Darwin's Forehead
Fonta Flora Brewery

 

For a dark brown with light tan head. Somewhat coffee like. But not overwhelming. taste is heavy on the coffee like a cold brew. My bitterness on the background.

On tap at a whole foods in Lexington, KY.

It’s dark sight for thirsty eyes with a creamy head that I’ve rarely seen the likes of other than on nitro.

Hersheys, graham cracker, and toasted marshmallow. It’s a rich aroma. It really captures the campfire roasted treat.

Smokey chocolate, toast, and some light licorice. It’s a tasty Porter.

It is a very smooth mouthfeel with medium-light body and low carbonation.

This is very nice, very pretty, and minimally hoppy.

Pours an effervescent cola color with a pinky of tan head. Near zero head retention & no lacing

S: Smokeyness, roasty, was hoping for nose

T: Follows the nose, pretty dang dry & iron up front. Dark chocolate & dryness, some smokeyness once this beer is warmed up, a touch of saltyness too. Finishes dry with, smokeyness, dark chocolate & a little salt & leafy hops

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation

Solid Porter the salt brings a different slant

 

6/13/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased May 6, 2025 at Beer on the Wall at store temperature for $4.55 including tax, refrigerated at home until opening this evening. 16 oz canned February 24, 2025, 6.2% ABV Salted Brown Porter. Brewed with water from our wells and 70% local ingredients. Brewed & canned in Nebo, North Carolina.

Appearance: Poured about 2/3 of the can into a shaker pint glass, yielding a near black base, though more of a dark brown pouring, bubbly and creamy sustained tan white head, which leaves soapy lacing and a creamy cover over the entire base. Nice. 4.0

Aroma: Caramel and roasted malt from the time I opened the can, bakers chocolate. Sweet and decadent, strong and persistent. 4.25

Taste: Sustained focused salted caramel and bakers chocolate, with the roasted malt and possible bittering influences left behind. Slowing down to type my review, so it's damn good. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Drinks pretty easy, perhaps the sweetness makes it so. Watery pillowy light body, negligible carbonation. Definitely a desert type selection, but not cloying to my sweet sensitive palate. Salted caramel and bakers chocolate from start to finish, and beyond. 3.75

Overall: This is a solid porter, one I'd grab when I am in the mood for a sweeter type beer. Glad I finally came across a Fonta Flora beer, and hope to find more here or on future travels down the road. 4.0

Aroma is a complex mix of dark malts, chocolate and caramel. The flavor is fruit, dark malts, a hint of salt and a mild/medium sweet toffee/slightly acidic finish.

Th.e beer is a dark red/brown color with a one finger tan head that reduces to a film. No lace.
Aroma of chocolate and coffee.
Nice taste. Coffee, chocolate, caramel, and a bit of salt.
Some pleasant bitterness in the mouth.

Evolving the porter style into something more, Fonta Flora looks to specialty caramel and chocolate malts as well as sea salt to elevate the style to new life.

Dark brown and slightly hazy, Darwin's Forehead releases a think sheet of soft tan froth ahead of a robust chocolate, coffee and caramelized scent of toast and earthy hops. Sweet on the tongue, the full flavors of medium toast, breakfast blend coffee, chocolate, pecan and caramel swirl on the tastebuds. Salinity only works to make these malt flavors more rounded and softer on the palate before finishing with a bark-like bitterness laced with nutty coffee and peppery spice.

Full bodied, but relaxed on the palate; certainly shy of cloying, the porter is daringly drinkable despite being dark, perfect as a dark beer for all seasons, weather or time of day... I mean, if you believe in any of that stuff.

Picked up a 16 oz single from the Blue Door Bottleshop in Hendersonville 3-10-25 for $5.00. Canned on 2-24-25; consumed 3-17-25. Cold stored since purchase.

Beer poured dark brown with a pretty good off-white head.

Nose is nice, getting notes chocolate and coffee.

Taste is a malt combination that is giving me caramel, chocolate, and coffee. Hopping is adequate to balance to the point of a nice light touch of sweetness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth.

Overall, this is a brew that gives a lot of flavor in a 6.2 abv package.

Looks like the perfect Porter. Rich, dark liquid with an off-white head. From there it sunk a little. For me it was more of a brown ale. High on the carbonation, Quite dry to the taste with a watery feel. It's OK. Glad I tried it. Now moving on.
P.S. They did bump the ABV up to 6.2%.

 

 

(16 oz can, purchased cold single at Pinocchio's last weekend... shared between two stemless wine glasses)

They weren't lying, this beer falls in the 'brown porter' realm; darker and dirtier looking than a brown ale, but no black tone to the liquid... on the palate, the 'salted' part comes out in a subtle mineral salinity in the aftertaste, but not to the degree of a modern Gose... dark, woody malts, but without a defined, expressive sweetness or roasty-toasty edge... just a mess of brown bread-crusty grain... relatively bold in its overall expressions; would definitely get this again (2249)

 

 

Dark brown with the finger of off-white head. Smells like smoke, caramel, and toasted malts. The taste follows the nose with a slightly salty addition. Medium body wth high carbonation. Drank in Canton North Carolina August 15, 2023.

Moving right along with the Fonta Flora beers that brentk56 sent me in a trade, we have another interesting one, a sea salt Porter. It seems like an odd adjunct when not combined with others, but I’m interested to see how it works out. Let’s crack it open and get into it

Pours completely pitch black with 2 fingers of creamy light tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is quite sweet but not overbearing, the salt is subtle though. I’m picking up on aromas of milk chocolate, sweet caramel, brown sugar, raisin, vanilla, dark toast, cola, a touch of sea salt

It’s a little more biting and roasty in taste, but still never gets aggressive. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting medium roast coffee, molasses, dark bread, sea salt, cocoa powder, burnt caramel, and light black cherry. The swallow brings notes of acidic coffee, dark toast, sea salt, cocoa powder, earthy hops, brown sugar, and molasses

A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a creamy and silky beer. Finishes mostly dry and roasty

This is an interesting concept, but not too far off from a standard Porter

 

Had it on tap. Great beer, good flavor. Not overly salty. Would drink again.