Tiramibru
Wolf Of The Willows

If you ask me what my favourite dessert is the answer will be a clear and concise: Tiramisu... or lemon meringue pie... or profiteroles... or banoffee pie... or gelato... or banana pancakes... anyway the point is: Tiramisu is the first thing I think of when I want my mouth to salivate, and those clever peeps at Wind in the Willows have made a Porter with Muscat port and cold-drip coffee - theoretically this should be the beer of the year for me, but let’s not be too hasty and let the hype train derail itself Doc [as I am want to do].

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Presents with a deep opaque brown body and a decent 1 cm almost tan coloured head that slowly drops back to a lace blanket on top. Looks s’right as far Porters go. Nothing “wow” about the look, just a nice normal Porter. 7/10.

S: At first the aroma is full-on espresso, like damn there’s a lot of coffee in this, but a second whiff reveals slight hints of that Muscat port, although personally I like my Tiramisu with more of a port than a coffee slant. Apart from that it’s hard to detect much else, the coffee notes reminded me of Burleigh’s Black Giraffe for some reason - the quality of the coffee and the method employed smells similar. 7/10.

T: They’ve done well here, aside from light burnt espresso notes that linger on in the aftertaste, this is one cake-like brew. The Muscat port comes through with a nice cloying sweetness - it is a dessert after all - cold-drip coffee throughout the palate with hints of cocoa that come through too. The combination of port and coffee is well defined and as tasty as a Tiramisu. 8/10.

M: Perhaps the best part about this brew is the medium bodied and creamy mouthfeel - cream (or mascarpone cheese) is an ingredient in Tiramisu, and whether or not they intended it Wind in the Willows have brought an element of creaminess to this Tiramibru that makes you think of Tiramisu - well done! 9/10.

D: Lush and decadent coffee and port: Check! This is one beer to savour and enjoy whilst chipmunks sing you Christmas carols in front of a fire roasting chestnuts... or the other way round [who doesn’t love singing chestnuts?]. Anyway if you want a nice Porter that is moreish, slightly cloying (but in a good way), brewed by Wolf of the Willows and also a one-off occurrence for the GABS festival of 2016 - you’ve definitely found your beer! [one might say the only beer to fit these criteria] 8/10.

Food match: Do you even have to ask? Really?! Really?!?! Fine: Tiramisu.