An Brain Blásta
The Porterhouse Brewing Company

Copper color. Medium-sized, off-white head. Malt, bread, raisins, and dried fruits in the aroma. Malty sweetness dominates in taste, with herbal hoppy bitterness at the end.

served on tap at The Porterhouse, Nassau Street, half pint

look: one finger creamy slightly off-white head with very good retention and loads of lacing, beer is a lightly hazy mahogany colour, no visible carbonation.

smell: caramel malt, nutty, walnut, oaky, touch floral, earthy, pleasant enough but not very aromatic.

taste: quite a nice ale indeed, quite a malt punch on the opening, caramel, gentle wave of sweetness follows, perhaps a bit of dark fruit flavour, quite oaky and earthy, lightly nutty, pretty decent smash of bitterness on the finish, and a smokey earthy aftertaste, very nice indeed.

feel: medium bodied, lightly carbonated, hides its strength very well, very drinkable, nice lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue.

overall: most enjoyable ale, full of which but not overwhelming flavour, very well balanced

 

 

 

 

On tap at the Porterhouse in Dublin. Pours amber with a thin head from the pour and leaves a few bits of lace. Nose is very little...just a touch of earthy hops and some fruity malts. Taste is a bit larger, but still muted for the style. Fruity malts and some alcohol. Overall just okay. Noticing a trend here with these beers.

 

 

 

At Cerveceria Internacional. Lunch with David. With russian salad + bratwurst + chorizo picante with rochefort montadito. In tulip glass. Some caramel but a very boring and flat brew. Served too cold. Had no foam, was it in good shape?

 

Had this at the Porterhouse Pub. From a bottle poured into a snifter. Depp amber hue with little head and carbonation. The nose is of rich malt. The taste is sticky sweet, comparatively to a Belgian Dubbel but lacking the Belgian yeast flavor. it is instead replaced with slight tea like hops. This is definitely a beer that showcases the malt throughout.

 

 

 

 

Reviewed in Roger Protz' "300 More Beers To Try Before You Die."
MJ's 1999 "Buide" gave it 2.5 of 4 stars and called it a "smoky, powerful ale."

This is actually pretty descent. Hazy, fig color with lots of creamy lacing. Dense caramel and dark fruit malts paired against an aggressive earthy, herbal hop. Well balanced.