Porter, Hey Porter!
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

 

 

"Hey porter! Hey porter!
Would you tell me the time?
How much longer will it be
'Til we cross that Mason-Dixon line?

--Johnny Cash

Foreboding mahogany to which not a single photon of sunlight was permitted entry. An attractive crown of golden caramel colored foam lasted long enough, eventually leaving thin rings of gauzy lace on the upper reaches of the glass.

The nose gave an accurate indication of things to come. It was generously roasted malty, with slightly more coffee than chocolate. It also had a citrusy-herbal-spicy hoppiness born of Columbus and Willamette hops.

The pint of Porter, Hey Porter! that I enjoyed several hours ago was a well-designed, expertly executed, lip-smacking ale that seemed more American than English, given its somewhat generous hoppiness. It was good beer from ounce one and received a well-deserved bump in drinkablity score well before ounce sixteen.

The flavor profile was bold and deep, with roasted coffee beans staying slightly ahead of bittersweet chocolate at all points along the way. Although hops were slightly subservient to malt, they provided plenty of flavor and perfect sweet-bitter balance.

A barely medium mouthfeel early became firmly medium (for the style and ABV) by the middle of the glass. The beer had a surprising amount of mouthcling, which increased flavor saturation even more. Just enough energy from the carbonation helped as well.

Porter, Hey Porter! is vintage Eric... classic look, bold flavors, exquisite balance, great use of hops, and a memorable name. What more is there when it comes to craft beer?

My pint glass was filed with a super black beer that allowed no light to escape its grasp. The foam is tan and bubbly that stays around till the glass is empty. It smells of cocoa and coffee, the taste is nicely malted yet lightly rich cocoa. The body leans towards chewy, spot on for the style I think. It's smooth but just a tad dry, leaving me more thirsty. I quite like this one.