Black Anvil
Anvil Brewery

1 liter bottle 4,0% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
Purchased at the brewery.

Appearance: Wow, Black Anvil is pretty dark for a porter! It looks black in the glass and a back light reveals only faint red highlights. A rough pour yields a good sized cream coloured head that lasts pretty well, but leaves surprisingly little lace.

Smell: Mmmm, this smells really good - almost a cross between an oatmeal stout and an English porter. Nutty, well toasted malt dominates, with notes of roasted malt, black coffee and chocolate. As the beer warms, the nutty, toasted malt seems to be replaced by a more roasted, lightly smokey character.

Taste: As the nose suggested, this is one super delicious beer! Nutty, well toasted malt dominates initially with notes chocolate coffee, roasted malt and smoke. As the beer warms the roasted character increases and a light sweetness is noted. The finish is roasted and lightly bitter with lingering notes of coffee and light smoke.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderately high level of fairly smooth carbonation. A small reduction in the level of the carbonation would make a big difference to both the feel and the drinkability of Black Anvil.

Overall: This is easily the best beer I have had from Anvil and in fact one of the best South African beers I have had to date. I will certainly be buying more of this!