectly balanced to just give a hint of mint without it being overpowering.  It's very moreish and I would buy more of these if they brewed it again.  If I could, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport Wales
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel

Signature Brew Nightliner

This is a dark brown porter with a small, very loose, rapidly vanishing beige head.  There is some sediment in the can so it neeed a careful pour.

It smells like freshly brewed coffee, and so it should as coffee is one of the ingredients listed on the can.  I got a whiff of malt after the initial coffee hit and then a bit more coffee.  It's definitely oozing with coffee and it is what it says on the can.

Following the huge coffee aroma, I was expecting a massive flavour kick but I was very disappointed.  It's very lightly flavoured with coffee that isn't bitter at all, but it isn't really much of anything else either.  It has a medium body and is very softly carbonated so it feels nice and smooth to drink, although it did remind me of a cold, weak coffee.

Quite disappointing really, the taste just didn't deliver what I expected from the amazing aroma so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Signature Brew, London
5.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.75/5

Find out more at Signature Brew

Brass Castle Bad Kitty

  

Bad Kitty is a vanilla porter that is so dark and velvety when it's poured that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a stout.  It has a very impressive huge, frothy and tight tan head that lasts and laces.

It has a very light aroma of chocolate and vanilla and it smells a bit like a glass of cola.  The flavour is also quite light, it reminded me of a very milky chocolate milkshake.  I think all of the vanilla has sapped all of the flavour out of the porter.

It's quite softly carbonated with a medium body so it has a lovely smooth mouthfeel and it's very easy to drink.  It's just a bit too weak on flavour for me.  It's very vanilla all round and there's nothing bad about this kitty.  Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Brass Castle Brewery, Malton, North Yorkshire
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Brass Castle Brewery

Staggeringly Good Post Imperial Porter

A maple syrup and vanilla porter?  YES PLEASE!

I had my eye on this on Instagram when I saw it being brewed and ordered one as soon as it was canned.  I was not disappointed.

It's a very dark brown ale with a small, loose, rapidly vanishing tan head that leaves a patchy foam.  It smells SO boozy, which isn't a surprise as it has an ABV of 10%.  The aroma is mouthwatering with notes of malt, treacle, chocolate, maple syrup, liquorice and vanilla.  There's so much going on, it's like you smell something different with every sniff.

Full marks for flavour!  Wow, this is impressive.  It's a dark and decadent brew with treacle toffee, maple syrup pancakes, malt loaf and liquorice all having a party in my mouth.  Mouthfeel is perfect with low but firm carbonation, and a full body that looks slightly syrupy as it clings to the glass but doesn't feel sticky on the tongue.

This is a very special beer.  It's one to savour and take your time with as I didn't want it to finish.  It is everything a dark ale should be with treacle and maple sweetness balanced with burnt roastiness.  I was impressed that the high ABV didn't leave a strong alcohol taste in the mouth, simply a warming bourbon finish.

Very highly recommended and one Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Staggeringly Good Brewery, Portsmouth
10% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.75/5

Find out more at Staggeringly Good Brewery

Rigg & Furrow Owl Porter

 

This is a very dark brown ale with a tight tan head that lasts reasonably well, dispersing slowly to leave a thin layer.  There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour.

Aroma is malt, chocolate, tangy hops and a hint of metallic bitterness.  Whilst the aroma might not be anything exceptional, the flavour certainly makes up for it with a perfectly balanced blend of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee beans.  The chocolate flavour really lingers on the palate and it's not bitter at all.

It has a medium body and it's well carbonated with soft tingly bubbles.  Overall, a very nice porter indeed and one I'd highly recommend trying.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Rigg & Furrow Farmhouse Brewery, Morpeth, Northumberland
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Rigg & Furrow Farmhouse Brewery

BrewDog Zombie Cake

 

I love praline chocolates so I was desperate to get my hands on a bottle of Zombie Cake, BrewDog's praline chocolate porter but I have to say I was a little disappointed.

It's a very dark brown ale with a semi-tight robust beige head that leaves a good layer behind when it disperses.  The smell is amazing!  It does actually smell like praline with notes of nuts, chocolate, malt and treacle.  The nuttiness is lost in the taste though and I couldn't taste any nuts at all unfortunately.  The flavour is roasted malt, coffee and chocolate with the coffee lingering in the aftertaste.  Notes of chocolate do burst through at times but definitely no nuts for me.

It has a medium body and it's quite softly carbonated so it is very easy to drink.  It's a lovely porter but I don't think it's anything special.  It's definitely worth trying but Ale Not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Yeastie Boys Pot Kettle Black

 

Pot Kettle Black is a South Pacific Porter from New Zealand brewery, Yeastie Boys.  It's a lovely dark beer, almost black but for a slight brown hue with a thick and frothy beige head that lasts well.

The light aroma is predominantly treacle and malt but there's a slight hint of citrus that makes it quite interesting.  The taste is quite smoky and oaky with an added sweetness like burnt toffee.  It has a citrus bitter aftertaste to balance out the sweetness and a medium body with carbonation that's so soft it's like fairies dancing across your tongue.

It's a very nice beer but doesn't feel like a porter; I liked it though.  I thought the smokiness would have put me off but it gave it a lovely roasted taste.  It actually reminded me a bit of Fernet Branca; it's so weird but you can't help having another sip.  Oddly pleasant, I felt like I had to brush my teeth after it but I'd certainly have another one.  Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Yeastie Boys Brewery, New Zealand

6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Yeastie Boys Brewery

Darwin Original Flag Porter

 

When I read the story behind Darwin's Original Flag Porter, I just had to try it.  This porter is brewed to a 19th century recipe using yeast salvaged from a sailing barge that sank in the English Channel in 1825.  The barge was carrying bottles and casks of porter and as the bottles were sealed with wax, many of them remained intact when they were brought to the surface in 1988.  The yeast contained in the porter was cultured and brewed to produce Flag Porter. 

It does make a stunning looking porter when poured into a glass.  It's a very dark brown ale with a ruby tinge and a small, loose beige head.  The head disperses quickly to leave a patchy foam that congregates around the side of the glass.

The smell is absolutely amazing: it is very malty with notes of liquorice and treacle.  It's definitely what I would call a dark and delicious smell and it's right up my street.  All of the aromas transfer to the flavour with the malt, liquorice and treacle combining along with a slightly spicy flavour to produce a light, refreshing ale with a dry finish.  It's a very well balanced ale that just nudges over into the sweet category but doesn't feel over-sweet as the liquorice flavour develops.  

I was torn between wanting to guzzle it all and savouring the small (330ml) quantity I had in my glass.  I ended up savouring it and really felt the liquorice flavour developing with each sip, the only downside being it ended up feeling a bit flat and watery as it's very softly carbonated to begin with.  

I wasn't surprised to see it stated on the label that Original Flag Porter is featured in the book 300 Beers to Try Before You Die and deservedly so; it's not just a lovely porter, it has such an unusual story behind it's conception.  Original Flag Porter, Ale Be Seeing You again and I wholeheartedly recommend other beer lovers to try it.

Brewed by Darwin Brewery, Sunderland
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Darwin Brewery

Brains Spill the Beans

Time to visit the dark side with a coffee porter brewed for Aldi by Welsh brewery, Brains.  Now this definitely gets full marks for appearance.  What a thing of beauty!  Dark and delicious this a dark brown ale with a thick, tight beige coloured head.

The first thing I noticed about the aroma was the distinct lack of coffee smell; instead I got hints of lovely sweet malt, treacle and chocolate.  I do sometimes find coffee aroma rather off-putting in a beer so this got a big thumbs up for me, although I was slightly concerned that Spill the Beans wasn't going to live up to its name.

I needn't have worried and I should've known that the fabulous guys and gals at Brains would come up trumps!  The first sip results in a delightful mix of dark malt and sweet chocolate exploding in the mouth followed by the most amazing aftertaste of coffee.  Now this is really difficult to get right as we all know that coffee and chocolate can be very bitter, especially when they appear together.  Somehow, this isn't bitter at all; it's sweet rather than bitter but there's no doubt that the coffee flavour is there.

Softly carbonated and very full bodied, Spill the Beans in much nicer than I imagined.  I bought it as a bit of a gimmick and also I was swayed by a bargain as it was less than £1, but I was very pleasantly surprised.  The coffee taste is simultaneously subtle enough to not be overpowering but strong enough to remind you that it is there.  It's an outstanding porter and one Ale Be Seeing Again.

Brewed by Brains, Cardiff
4.4% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Brains Brewery

Birra del Borgo KeTo

KeTo is a porter from my Birra del Borgo variety pack of ales.  KeTo is a very dark brown almost black colour with a frothy light brown head that disperses rapidly, leaving a thin layer.  

Oh what a mouthwatering aroma!  It's VERY malty with hints of liquorice, chocolate and coffee; it's almost like you get a different aroma with every sniff.  Just like I was surprised with the taste from Cortigiana, KeTo also had a big surprise up its sleeve, namely a distinct smoky flavour.  Now usually this would make me retch as nobody likes to experience what I can only describe as licking an ashtray, but with KeTo it mixes surprisingly well with the sweet malt and hint of bitter chocolate.  The tobacco flavour is definitely there but it's not overpowering and works well with the complex flavours.  I also detected a slight spiciness that reminded me of cola.

It's very smooth and full bodied, as you would expect from a porter and it's so softly carbonated that each mouthful gives your tongue a little tickle.  Although it feels like quite a light porter, it packs a surprising punch at 6.5% ABV.  With the adventurous mix of flavours, it's something quite different and one I'd definitely recommend trying.

Brewed by Birra del Borgo, Italy

6.5% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Birra del Borgo

Allendale Black Grouse

This deliciously dark porter smells amazing with aromas of treacle, chocolate and coffee and a slight smokiness due to being brewed with oak chips.  The loose beige head disappears very quickly, so don't blink or you'll miss it, and it leaves you with a glass of something that resembles coke but the mouthwatering taste definitely compensates for the lack of head.

The mouthfeel is quite an experience as you start to taste treacle and liquorice whilst dark chocolate bubbles stroke and lightly tickle your tongue before bursting in a mini chocolate explosion.  It's so delicious that it goes down far too easily and would be a perfect drink on a cold winter's night sitting beside the fire with a good book.

I love the strong treacle and liquorice toffee taste, it has a bit of a fruity sweetness at first closely followed by a bitter chocolate aftertaste.  There is also a hint of flavour that reminded me of whiskies brewed in sherrywood casks, so don't be put off by the description of this ale being brewed with oak chips.  The flavours are perfectly balanced, making Black Grouse a top notch porter and Ale Be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by Allendale Brewery, Northumberland

4% ABV

My rating:

Find out more from Allendale Brewery

Guinness West Indies Porter

A lovely head as you would expect from Guinness and apart from the ever so slight ruby hint, this looks like an original Guinness.

There is very strong licquorice/treacle taste which has quite a pleasant aftertaste and there is an aroma of dark fruits.  The carbonation is just right and creates some lovely lacing down the side of the glass.  Stronger flavoured than a Guinness, and at a swashbuckling 6% it's not for the faint-hearted.

Brewed by Guinness, Dublin as part of the Guinness Brewers Project

6% ABV

Find out more about Guinness West Indies Porter