Barrel 41 Cinnamon Roll Crunch Porter.

March 21, 2023

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There was a new beer up on tap today. Barrel 41 Cinnemon Roll Crunch Porter. Seems like a lot of additives, but lets see how it is.

Poured into a regular pint glass, this beer is opaque black. And looks a bit..hazy or fuzzy . The darker brown head looks thick, but sadly it doesn’t last very long at all. But that is probably from the additives

There is not much roast or hops in the smells. It’s all milk chocolate with some vanilla background. And something close to maple syrup after it warms. So far everything is on the low side, but playing well.

Nice blast of cinnamon and very light milk chocolate, even vanilla frosting. Next is a bit of coffee roastiness that really makes up for the high sugary level. But that roast is not harsh, but maybe it should have been… just a little.
There is still that something like maple,,, or bacon hiding in the background. I just can’t pin it down.

Nothing for hops or yeast here.. but to be honest, I’m not sure how those would have matched up with all that sweety stuff anyway.

There is a lot going on here, but all things are pretty tame, but the main things that stick out is, the cinnemon of course, and now that its warming lactose, and the roasty bits.

Very full body on this, almost chewy. And that “haze”.. well you can feel it. It has a grainy particulate feeling to it. Is that supposed to be the crunch part?
Not very much for bitterness.. but I wish it was. That sweet just hangs on the tongue, but it stays shy of being gloopy.

This is an odd one. Right from the name I was sure I was not going to like it..but ya know what.. it’s ok. It’s not bad, it’s not great… just ok. Dont think I could do more than one.
There is just enough of a roast profile to keep me interested,, but the sugary sweetness is just a bit much.

For now I’ll have to go 2/5,, but if they ever bump the roast or bitterness, or lower the lactose a smidge,, this could be much better.

New Glarus Road Slush

March 13, 2023

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Road slush is a stout from New Glarus. This one has always been hard to find.. even here in Wisconsin, so when I see it I get it right away.

Road Slush is an Oatmeal Stout that is clocking in at 6.2% so it does have a bit of weight to it.

Of course tis oatmeal stout pours a supurb foamy head on top of a very dark brown body. Yea, brown. I would cll this black so much. But it crtainly looks great being poured with its cascading bubble show.

A blast of coffee-like roast and sweet grains hit me during the pour.  Even a bit of hop and light chocolate is getting through that layer of foam. That smells so good.

The taste profile is just as good as it looks and smells. Same roastiness and hops are right up front. A good earthy hop that reminds me of Goldings or similar and that coffee/chocolate roast is so evenly matched.
Its not a dry beer thats for sure, but that sweet grainy, oatmeal backbone stays mostly in the background and lets that roast shine.

As with other oatmeal stouts, the mouthfeel is full but not heavy. That oatmeal silkyness makes the beer feel like it has substance while not being thick, which is good because the carbonation is medium or lslightly ower.

You have to say Road Slush’s balance is tward that roasty malt and grainy sweetness, but the hops in the taste, aroma and even the bitterness level are definitly part of the show.

Its a bigger beer at over 6%, but its easy enough in body and overall taste to be one easy drinking stout, so keep that in mind because this one can sneak up on you.

This is just a great beer all around. But sadly its only seasonal. I would drink this year round.
We seem to be on a dark roasty beer resurgence which is good news. And great beer like this will help keep that trend going. 4.5/5 

Polka King!

March 6, 2023

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Another local,, well semi local beer. Door County Brewing‘s 5.3% Polka King English Porter. I have have this many times, at many venues or events before, but never really reviewing, And it’s been a while now,, so here we go.

Pours Black. No other way to describe it.  Thick shiney head that sticks around. Cannot see much for clarity or bubbles, the blackness sucks the light from it’s surroundings.

Very light on aromas. Slightest ever chocolate. Slighty grainy. Faint roast, but not much of any hop or yeast. But that thicker head may be blocking alot. So will check back after a few sips.

Taste is that dark roast right up front,, but turns to hop taste quickly after. Not hop bittering so much as hop taste. And those hops are doing the brit kind of taste. Not your citrusy American style. 

Back to that wonderful roast though. Wow! This is what the beer world is missing nowadays. Not a chocolate bomb, just good old roasty black malt. Firm, I guess you would call it, but not over the top. 

Now the body here has decent carbonation that plays with the bittering perfectly. I can feel it bitting my tongue, but It does not come across as bitter. A good body that has a silky feel to it. There is substance to it, but very crushable.. This is not a one and done.

Oh the more this warms up the better this is getting. This beer is roast and hop taste. The aromas are now starting to stand out more as well.  I do not know what I would add to make this any better than it is. 

I am thinking to my self that I cannot describe it as good as it really is because  I just wanna drink and enjoy it.

Feels like this beer has stepped out of the portal of craft beer drinkers past. About as good of an old school, no bull shit Porter that ever was. You do not find beers like this any more. 

This nails everything I like, and everything I ever wanted in a roasty beer. 

4.5/5 from me,, and I’m going to grab another one.

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