John Stark Porter
Stark Brewing Company

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours pitch black with a small light brown head. Smells of dark roasted grain with chocolate. Tastes of chocolate and coffee with nice dark roasted grain notes. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.

Not sure if I like this more than the oatmeal stout, but both are really good. I find this more substantial despite the fairly low ABV. Stark is a fun place to hang out and enjoy this on draft if you get a chance.

 

 

Poured into a glass mug, the appearance was a dark brown to almost black muddy color. A small eggshell white foamy head slid off at a good pace. Some runny lace.
The aroma had milk chocolate sugar, dark toast, black licorice sweetness, vanilla wafer, coffee bean sweetness and some ash/char earthy sweetness.
The flavor had mainly a sweet tone about it meshing all of the previously mentioned aromas together. An added dark toast rounds it all out. Not much of an aftertaste but had a little bit of sweet black licorice, coffee beans and milk chocolate.
The mouthfeel was almost medium bodied but sat just a touch under. Fine sessionability about it. Good carbonation and a certain smoothness about it. Finishes semi-dry with some earthy sweet spice and milk chocolate.
Overall, English porter? I'd say so. Doesn't seem to have enough hops to tell me this is an American styled one, but I'd still have again for me.

 

 

 

Good morning & welcome to my New New Hampshire CANned Beer Sunday (Week 657)! I have gotten the bulk of the Bottle Backlog here at Chez Woody winnowed down to the point that I CAN again focus on what really matters. Namely, The CANQuest (tm)!

From the CAN: "Made in Manchester, New Hampshire"; "Est. 1994"; "Live Free Or Die"; "Hail the Ale"; "Named after New Hampshire's own Revolutionary War hero, Gen. John Stark. This dark brown porter has a full body, complex malt character a subtle chocolate flavor. A moderate alcohol level and hop bitterness round this out quite nicely. Robust and delicious!"; "Drink Like a General"; "Made With Barley Oats Hops Water Enjoy!"

On my third attempt with this brewery, I CAN safely say that yeast was employed in the creation of this beer! I Crack!ed it open & immediately got some foaming action through the vent. I was not at all put off, but I did CANduct a slow, gentle Glug as a result. It actually brought forth just under two fingers of foamy, soapy, rocky, light-brown head with moderate retention. Color was Dark Brown to Very Dark Brown (SRM = > 27, < 34) with NE-quality clarity & mahogany highlights. Nose had a treacle-like quality. Interesting. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but on the approach. It was very full & big for the style. The taste was somewhere between treacle & anise, a nice flavor for a Porter. Finish was dry, but not gasping. I would have to say that of the three thus far, this was my choice.

On-tap 8/30/2017 at Milly’s Tavern in Manchester, NH, served in a flight glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a short beige head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains coffee, chocolate, roasted malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of coffee and chocolate. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a solid beer to drink for a while if you’re in the mood for the style.

 

L: Super deep dark brown with a thin brown-white circle of foam around the cup.

S: Vanilla, chocolate, and coffee smells are coming through. Minimal sweetness or maltiness, smells terrific.

T: Taste of chocolate malts and coffee. Not sweet, which I really like. Ends on a bitter note, but the initial flavors stay in your mouth. I really like this.

F: Little on the thin and under-carbonated side of things.

Overall: Super drinkable porter with all of the typical porterness going on. Deffinitely worth a pour; I'd but it again and I;ll drink the rest of my glass happily.

Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a damn near black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of chocolate, roasted malts. Taste is chocolate, roasted malts, some coffee, mild bitterness at the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

 

 

 

On tap at the brewpub.
Dark brown black color with a decent but short lived creamy off white head. Roasty chocolate with hints of fruit and earth. Nothing earth shattering but less flawed than the other beers I tried today.