Frank Graham Oatmeal Porter
Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery

 

On nitro-tap @ the brewpub on 9/6/09. Served in a pint glass.

Pours black, with some garnet hightlights shining around the bottom, and a finger of creamy light tan colored nitro head. This naturally stays robust, coating the sides of the glass with a thick latticework of lacing. The aroma is pretty light in the nose, with notes of coffee and roast (and a touch of nuttiness) being most noticable. A smidge of chocolate gives the nose a sweet edge.

The taste is a bit dead up front up at first, but as this warms, it opens much more into a bloom of chocolate roast and coffee. Not quite enough to completely save the profile but at least enough to keep this drinkable. Bit of citrus and light bitterness rounds the flavor profile out. The finish though is actually fairly roasty and dry. The mouthfeel is lighter bodied, with a super-creamy feel to it from the nitro, but unfortunately also seems to be a bit watery in spots as well. This could have used a little more substance in the mouth.

Unoffensive for the most part, but this Porter (beyond the roastiness of the taste) just didn't bring a whole lot to the table. Luckily it was easy enough to at least go down decently with my lunch.

Served on draft into a 20 oz pour on 1.23.09; pours like thick molasses with lots of heavy sedimentation. ½" head, full-bodied. Lacks the creaminess and smoothness of an oatmeal porter, but contains nutty aromas of toasted corn flakes and smoke.

Top of the Hill's Oatmeal Porter is always a decent porter. To me, it is brewed like an English porter in that it doesn't stray on the taste palette. After residing in Chapel Hill for almost 5 years, and patronizing TOTH for nearly as many, I have to say their beer offerings have opted for a stereotypically "southern palette." Their recent offerings have gone lighter, lack flavor punches, and have clouded out their signature solid styles (IPA, ESB, Stouts, Barleywines). I like to give them the benefit of the doubt, however, here, TOTH doesn't impress. I almost wonder if their brewmaster has been replaced. However, this brewpub is a Chapel Hill experience, so don't miss out visiting if you have the opportunity to visit Chapel Hill. They have great service and good food too.

A very nice, black pour with a thick off-white head that is very creamy and slowly disappates as you make your way down the glass.

A nice aroma of coffee, chocolate and nuts that leads you right into the taste.

A very nice sweet and creamy taste of the coffee and chocolate that goes down very smoothly although a bit too watered-down for my taste. A satisfying and enticing taste, with nothing complex. Makes a nice dessert beer.

A smooth, frothy and creamy mouthfeel from beginning to end with a clean finish.

Very drinkalble, perhaps due to a quite low alcohol content.

A nice dessert beer that I would have again next time I am in Chapel Hill.

The beer arrived in front of me with a cascade of nitrogen type pour and a frothy slightly tan head which lasted well to lace the glass.

The aroma was pure black patent and a slight licorice. Fruity aromas emerged and increased as the head fell and the beer warmed.

The flavor was roasty with coffee and black patent malt flavor and roasty grain bittering. Also present was a slight acrid sourness and as the beer warmed the levels of fruit and roasty and coffee flavors increased.

The finish was roasty with coffee and fruit flavors that emerged as the beer dried out into the aftertaste. The body was medium light and watery. The black patent is just overdone and the nitro pour should be eliminated. With some roast this could have made a good stout.

Imperial Pint at the bar.