Bananas Foster Porter
New Holland Brewing Company

 

1842
Name: Banana Fosters Porter
Brewery: New Holland
Location: Holland, MI
Style: Porter
ABV 13.2%
Date: 02/15/2022
The brewery that brought Dragon's Milk brings us this concoction. Using a tulip glass, I served the beer at 50 degrees. A creamy tan two-fingered head with average retention was created from the pour. The somewhat slow dissipation left some lacing on the glass. Charting the color somewhere around SRM 28, dark brown with rusty hues. The appearance is average for this style.
Nosing the glass, I smell rum, bananas, caramel, cinnamon, wood, lightly toasted bread, burnt sugar, and molasses. The aromas are muted to me; I definitely smell bananas foster.
I taste rum bananas, caramel cinnamon, dusty barn, lightly toasted bread, molasses, burnt toffee, a hint of char, chocolate, lightly roasted coffee, and leather.
The mouthfeel is warming. The body is medium, has a medium carbonation, and has a lingering finish.
I seriously do not know why, but I do not like it. The alcohol is overpowering and, at times tastes like banana cough syrup. I wanted to enjoy this beer, but it's a nope for me. I cannot finish the beer. I have actually had banana fosters and I have seen it prepared several times when I worked in a Private Country Club. Does not taste like that flambe banana deliciousness in brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and rum.

Poured into a tall clear pint glass. Body appearance has a very dark mahogany tint to it, with more than a finger's worth of tan creamy head, with good retention and lacing.

Aroma is sweet and complex. Notes of cinnamon, rum, toffee, vanilla, bananas, nutmeg, fudge, cream/milk, chocolate roasted malts, nuts, and sweet desserts like pound cake and fudge.

Taste follows the aroma. Mainly tasting the rum, vanilla, bananas, nutmeg, and cream/milk/esters and alcohol, couples with everything else. Like a nice little desert. Body is medium light.

 

On tap at New Holland Pub. Poured an opaque, jet-black color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left minimal lacing on the glass. It smelled of rum, vanilla, chocolate, caramel and toffee. Nice run taste with lots of milk chocolate, vanilla and toffee.

 

Canned 2/15/22 - Enjoyed 6/9/22
Poured very dark brown with a khaki head that dissolved quickly and left no lacing.
Aroma was mostly rum, with a touch of cinnamon.
Taste followed. There is a little banana in there but rum rather overwhelms it. I may have left it in the cellar too long.
The feel is appropriate for the ABV, which is steep for a porter: 13.2% but it’s an excellent sipper.
OA, if nothing else, I now want to actually try a Bananas Foster.
Tasty beer, but this isn’t the sweet spot as far as cellared goes.

Poured at fridge temp from a can. Pours black with light brown head. Bubbles throughout. The nose is cinnamon, nutmeg, rum, bananas, cream, and fudge. The taste is really good. Tons of rum and bananas. Cinnamon, maple, vanilla, chocolate, toffee, and a bit of roasted malts. Dark bread. Very nice! The mouthfeel is pretty thick. Sweet aftertaste. Overall, a great take on the porter.

 

 

While beer has always allowed and even promoted pantry flavors to all uniqueness, intrigue and lovability to its ales and lagers, that notion is tested by New Holland Brewing as they blur the line between bananas foster dessert and imperial porter in this pastry concoction of a beer.

Dark brown and with a tinge of cola amber at its hue, the hazy porter floats a creamy slight tarnish froth. An abundance of toffee laden aromas greet the nose with nuttiness, light toast and all the dessert staples that stewed banana, cinnamon spice and sweet rum have to offer. Sweet upon the initial sip, a bold display of caramel, crumb cake, toffee and a hint of chocolate in a full and malty upstart.

As the flavors roll along the middle palate, the sweetness stews gently on the tastebuds and the stewed and caramelized fruit sugars of banana add a unique and complex flavor with a quick followup of medium cinnamon, light nutmeg, vanilla and sweet cream give the beer a pep while bringing the flavors together. Trending woodsy with a slight coffee-like bitterness, the late flavors remind us of the porter dark ale that is the foundation for flavor.

Full bodied, spicy and rounded with persistent malt sweetness, the beer is off-cloying and with a dry rummy finish. An aftertaste of light banana and bolder cinnamon outlasts much of the flavors except for that bold jolt of rum spice in the end.

Canned on 2/16/22. 16oz can poured into a tulip. Pours almost black; small khaki head that fades leaving decent retention and lacing.

The aromas have a decent amount spice leading the way, especially cinnamon and peppermint. The bananas come through. Mild rum notes in the aroma department. Malts are there. The aromas open up as it warms.

The flavors are pretty bold but remain balanced. The rum definitely comes through in the flavor department. More cinnamon and peppermint. The bananas come through blending well with everything. Some rye and black pepper in the mix. Mild spiciness. Subtle sweetness to go with a subtle bitterness. Malts do their thing. Lots of alcoholic flavors. The alcohol is definitely noticeable and it finishes warm. It's slightly boozy.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied with active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy and smooth.

This is a solid brew. I love cinnamon in beers, but I'm personally not a fan of the cinnamon profile that's used in this one. Other than that, the rum and bananas come through. I still don't think that it's bad or anything like that. It's still ultimately enjoyable and fun to drink for me.

 

Pours a dark brown color with a minimal head that lasts quite a while. Aroma is like soda pop, sweet. Taste is on the bitter side, not sweet. Cinnamon is present but not much banana.