Porter
Standing Stone Brewing Company

This is a great porter. Not overly rich or complex; it's nonetheless very well crafted and highly drinkable. Roasted and creamy, medium in body and carbonation, notes of black coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Sweet and mellow aftertaste. Expertly balanced and highly drinkable, my only qualm is that they serve it a bit too cold for my taste. The subtler flavors come out a bit more as it warms in the glass.

On-tap at brewput in Ashhland, OR. Poured medium to dark brown, Small sized beige head that was foamy and left little lacing. Aroma is chocolate and roasted malts. A medium to light-bodied porter. Malt flavor is slightly roasted and chocolate, with earthy and floral hops. Overall a little on the light side for a porter. Balance is good, however, and the taste and mouthfeel is smooth. Sweet malt finish.

The bar at Standing Stone has high intensity pin spot lighting that shines straight down from above. If you position your beer properly, this will do much to illuminate your brew and reveal its physical attributes. It's practically an x-ray. In the case of the house porter, high intensity light reveals a cloudy brine of fogged chocolate-brown ale unshaded by a head.

The taste of this porter is clean, if not dilute, with a grainy / bready presence of malts that shy away from overt roastiness. This is a pleasant and drinkable brew with a substantial hop flavor that otherwise lives without risk or gain.