Loving Cup Maple Porter
Coalition Brewing Co.

Bottle. Pours a slightly cloudy amber color. I immediatley want to write this off as a Porter. Far lighter than any Porter I have seen. The aroma boasts some noticeable maple sweetness. There is also plenty of caramel as well and a yeasty character. Flavor also brings some maple. Some roast and subtle coffee flavor. Sweet and pretty tasty. Still, I wouldn't call this a Porter. Lighter bodied. Mellow carbonation. I enjoyed this beer for the most part. I'm not particularly perturbed by its rather odd style delineation. It will get one through a maple syrup craving.

Bottle from New Seasons Market. Pours out dark brown, still kind of clear, light coming in around the edges. Small cap of finely beaded beige head. Aroma is mostly Porter roast grains, very light, not much of the maple comes through. Taste then is a little bit weird, kind of flat, burned. Weak coffee, cheap cola. Not that enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bought 10/10/15, poured into pint glass.

Look: Pours lighter than any porter I've ever seen. Closer to a brown ale, with light, thin white head. Dissipates quickly.

Smell: Very sweet. Maple is immediately apparent here. Continues as very very slight nuttiness, a little bit of smoke, but sweet maple syrup is the clear dominant nose.

Taste: Immediately gobsmacked by maple syrup sweetness. Fades out into light flavors of woodsy, slightly malty backing. No notable hoppiness, and less clear roasted flavor than most porters.

Feel: Surprisingly thin. The maple syrup taste clings to the tongue, but the mild carbonation seems to wash it away quickly. Vaguely dissatisfying as a porter.

Overall: If I wasn't told it was a "porter," I'd be unlikely to believe it. Satisfied my maple syrup craving when visiting Portland.

 

 

 

 

 

It's decent but I'm having a hard time picking up on the maple syrup notes.