Cherry Chocolate Porter
Oak Creek Brewing Co.

Nice, nearly-opaque ebony-brown color, with some hints of mahogany hues at the edges. Quick-dissipating head that nonetheless retains a clean eighth-inch ring of cappuccino-colored foam. The nose expresses medium-roast coffee, semi-dark chocolate (maybe around 70%) with touch of clotted-cream, as well as some toffee and dry grain (though not much in the way of any fruit aromas, much less cherry-specific smells). First oral impression is the mouthfeel: excellent soft-touch, with a smooth and supple medium-thin texture that firmly announces this is a porter and not a stout, but still has a touch of syrup about it thanks to the core sweetness of malts, cocoa, and very dark dried cherries, all operating in concert. One quibble I'd make is that I think "chocolate" should be the first descriptor, as there *are* the aforementioned desiccated-cherry elements, but they are soft and roundly whelmed by the remaining flavors: touch of charcoal-like smoke, big roasty-malt layers, and that characteristic bitter-fruity cocoa-nib taste, along with the more buttery chocolate-bar notes.

Overall, a very solid effort that walks astride the line between "sessionable" and "sweet-treat" thanks to its balance of separate sugars, mix of cocoa, coffee, and dry-grass bitters, and well-calibrated mouthfeel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at the Oak Creek Brewery in Sedona. Served in a tulip glass.

Pour was black in the glass with just a suggestion of dark brown body is revealed. In smaller quantity, the very dark but clear mahogany Smallish but moderately durable and very creamy, tan head. The glass is coated with each tip. A very good looking beer.

Aroma: Mildly sweet with an good mix of cherry, chocolate and roasted malts, with the cherry rather forward and the chocolate rather faint.

Taste: Mildly sweet with an excellent balance of cherry, chocolate and roasted malts. The limited sweetness and faint spicy/herbal character show the hops.

Medium body with a touch of dryness in the finish. Medium and modestly lively carbonation may be a tad higher than optimum. Very smooth.

O: a very fine, lightly sweet porter. Even better than their regular porter. Excellent as a dessert beer, but not so sweet as to discourage use on other occasions.