JSP-Johnny Smoke Porter
Wolf Of The Willows

 

Tonight on I Hate Macros watch as Doc struggles through another beer review - searching for humorous metaphors to describe beer flavours and more! Follow Doc, and his self-deprecating inner voice inserted cleverly in square brackets [like so!], as he continually mocks himself for our entertainment! Witness the general meandering shambles of Doc’s thoughts captured online for all to see! Only on I Hate Macros *theme song plays* The beer: Wind in the Willows JSP Johnny Smoke Porter - I like the fox on the label - I think that will be my new avatar on BA. Done!

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Dark and dirty reddish-tinged brown with a thin tan head on top - this is one pleased fox in a dinner jacket with a meerschaum pipe right here. Although, if one were to nit-pick, the head is a wee bit miserly... just saying. 7/10.

S: Beech wood smoke up front, lingers around like that characteristic Schlenkerla bacon sandy (Oztralian for “sandwich” - we abbreviate every word we can in case you hadn’t noticed). Earthy tones and some light chocolate malt notes give off a scent of sweetness as well. 8/10.

T: Yep, it’s Australia’s answer to Schlenkerla! Smoked bacon, earthy/chocolate sweetness and a light medicinal bitterness in the finish - this is one damn tasty Rauch Porter! Much like Schlenkerla’s brews the smoke lingers on like a dying campfire in the aftertaste. Flavour could be a touch more amped up - but that’s coming from someone who used to drink a steady supply of the mighty Schlenkerla Urbock - so I do have somewhat a dense Rauch palate. 8/10.

M: Mid to light bodied with a thin(ish) carbonation: This is the lowest point of the JSP experience - if we’re comparing JSP to the Schlenkerla brews (and let’s be fair that’s like comparing a young up-and-coming country wrestler with Hulk Hogan) JSP definitely needs more body and a creamier carbonation. 6/10.

D: Overall an impressive effort of a Rauch from an Aussie brewer, it’s amazing we can put up a brew like this in a style the German’s have been brewing since Roman times. It just goes to show how decent Wolf of the Willows are as a brewer - they’ve definitely got street cred in my books... plus JSP can tide over my Rauch cravings until I find a Schlenkerla stockist here in Brisbane ;-) 8/10.

Food match: Bayrischer Krustenbraten mit kartoffel und Dunkelbier soße.

From bottle, Pours black with tan head which disapates quickly. Aroma is of smoked roasted grains. Taste is roast, rich smoke, chocolatey malt sweetness, touch of dark caramel leading into wood fire smoke and black roast grain, bit of coffee.