Old Farmhouse Porter
The Tap Brewing Company

This beer poured a black body with an off-white/tan head.

The nose was a lovely mix of dark roasted malts, molasses and even a little smoke.

The taste was medium bodied with a nice round dark malt flavor. Again, crisp dark malts, roasted malt, molasses, soft chocolate and a beautiful undertone of smoke (sort of like an old fireplace). An even bitterness that perfectly matches all the flavors.

An interesting beer that really pushes the limits of what a porter can be. Simply delicious though, a myriad of flavors and easily one of the best porters I’ve had. People should make more porters like this.

Really, really dark, and not thin looking at all. Just how I like porters. Not much of a head on the beer, but a slight lace later formed on the glass. The aroma was smoky sweet, reminded me of the farm I used to visit as a kid where they boiled the maple syrup they collected. The smoky sweet carried over into the flavor where I also noticed hints of burnt chocolate and hops--which gave a nice little bite in the finish. The mouthfeel was full of life with the carbonation well matched. Sometimes I find that parters on tap are served a bit flat. The beer was also not served completely chilled, but just warm enough to release more of the flavor. I could drink this beer for quite some time and find myself very happy.

Sampled this Old Farmhouse Porter at the brewpub in Haverhill, MA.

This Porter poured a very, very dark brown with some red if held to the light, and with light brown, creamy foam that settled but clung to the glass a bit and left some lacing. The smell was slightly sweet roasted malt with a hint of cocoa. The taste was very nicely malty with a light sweetness. There were notes of coffee and cocoa, hints of toffee and mollasses, a very light hop bitterness, and a very, very light touch of smoke in the flavor. The mouthfeel was creamy and very smooth with medium-full body and low to moderate carbonation feel. The lightly bitter and malty flavors lingered. This was a very, very nice and enjoyable roasty porter.

Woke to the rooster’s cock-a-doodle-do with this one on 12/17/2004. 16-oz. angular pint pour at the Sunset.

Initial 1/8 inch mocha down settles to a washing, sand membrane with a great lace and stick to the bottom. Black hue, with little else to say about it, except perhaps inscrutable. Tough to pull out a bouquet, but slowly a family tree of lightly singed willow comes to the fore with some chocolate or black patent malt jostling for the hand of the princess. Luscious, liquid tumult of char, spruce, bitter cocoa, and a trace of fig to taste, cooling down quickly to a trembling hand of papal forgiveness. Another gold star.