Peregrine Porter
Nuttycombe Brewery

The current Description has the ABV at 4.4%. The ABV was changed years back and I've requested it be amended here to show 5.0%.
L- Effectively black. Clear, but be aware it is bottle conditioned. Pours with a 1Cm fine-bubble mid tan head. (ps. 15 mins later, holding *really* well, impressive).
S- Just a mild roasty-toasty smell.
T- Roasty-toasty, log ashes, mild hints of smoke. It has decent pungency for a 5% beer.
F- I've served this chilled. I wonder how it is a touch warmer. I'm wondering if the pungency would rise where to me it would work better as a cold season beer than year-around.
O- It's very nice, a full-on flavour that would tie well with a higher ABV% version. I was put off 'black beers' in the 80s by the hideous over-injected CO2 factory-Guinness. It was decades before I ever wished to try another one. This beer is an example of why I'm glad things have changed, with non-factory black beers increasingly available. This comes over as a well made, and balanced beer. There's 0 out of place or balance that I note. Would I drink it again? Happily.
Bought from Beers of Europe/UK for UK home delivery. 500ml bottle. BBE: April 2021 (printed in black ink on the black cap!?)

 

Half-pint of the newer 5% ABV version: hand-pulled in the Cock Hotel, Wellington, Shropshire on 18th Nov 2012. I know Cotleigh have a bit of a name for brewing loads of boring 'samey' beers, but this is different and good.

Almost black in appearance: good head of foaming biege coloured bubbles sat on top and refused to leave.

Roasted almost burnt maltiness to the smell and taste: this in turn suggested dark chocolate, coffee and liquorice flavours to my nose and throat.

Full bodied and fairly creamy and rich, obviously well looked after in the celler, this was in good condition. I would have had another but I was on a Sunday afternoon mission and had to visit other pubs before nightfall, pity.

Appearance is a very dark brown with decent off-white head that lingers

Smells of hmmm salt?!! and some malt

Tastes a bit better there is salt malt and dark cocolate

Mouthfeel is a bit creamy lowish carbonation medium body

Well I can drink this but would i chose to

Bottle from ASDA grocery store in Weston-Super-Mare. Bottle conditioned, which is a big plus. Classic dark appearance and tan head. All the flavours you would expect (rich chocolate malts, plus a hint of smoke), as well as a rich fruitiness. Calmed my nerves while staying with family!