Bethlehem
West LA Beer Co.

From a 16oz can, undated. Purchased at the brewery 08/29/21. (Insta shows release on or about 07/26/21). Served in a willi becher.

Pours a translucent, cola-brown with three fingers of cratered and dimpled, beige foam. Retention is pretty decent, leaving a sudsy cap and and random gobs of lacing… you know what? It looks awesome.

Aroma is earthy and warm with mildly sweet notes of milk chocolate, vanilla and custard.

Taste is in line with the nose but thinner than expected. The somewhat sweet pudding-like flavors from the nose are present, accompanied now by toast and just a smidge of Nescafé-like, instant coffee bitterness.

Feel is smooth and creamy, medium bodied but feeling a little lighter than that owing to bright carbonation. There’s a building custard-like mouth coating quality that somewhat offsets the zesty carbonation.

Overall, it’s a really good American porter. I found the flavor a little muted but, on the other hand, it’s a porter, not a stout, and the drinking experience was spot-on relative to the style.