Grand Union Honey Porter
Grand Union Brewery, The

This porter was tried at my favorite JDW pub The Lord Moon Of The Mall. The medium brown beer was topped by a tannish head that lasted nicely but left no lacing. Some chocolate notes accompanied the roasted aroma of the beer. Taste was strong of coffee with some licorice, this beer had a light body and was a bit light feeling for a porter. Not a fantastic Porter by any means but i've had better. Seeing the other reviews have been more positive perhaps i had a uncharacteristically off pint.

Sampled again at the Cross Keys, a JDW pub in the City area, London.

A: pitch-black hue, coming with a fluffy, thin and sparse off-white beer head with good retention.
S: sweet date and nut (roast walnut), roast-malts, burned sugar, with a sweet hint from, apparently, honey... light, aromatic, as well as profoundly malty, showing a good balance overall.
T: richly dark maltiness caresses the tongue, bringing aboard roast-maltiness, coffee-ish flavour, and sweet dark chocolates with a twish of honey-ish sweetness minus the honey flavour (making sense?)... a roasted/charred hint is left at the back of the palate, where sweetness meets a mild sourness and roasty bitterness to reach a lovely balance. Isn't it lovely!
M&D: light, refreshing, yet utterly smooth on the palate; a bitter-sweet porter with superb drinkability. It's so tasty that I went back to the bar and asked for another half to make it a full pint. A well-deserved winner it is--highly recommended~~

Sampled at the Belfast Beer festival on 25th Nov 2005.

Poured almost completely black - only the slightest hint of brown when held up to the light... Big foamy creamy tan head lasted until the end....

Aroma - Very strong dark chocolate, roast malts, coffee, nutty, honey and sugar notes...

Taste – Strong roast malts, bitter dark chocolate, strong dark coffee, slight liquorice notes, nice sweetness...

Feel - Very creamy, only mild carbonation...

Overall - An exceptional porter, one of my favourites. Highly recommended !!