Founders Porter

Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
ABV: 6.5%
IBUs: 45

Today I'm reviewing a beer that's a bit more of a standard, but this does nothing to diminish its impact. I feel like beers that are more widely distributed or are available in six packs get a bit of a bad rap from some craft beer geeks. While I'm always hunting down fancy 750ml bottles of limited beers, I also appreciate getting six of the same delicious beer for a good price. When Founders announced they'd be arriving in Florida, I was thrilled. This beer has been worth the wait.

Founders Porter has a bit more of a hoppy kick than some other porters, but it blends nicely with the smoothness of malt and makes for a great drinking experience. The smooth, dark brown liquid tingles nicely on the tip of my tongue. It's not something I can drink thoughtlessly but it's not a strong and challenging flavor either. In other words, it's ideal sipping beer, which is just what I wanted today.

While drinking this, I'm listening to "Mixed Emotions" by Søren, which is part of this month's free download series from electronic/industrial/noise/etc label, Ascetic House. Each day this month a new cassette is being released for purchase. At the end of the day, the tape is taken out of the store. In addition to the tape sales, each day a new album is added to the website for free download. These albums are often rare or out of print releases, making the download quite welcome. While it's not aggressive metal, this music pairs nicely with an equally smooth and deep beer.

Innis & Gunn's Scottish Porter

Brewery: Innis & Gunn
ABV: 7.4%
IBUs: Not given

Innis & Gunn has graced this website before with some of its deceptively simple and wonderful beers. Due to the relatively low price and high quality of their standard drinks, they've become a staple in my home. When I saw this one in a store, I grabbed it for my partner, as this brewery is one of our shared favorites and porters are her preferred style.

While this Scottish porter is not at all like the darker, thicker porters we're used to drinking, the sweetness of molasses definitely shows at moments here. Additionally, the body is thinner and lighter in color than your average heavy porter, which makes for an easier drinking experience, but may not impress people looking for dark and heavy beers. The oak aging shows a bit with a light whiskey characteristic on the aftertaste, although I'm not sure if there was whiskey in the barrels before this beer was aged in them.



We enjoyed this slightly sweet and slightly tart beer while watching classic Dark Tranquillity videos. While their music is slightly edgy, the accessibility and harmony of their music pairs nicely with this beer which might impress beer geeks and beer newcomers alike.

Suede Imperial Porter

Breweries: 10 Barrel, Stone Brewing, and Bluejacket
ABV: 9.6%
IBUS: 50

Today, I decided to sample this special collaborative beer as a way of celebrating the nearly 3,000 visitors (and over 100 Facebook fans) I received yesterday after posting the first of my end of the year roundups. It's not often I get more than two hundred visitors a day, and I seldom receive more than two or three likes in a productive week. With this in mind, I initially set out to film a video of myself sampling a beer. The video was taken, but I think I need to work on my "stage fright" (so to speak) before I try to incorporate video of myself onto this website.

I purchased this beer about a month ago, as I trust almost anything with a Stone label, and I'm always excited to try new breweries, especially when they're collaborating with a brewery I love and trust. Neither 10 Barrel nor Bluejacket receives much (any?) distribution down here in Florida, so it was an added bonus to discover some new talent. As a fan of dark beer, I think this will be up my alley enough to review for many newcomers to get a feel for what I do. While drinking this beer, I perused tunes from spacey krautrock and drone inspired rockers The Cosmic Dead, at a friend's recommendation. Sufficiently psychedelic, and appropriately new to me for such a new and exciting beer.

Upon initial pour, the beer is quite fragrant, yet nothing too strong is revealed outside of the traditional porter style. For a beer with as many unique and compelling ingredients as Suede boasts, I'm surprised that the flavors aren't more pronounced. However, this isn't necessarily a complaint, as the rich yet sweet balance that is created (mostly from the avocado honey, I assume) works like a charm, providing a smooth drinking experience. I've never had calendula flower in anything before, so I'm not entirely certain what to be searching for with that, but the jasmine is probably too subtle to be a dominant flavor in something as bold as an imperial porter. The beer is rather syrupy in its body, but there are no syrupy flavors fortunately, just a pleasant sensation in my mouth. This is definitely delicious, although not so much of a groundbreaking beer as it is a thoroughly enjoyable take on a familiar format. If I gained nothing else from this beer, it's that I need to add 10 Barrel and Bluejacket to my list of breweries to seek out.

Southern Tier Brewing Company's Plum Noir Imperial Porter.

Hey folks. It's been a while since I've shared a good drink on here, and what better beer than one I've had sitting in my fridge for nearly five months? When I saw Southern Tier's Plum Noir in the store, I knew I had to have it. However, I also made the mistake of putting it on a pedestal and refusing to drink it until circumstances made for the perfect moment. What I should have been doing was including this in my semi-regular drinking routine.

The beer pours as dark as the "Noir" in the name would imply, with a frothy head that parts way just enough to allow for a decent sip. The nose is surprisingly floral for such a dark beer, and the sweetness of the plums does little to detract from its bitterness, but instead broadens the overall experience. Given that plums are a fruit with such a deep flavor, it's nice to see them getting attention here. There's also the slight coffee note that commonly accompanies darker porters. It works perfectly here. There's a light fizziness that's barely present but just noticeable enough on the tip of my tongue, and there's just an overall pleasant balance to the whole thing. Southern Tier's Blackwater Series is proving to be consistent and fantastic and just experimental enough to intrigue without confusing the palate. While it definitely might be appealing to a niche audience, it's worth trying for any passionate drinkers.

Evil Twin Brewing- Lil' B Imperial Porter

This beer serves as an appropriate way for me to get back to my old hobby of reviewing tasty new beers. It's been a while simply because I've been short on funds and beer isn't cheap. That said, Evil Twin Brewing has been on my "must try" list for quite a while now, and I'm a sucker for beers that pay tribute to musicians, even if they aren't familiar to me. I know Lil' B is a popular rapper, but that's about the beginning and the end of it. Regardless, I decided to snag this brew as a good imperial porter is always welcome in my stomach.

Lil' B (the beer) pours a nice dark brown with a thin, tan head. The nose is relatively subtle and malty, although each sip displays heavy toffee and caramel flavors, with a thinner presence than the darkness would imply. The beer's eleven and a half percent alcohol content is well masked by the sweetness and richness of the flavors, but it can obviously be felt. I'm not sure if this beer is available in a larger bottle, but I probably wouldn't want any more than this drink offers, as it would surely overwhelm both my palate and my alcohol tolerance. While I know almost nothing about the musician with whom this beer shares its name, I'm all for anybody who inspires such a delicious drink. Grab a bottle if you can find it, it's worth getting.

Recent drinks 5/5/13

I know this post's a bit delayed, but with finals week I was drinking a bit less than usual. Now that I'm on the eve of my last final of the semester, things are finally returning to full swing. I'm about to raise a glass here in my own home, but first here's a recap of some drinks I've enjoyed in the past couple weeks.

Stone Smoked Porter (Stone Brewing Company)
For the uninitiated, Stone is not a brewery known for their subtlety. The fact that this beer doesn't pour straight out of the bottle breathing fire is surprising, yet that's not to say that this drink isn't intense. Indeed, with a creamy smokiness more akin to actual wood smoke than the barbecue type of flavor that many other smoked porters carry, this beer is not for the novice drinker. What you'll find here is a dense, delicious, and frothy beer that you can sip slowly on a long night spent in quiet reflection or in the company of good friends. Regardless of the setting, this is definitely one of the better smoked porters out there, period. Grab a bottle and treat yourself properly.

Camp Braggot Ghost Stories (Cigar City/B. Nektar Meadery)
To call this collaborative brew "interesting" or "creative" would be doing it a disservice. The beer pours far darker than I would have anticipated, with an almost fruity nose and a full foamy head. The marshmallow characteristic that is so often associated with this beer is absolutely present, but less so than I had expected. Instead, this is a well-rounded, albeit very sweet, dark and delicious beer. The honey flavor is strong, but not so strong that I would advise non-mead drinkers away from it. Instead, view this as an intriguing and successful experiment in the art of brewing. I'd be delighted to see this one again, although knowing Cigar City's affinity for limited run beers, I doubt it will be any time soon.

Xingu Black Beer
Xingu seems to be a one-beer kinda brewery, so no need to list who makes it. This one caught my eye because my semester's ending and I seem to desire things that are foreign or otherwise "exotic" right now. Clearly my subconscious wants a vacation. With this in mind, I thought to myself that I'd never had a Brazilian beer before. Now I have. It's surprisingly smooth for being a darker beer, yet it's not too light on the palate either. If I wanted something I could sip on for hours, I'd go for this. It's dark without being unpleasant on a hot day.

Dragonhead Stout (Orkney)
This one was purchased based on the label and the fact that I haven't had many Scottish beers. I mean, I love stouts, and it's got a warship or something on it. The beer doesn't disappoint either. It's thick and heavy as crude oil yet the 4%ABV means you can sit with a couple of them in a row without it knocking you out. A really good stout for the times when you might want a smooth yet heavy drink that sits in your stomach like a small meal.

Beer Review: Harviestoun Old Engine Oil

Lately I've been writing about a lot of old favorites of mine. Not to get personal, but as the weather gets colder, it seems instinctive for me to withdraw from experimentation and return to familiar, comforting things. Old Engine Oil is a beer I was first served at a traditional English pub I used to frequent when I requested the perfect pairing for a plate of bangers and mash. My server gave me one of the most perfect beer pairings I'd had in a while when she presented this delicious black ale that fulfills its name's heavy promise. As a fan of thick, dark beers, I was immediately intrigued, and I was able to savor each drop as happily as the one before. While I'm currently enjoying this beer without a meal, it's still as memorable and pleasant as it was the first time I experienced it.

True to its name, this beer may as well have been dredged from the insides of a machine. Its dark color and thick nose would scare away many folks for whom a Guinness is too strong, but this beer's strength lies in its complexity. Despite its heaviness, Old Engine Oil is just as much of a dark ale as it is a porter, which lends a slight bitterness that fans of lighter beers will find familiar and welcoming. The malty aromas of coffee and caramel are here, as with many traditional porters, yet they accent the richness of the drink rather than comprising the majority of its flavors. The beer's carbonation is minimal, another reason the oil comparison is rather appropriate. The liquid glides across my palate smoothly, without any interference. Most dark beers are slow drinkers, but were I not drinking this with the intention of fully savoring it and writing a review, I could find myself in danger of drinking far too quickly. Still, at only 6% alcohol, this beer isn't as much of a threat as it may seem.

If you're a fan of any traditional Scottish ales, I highly recommend Old Engine Oil. If you ever want a nice dark drink to comfort you on a cold, grey day, I highly recommend Old Engine Oil. If you are making a meal that will stick with you for the next eight hours and want a beer heavy enough to pair with it and light enough to not overwhelm your stomach, you know what to get. I don't see this beer often enough, yet it always seems to be around when I'm looking for it. Seek it out and enjoy your reward.

Beer Review: Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Today's review covers one of my favorite beers for casual drinking, the legendary Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. It's available year-round, is reasonably priced in a six-pack, and has the perfect balance of flavors for maximum enjoyment. I could sit down and have three or four of these tasty treats in one sitting. Seriously, this beer is like candy in my household. We only buy about one of these six-packs a month, but we tear right on through it when we do. Why do we drink it so quickly? Because it's smooth and easy to drink, while still being a dark and delicious beer.

The beer pours a dark and thick brown, with a thin but definitely noticeable head. The scent is slightly toasty with a sweet smell I can only identify as similar to jelly beans, which I can only assume comes from the vanilla. Taking a sip, the beer has the standard malty and slightly bitter characteristics of a good porter, yet finishes lightly with vanilla that lingers more in my nose than on my tongue. As I make my way farther into the beer, the sweetness does build up slightly, but never threatens to overwhelm my senses and does little to hinder my enjoyment of this well-made porter. While this isn't the beer to end all beers, this is absolutely one of my favorites for casual drinking. If I'm going to buy a six-pack rather than a single bottle, this is easily within the top five beers I'll purchase.

Pair this beer with any album that you'd consider a classic. It may not be something you listen to every day, but if it's reliable and brings a smile to your face, then it works well with this beer. Drinking this beer is like meeting up with a great old friend: it's always enjoyable and pleasant, no matter how long it's been since the last time you've crossed paths.

Quick Fix: OBP's Toasted Coconut Porter

Here's another treat from the folks that created the OBP, which I reviewed in September. Whereas pilsners aren't usually my cup of tea, I could drink porters all day long and this is no exception. The aroma on this one is rich and malty and it drinks more smoothly than most porters I've had. The slight sweetness of coconut becomes more present as it builds up on my palate while I drink this beer, but never threatens to overwhelm the delicious flavor of this beer. I bought a single bottle of this on a whim, but it's quite possible I'll be buying this in six-packs from here on out. This porter is highly drinkable and still complex enough to entertain many beer geeks. I recommend trying this one against a more highly priced craft beer competitor, you may find a more affordable and delicious beer with this one. I shared mine around a fire at a friend's house and everybody who sampled it found it to be thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

Beer Review: Zywiec Porter

This one's a tongue-twister even before you've caught its surprisingly strong buzz. Pronounced "je-vi-ets" according to a quick Google search, this is probably the single most frequently consumed beer in my house. If I'm to believe the bottle, this recipe has been unchanged since 1881 when presumably some awesome guy in Poland decided to make a better porter than all the craft beer nerds would make 130+ years later. One of the best parts of drinking this beer is imagining men with excellent mustaches drinking this back in the old country. In order to get a proper sensation of a time gone by, I'm listening to Ulver's legendary "Kveldssanger." It's not Polish, but much like this beer, it's an archaic recipe in a modern context and the two go perfectly together.

As I said before, I drink this beer more often than I drink any other beer. It isn't my absolute favorite beer on earth, but it's incredibly delicious and drinkable, as well as retailing for a measly $2.99 at my local market. This beer is so dark it's almost a stout, but it's got the malty sweet aftertaste of a strong porter. Upon pouring this beer, you'll notice a dense coffee color and a thin head. There are almost no bubbles and the scent is rich and earthy in the best of ways. This beer is surprisingly smooth for such a dark, thick beer, and if I weren't careful I'd drink it like water. The thing that prevents me from destroying cases of this liquid at a time is the fact that this beer has an alcohol content of 9.5% hidden somewhere in all that delicious flavor. There's none of the bitterness or strong alcohol flavor of most beers this potent. I usually share a bottle with my partner and we're both quite content with the portioning that way.

I know this beer doesn't have all the exciting packaging or clever marketing that most modern craft beers have. Honestly, it doesn't need it. I'm usually a sucker for a well-marketed beer, but I'm glad this one made its way into my hands. My brother in beer, Derek, shared the word of Zywiec porter with me months ago and since then I've rarely been without it in my fridge. I'm pretty sure it's distributed by Heineken in the US, so it should be relatively easy to obtain. If not, talk to the manager of your local beer purchasing establishment and inquire. It's worth the extra effort.