Good Dog Porter

May 17, 2019

stoutmaker Uncategorized , , 1 Comment

We have another local beer today. Good Dog Porter from Zambaldi Beer.

A tall shaker pour from the nitro taps of Need Kelly’s Pub. A short cascade show as the pint arrives, leaving behind the tell tale nitro head. A bit thin but stays right to the end.

As per that nitro head, the aromas are concealed. But a cautious swirl does reveal just the slightest hint of roasted malt. Somewhere between a roasted barley and a black Pat. Grainy is about all I can really say about the nose of this. No hop, nor yeast comes through.

From the lack of nearly anything in aroma, I was hoping the taste would make up it. But sadly, I cannot say that it does. Very grainy, like victory malt overdose, and very light roasty with a very black patenty feel.

Dry on the tongue, yet does have a decent body from the nitro. Bittering is not noticeable at all, which is ok here because the black malts help out a little.

Just for a second, I got a flash of hops but so faint, as with nearly everything about this beer. I don’t wanna say watered down, but more like a shadow of a beer.

It’s not bad by any means, but just too subtle in everyway. Low aroma, low taste, low carbonation, low hop. It just needs something… anything. somewhere.

I personally think this beer suffers being on nitro. Everything about it is masked and hidden. Maybe a Co2 push through a regular tap would let it open up?

But as it sits right now in from of me, I can only manage a 2.5/5 and that might be a bit high.

Proper Porter

December 17, 2018

stoutmaker Uncategorized , , Leave a comment

Been finding quite a few Porters hitting the shelves lately. One in particular caught my eye yesterday.

Proper Porter from Lakefront Brewery.

This Brewery has some good examples of various styles so expecting a decent beer here.

Opening the 12 oz bottle instantly gets you a nose of light roast. Curious, I somehow wasn’t expecting that from just cracking the bottle open.

Pouring into the shaker provided a foamy, almost rocky tan head that I would suspect would stick around for some time

Now that we have it out of the bottle, I was expecting more of that roast. But its actually more of a background thing. No hop. Slight grainy peeking through. A level of sweet that is just there enough to notice. This foamy head is definitely keeping aroma levels in check.

I wouldnt say it’s black. But it’s close enough. Ruby highlights and crystal clear. And the slow intermittent bubble of carbonation streaming up indicates a possibility lower carb level.

On first taste. I’m totally surprised. Not by overwhelming roast or a blast of hops.. but by how amazingly relaxed this beer is.

This is the kind of Porter that you found 20 years ago. Simple, solid. Hitting all the correct points and nothing out of balance.

Roast, sweetness, hop all staying just under the radar enough to let you get all three at the same time. While ever so slightly letting the yeast esters come through.

Almost chocolate but not quite, definite black roast, but not enough to stand out.

The carbonation is about as spot on as you could get for this medium bodied, mid gravity Porter.

These are the kinds of beers that craft brewing of old built its self on, but have seen to get away from. Fantastic, while not being gimmicky. Just letting the beer as a whole be the star,, not any one point taking over.

For me this is one of the best beers I have had in quite a while, and also one of the more ordinary… And that’s why I like it.

Take your 4.75! I’m going back for more of this.

Happy Feeling?

December 10, 2018

stoutmaker Uncategorized , Leave a comment

Today I am having another local Brew. The Titletown Brewing Happy Feeling spiced coffee Porter. Sounds like a lot going on there.

I get the porter in the big mug. It arrives with a nice foamy tan head. Large bubbles?… Could be over carbonated? Could be a hard pour

The first aroma get is…celery? Yep celery leaves. But that quickly turns into coffee. Only way to describe it because i get no other roast, or sweet or hops. Maybe some grainy after it warms a bit.

Almost black but not quite. It’s got that Porter look of dark brown and clear as a bell.

Well I am happy it don’t taste like it smells. The taste skips over the celery and hits a coffee note. Subdued. But there. The roast again.. subtle. But just a bit more than the coffee.

As I was thinking “why there is no spice in this spiced beer.” The faintest bit of nutmeg hits me. You can feel the spice on the tongue more than taste it, but it fits I guess with all the other low impact things going on.

No hops in taste or aromas. Which is good for this particular beer or they would have completely covered everything else.

Carbonation doesn’t feel high as the head made it look like. But I like where it is because it covers the heavier body just a bit.

The more it warms the more that celery starts to poke out in the taste. Not that its a bad to thing here. And really, I’ve come to expect it in the few coffee stouts and porters I drink.

I am gonna go ahead and give this a solid 3.75 because it’s not something I would have normally ordered but glad I did.

Titletown’s Happy Feeling spiced coffee Porter

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