Smoked Maple Porter
North Cotswold Brewery

This porter's deep, dark brown colour is nearly able to pass itself off as black except that the vivid flare on its edging (which is maple syrup coloured as a matter of fact) gives away that this is actually a rather fair beer. Sure enough, with some back lighting, transparency is achievable. Apart from a wispy hoop the beer offers no head.

Let's see, I smell faintly toasted brown malts, nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin pie - wait, are you sure "smoked" porter wasn't meant to say "spiced" porter? I suppose the spices are considerably more low-pitched than the smokiness but it should be noted that it, too, is rather mild (if not to say very weak). Even weaker yet, there's definitely no maple.

My honest first impression: wow, this is thin. The only texture really seems to be a chalky, mineral-ness that results from the notoriously hard English water. The smokiness is hardly detectable (and would have likely been overlooked if not listed in the name and on the label). Neither sweetness nor bitterness warrants a mention.

There is also a stomach-wrenching sourness that was present in some of this brewery's other offerings too. It seems there are some quality control issues that are really destroying the drinkability of their beers. Although this was a fresh sample and purchased in the UK it contained such sour acidity that even one full bottle wasn't do-able.

Maple syrup is not listed as one of the ingredients and considering the brewery advertises this as having only "the sweetness of maple syrup" I'm inclined to believe none was actually used. The fact that I taste none is solidifying that thought in my mind. Apart from a faint (but putrid) canned maple bean flavour there is virtually no flavour at all.

Contrary to what its name might have you believe this beer is neither smokey nor deliciously flavoured with maple. With no coffee, chocolate or even roasted maltiness (the peaty taste of brown malts is faded at best) there's little that makes this porter worthwhile. CAMRA may be correct calling this a 'real ale' but it's definitely not a 'good ale'.