Stoutmaker.beer

Hey! Found a new Porter out there. Shawano Wisconsin’s Stubborn Brothers Wolf River Porter.

Grabbed a 12oz can and my favorite reviewing glass and gonna give this Porter a run.

Poured a very dark brown, not black, not reddish tints. Brown.

But even though it’s rather dark in color,  I can see that it is hazy. Not crazy hazy, but it is noticeable. The light brown foam is very long lasting and firm.

Just pouring this I am getting chocolate notes along with a good grainy blast. 

But there is also something perfumy thing upfront as well. As well as a…. sawdust note? But the main aroma is definitely the chocolate. I am sort of worried about that perfume, and the no hints at all of roast. 

Next, the first sip is a bit confusing as it is nothing like all the aromas that this beer is throwing. First and foremost, raisins.  Still a grainy middle ground, but the raisin just cuts right through. But luckily none of that perfume or sawdust is there. But neither is any hop, caramel malts or roast for that matter 😦

It has a very thin body, with little to no bitterness whatsoever, but it does not come across as being sweet. And while that head continues to hold and stick to the glass, there is also very little carbonation, but I think that might be a good thing here, otherwise this would feel even less like a Porter than it already does.

This Wolf River American Porter is a very odd beer. And not odd in a good way. I am not sure how they settled on American Porter as it’s style. Other than its color, there is nothing Porter-ish, much less American Porter-ish about it. It needs some roast somewhere, needs hopping everywhere. And while I do like raisin notes in a beer, whats here is way too much for such a delicate feeling body. 

There’s not even a yeast profile to play back up,, its just a thin bland raisin water beer.

I really hoped this would have been good. Not many Porters out there, and this is a local beer. But in the end I can only manage to give this Stubborn Brothers Wolf River Porter a 1 out of 5 .