Pullman Porter
Steam Plant Brewing Company / Stacks Restaurant

Drank at the brewpub bar, it is served in an imperial style but standard size pint. The beer is dark brown with a tan head. As with most beers at this brewpub, it has good lacing.

Nice aroma of charred malts, brown sugar.

The taste tracks the smell. I taste roasted malts, brown sugar and a bit of blackstrap that all add up to a tasty beer. I like the dry chalky finish and how the roasted malts stay on your tongue.

The mouth is silky but could be beefed up a bit (minor quibble). This is an easy drinker and more than makes-up for the disappointing Centennial Pale.

“Voted best porter in the Pacific Northwest at the U.S. Beer Tasting Championships.” Not by me. Pullman begins with a pinched, tawdry body and an overtly spoiled smell. It is opaque black with a sudsy film of tan head that trails modest lace. The flavor is oxidized and isn’t as awful as the smell or mouthfeel. But it can’t overcome these deficits. At best it achieves a mild measure of roastiness after a bit of patient warming. But I couldn’t bear to finish my pint.