For Richer Or Porter
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Reviewed from notes. This was on tap at the brewpub. This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a decent dark brown color ranging close to black with a bar pour’s kind of slim white to off white foamy head. Light lacing does end up showing it’s face slightly but trickling for the most part. The smell had a roasty sort of dark chocolate and a light coffee trying to invade but maintaining a nice background. Decent amount of light citrus hops help to balance. The taste was mainly sweet but still had a decent roasty chocolate flavor. Citrus hops are super delicate in the background. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability about it. The carbonation was there indicating a fair sharpness but nothing overbearing. Overall, I say this was a pretty good Porter I’d have again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap @ Iron Hill Lancaster on 1/13/12. Served in a 10 oz goblet.

Pours brown/darker amber, with a ½ finger of light mocha colored head. This retains with a thin creaminess that skims the top and leaves back a robust cascade of heavy lacing that sticks a bit to the sides of the glass. The aroma smells of fresh American hops, with floral tones and citrus flavors that meld into a roasted smokiness and sweet notes of cocoa and caramel along the back. Those hops leave the biggest impact on the nose here though.

The taste has a fresh biting citrus character to it that then segues nicely into a roasty feeling backend, with toffee and cocoa sweetness coming in off the sides to help balance things. This finishes dry and bitter, with a touch of lingering leafy spiciness from the hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a smooth feeling crisp creaminess to the carbonation. This just glides along nicely in the mouth, with an easy feel that is still able to pop that bitterness and roast as well.

This was a nice take on an American Porter, with those hops really adding a fresh assertiveness to the proceedings and that body packing a lot of flavor into itself for being 5-6% ABV. Congrats to Kevin! This is truly a worthy wedding beer!

 

On draft at IH Lancaster.

Pours near black with a retentive tan head that leaves excellent, thick sheets of lace. Aroma is dark and robust, typical for a porter before finishing up with a potent citrus hop blast. Roast malt, grain, molasses, brown sugar, etc start the flavor before the citrus immediately jumps in and leaves an interesting bitter and charred finish. Pleasantly full body, this was a fun take on an American Porter.

A wedding brew at IH Lancaster.

A: The porter is black and forboding, as I noted early, eerily similar to the Chicory Stout, as least until the nose and taste kick in. A white head comes with this one.

S: Citrus hops are in abundance, sharp and bitter. The hop aromas stand in contrast to the dark, roasted porter body. Very big and very bold without a syrupy booziness.

T: Described as roast and toast. And it is apt. Dark porter flavors, roasted grains, chocolate, and molasses, all take turns at the front. Hoppiness comes in even before the porter flavors, rich citrus flavors that are quite bitter. The contrast of bitter hops and scorched malts makes the potter work, different flavors coming together. A hoppy porter like this blurs the line between black ale, hoppy stout, and hoppy porter. Should make for a good reception.

M: Citrusy and well-roasted, the mouthfeel packs quite a bit into 5.5%. A pleasantly hoppy porter.