Amburana Porter
Three Weavers Brewing Company

What in interesting beer. I've had it on tap twice now. Once at Beer Belly in mid-Wilshire LA and just now at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks. At Boneyard it was paired with Atlantico Rum rum on the side and the two played very nicely together.

This beer is going to be a little hard to explain due to the interesting wood aging. The look is consistent with a dark porter with a copper tint. It pours with a nice one inch head. I did not notice much of a smell, but on both tasting occasions, the restaurant had a lot of other smells going on. Mouthfeel is fairly thin, like Old Engine Oil. Carbonation produces a nice head, but does not feel overly carbonated. The taste is hard to explain. The best words I have are "wood" and just plain wood. There is no "seasoning" from wood that has held some other beverage like bourbon barrels for example. The result is a very different and very tasty beer. If you like thinner porters like Old Engine Oil, you'll probably like this one. I will definitely drink it again and give it a strong recommendation as worth trying while not being "traditional." IMO, a fine effort to produce something that stands out in today's crowded craft beer marketplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at Whole Foods in Venice, CA.

Pours a clear dark copper with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and spice aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa powder, char, cinnamon, and spice flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of roast and spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with great cinnamon and spice qualities all around from the amburana wood.

Serving type: on tap.

A: Wood, with a bit of cinnamon spice-like aroma coupled with a slight malt sweetness.

A: Deep black color with a thinnish slightly off-white head.

T: Roast malt sweetness, coupled with a woody slightly cinnamon spice like note.

M: Med-light bodied with moderately light carbonation

O: The Amburana wood provides an interesting woody, spice like aroma and flavor to the beer. Quite enjoyable wood aged, wish there was a local cooper in the SoCal area that could make a barrel out of Amburana. I’d love to see this aged further or mixed with other barrels to bring out complimentary aromas and flavors.