Lawlessness
Platform Beer Co.

Today is my (Un?)Happy New Jumping Off of the New Platform Beer Sunday (Week 755)! I have been redding up my house during my CANvalescence from surgery & putting together a number of brewery horizontals in doing so. I had planned, even before its announcement about its sale to A-B/InBev, to drink a buncha beers & a seltzer from Kleveland's Platform Beer Co. for this week's NBS. I was disheartened to hear of the news, especially having read the GI story. I am not one to boycott a beer due to their acquisition by a large corporation, but it did take some of the wind out of my sails.

From the CAN: "Porter"; "Dark*Roasty*Rich"; "Malts[:] 2 Row[,] Munich II[,] Chocolate[,] Beech Smoked Barley[,] Special 8[,] Victory[,] Hops[:] Northern Brewer[,] East Kent Goldings[,] Fuggle[,] Yeast[:] San Diego[,] Plato[:] 15.5[,]; "Fresh. CLE. Beer."

I Crack!ed open the vent & in beginning a slow, gentle C-Line Glug, I was pleasantly surprised to see a pseudo-cascade leading to the formation of a LOT of head. I decided to allow it to settle before CANtinuing & it eventually became two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-tan/light-brown head with excellent retention. Color was Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing cola highlights only at its edges. Nose had a light smokiness and a pronounced milk chocolatiness. The hops gave it a very hay-like/grassy quality. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste, while very chocolaty, was more bitter than the nose had led me to expect. It was more towards liquefied baker's chocolate, which was fine since I am less enamored of sweet stuff. The smokiness was also more evident than it had been on the nose. Finish was semi-sweet/bittersweet with a lingering smokiness. This was quite good! YMMV.

 

 

I got a six pack of this from my local beer store around the corner. It poured an opaque dark with ercu head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent had hints of chocolate and roast. The mouthfeel is lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it's a solid porter.

Appearance: Pours with a volcanic bubble show that settles in with three full fingers of foam capping the coffee colored liquid; great staying power and impressive lacing

Smell: Chocolate, toast and caramel

Taste: Opens with the chocolate, with some light roast tones building; toasty, with some caramel tones, through the middle; with some roast and chocolate bringing home the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A very pleasant porter; everything is in balance

Thanks, N-Gogol, for the opportunity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 ounce can into pint glass, no can dating. Pours clear nearly opaque very dark brown color with a 1 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that linger. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, fudge, toffee, and toasted brown bread; with lighter notes of nuttiness, coffee, smoke, dark fruit, herbal, floral, and roast/toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, fudge, toffee, and toasted brown bread; with lighter notes of nuttiness, coffee, smoke, dark fruit, herbal, floral, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, fudge, toffee, toasted brown bread, light nuttiness/smoke, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and light earthy hop flavors; with a great roasted bitter/sweet balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Slight dryness from lingering hop/roast bitterness; lightly increasing through the glass. Light-medium carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/silky, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6.25%. Overall this is a very nice American porter. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. Great malt complexity and smooth roasted character; with just enough hops to balance the sweetness. Great example of the style. A very enjoyable offering.