A London Porter
The Kernel Brewery

Roasted malts, smokey, and coffee notes. Dry, with sweet finish. Bitter finish. Smooth, and well-balanced.

This appears to be a re-release after possibly as much as a decade. So it is doubtful we are talking about the recipe. But given the quality of The Kernel's brews, ratings should be similar.

This London Porter Looks great, big mocha head that stays around. Smells are as you would expect, sweet malt and something like molasses. Tastes largely follow, but in the finish I get the traditional London stale in which the new porter seems to get blended with the old. A little better than medium-mouthed. Soft. Relaxing.

As for the excellent Overall Hugs, that's for The Kernel. I just visiting their gastro pub (and reviewed it.) It was a great culinary experience. This is a very accomplished micro.

500ml brown glass bottle.
L: Glassy, dark brown (almost black) with one finger of mocha head and a few spots of lacing.
S: Spicy aroma of red berry and tobacco. Malty and lightly smoky.
T: Follows the nose plus dark chocolate. Light/moderate bitterness.
F: Rich and smooth mouthfeel with a dry finish.
O: A deliciously complex but still easy-drinking London porter. A treat.

 

Pours jet black with thick tan head.

Smell is roasted and bready with notes of pumpernickel, rye, licorice, coffee grounds and dark chocolate.

Taste is roasted, bready and slightly mineral. Notes of pumpernickel, rye, licorice and dark chocolate. Moderate bitterness and hints of cured meat and coffee grounds.

Mouthfeel is medium, smooth and well carbonated.

Overall, a terrific porter, traditional but still modern.

 

Bottled & bottle conditioned in a dark brown glass and purchased from Heaton Hops in Heaton Chapel as a carry out
Pours a jet black body with nice tan head
Aroma is treacle and treacle
Flavour is burned toast

If an English brewery can break into the American themed Beer Temple in Amsterdam, chances are this porter must have some American character. Let's try it. From a bottle, on to the beer:

Talk about black with a half-inch of head on top. The head retention could be better, as it quickly falls to a lace. The aroma of bitter hops and cocoa powder says American-style, and it's done very well. The taste brings more of its malt to the table starting with the flavor of chocolate powder. Cocoa is more defined. It still brings some hops, more specifically hop leaves and resin. Despite the 5.5% alcohol, the beer has almost a chewy texture and is full bodied.

Kernal's porter is worthy, and well-fitting at the Beer Temple. Maybe one day I'll see their beers in the US, but for now I'll settle for this one taste.

Purchased at an Odd Bin chain wine shop in London recently; bottle-conditioned in a 500ml brown bottle, BB 11/09/2011, served cool in Gulden Draak's tulip shaped sniffer.

A: pours a very dark brown colour, topped with a dark beige froth that settles slowly to a thin rim to last; carbonation is light but constant.
S: aromatic in terms of roastiness, with hints of light coffee, treacle, fresh & sour-ish berry fruits, and a bit of Fuggles hops in the remote corner.
T: lightly sour and bitter-sweet, lightly nutty or bean-ish apart from the lightly roasty coffee-ish taste, then the dry-ish & bitter-ish palate of hoppiness expands and mixes well with a lasting fruity sourness that provides just enough "edge" to balance the roasty aroma felt vividly down the edges of the tongue... somewhat chewy in the finish, too.
M&D: very well bottle-conditioned, unlike the Pale Ale I had which was purchased at the same shop; the palate is refreshing, the carbonation smooth, and the body balanced, medium-ish, matching well a gently-flavoured profile all in all. More like a traditional Porter, I would say, and very drinkable this is.