Old Grind Porter | Etna Brewery
Brewed by:
Etna Brewery
California, United States
etnabrew.com
Style: American Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by rkhaze on 12-25-2003
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View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 21 | Reviews: 15
Reviews by metamorphosis316:
More User Reviews:
3.97/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber to a pint glass the liquid id plenty dark with modest carbonation. The head was small, tan and left lace.
The smell is nice, a mild roasty malt with some dark fruity notes.
The taste is good nice roasty malt, not real complex but still real nice.
The mounthfeel is good, medium body and a decent carbonation.
The drinkability is good this is my kind of porter. Prosit, MK
396 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber to a pint glass the liquid id plenty dark with modest carbonation. The head was small, tan and left lace.
The smell is nice, a mild roasty malt with some dark fruity notes.
The taste is good nice roasty malt, not real complex but still real nice.
The mounthfeel is good, medium body and a decent carbonation.
The drinkability is good this is my kind of porter. Prosit, MK
396 characters
3.23/5 rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Huge hops in the aroma as well as the expected roastiness. Dark brown with a decent tan head. A lot of hops for what looks like a mellow dark brown porter. Mellow roasted chocolate flavors and more hops in the finish. Comes across like a really poor man's version of an Alpha Klaus...like they tried to make a hop fest porter, but only doubled the hops and didn't beef up the malts.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Huge hops in the aroma as well as the expected roastiness. Dark brown with a decent tan head. A lot of hops for what looks like a mellow dark brown porter. Mellow roasted chocolate flavors and more hops in the finish. Comes across like a really poor man's version of an Alpha Klaus...like they tried to make a hop fest porter, but only doubled the hops and didn't beef up the malts.
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3.75/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
App: Pours kinda dark for a porter, very brown with an off-white head. The head doesn't stay long, but the carbonation looks alright.
Smell: A little alcohol, nice coffee... smells like multiple blends... some caramel too.
Taste: The coffee sticks out a lot with some hazelnut or macadamia tastes too. There's an intense caramel sweetness that adds to the coffee taste and doesn't override anything, followed by some balanced floral hops on the end. This is a great porter taste. I brewed one the other day and really hope mine ends up like this.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and slick... which was a little off-putting, but a deep roasted bitterness takes over balances it out. Could be better with a little more texture. There was also a hint of alcohol, which sometimes is nice in a porter, and in this one I found it added something.
Drinkability: Could be sessionable, but the taste is so specific it's definitely a mood beer. There are much easier to drink porters out there, but they may not have as strong and nicely built a taste.
1,032 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
App: Pours kinda dark for a porter, very brown with an off-white head. The head doesn't stay long, but the carbonation looks alright.
Smell: A little alcohol, nice coffee... smells like multiple blends... some caramel too.
Taste: The coffee sticks out a lot with some hazelnut or macadamia tastes too. There's an intense caramel sweetness that adds to the coffee taste and doesn't override anything, followed by some balanced floral hops on the end. This is a great porter taste. I brewed one the other day and really hope mine ends up like this.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and slick... which was a little off-putting, but a deep roasted bitterness takes over balances it out. Could be better with a little more texture. There was also a hint of alcohol, which sometimes is nice in a porter, and in this one I found it added something.
Drinkability: Could be sessionable, but the taste is so specific it's definitely a mood beer. There are much easier to drink porters out there, but they may not have as strong and nicely built a taste.
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3.95/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a nice dark brown color with a solid head.
Aromas are of coffee and sweet dark roasted malts.
Noticed flavors of roasted grains and sweet dark malts. There is a definite coffee like character to this one as well. Finishes with a hint of hops and a bit dry.
Mouthfeel is a touch too lean for a porter. But still a decent finish.
Overall... solid drinkable American Porter. It isn't going to wow you, but it's tasty, and worth a try.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a nice dark brown color with a solid head.
Aromas are of coffee and sweet dark roasted malts.
Noticed flavors of roasted grains and sweet dark malts. There is a definite coffee like character to this one as well. Finishes with a hint of hops and a bit dry.
Mouthfeel is a touch too lean for a porter. But still a decent finish.
Overall... solid drinkable American Porter. It isn't going to wow you, but it's tasty, and worth a try.
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3.61/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
A bit more Old World than Pacific Northwest, Etna's porter offering is an odd duck. Though a personal (and local) favorite, the beer has some undoubted flaws. It earns bonus points, however, for being somewhat unique in the tired catagory of American Porter.
The aroma is mild and pleasantly roasty. The black/amber-windowpane appearance is pleasing, but the head is just too damn low and dissipates all too soon. The beer is also rather low of body and high of translucence for its style (filtered?)
Old Grind Porter is, however, redeemed but the nuances of its flavor. Nutty, smokey, roasty, toasty... all in perfect balance. Nice and dry with moderate citrus-cascade backing, this beer is refreshing and *highly* drinkable. And the low carbonation and body, while officially "out-of-style," do contribute to the unique character and high drinkability of this beer, making it my choice for a session beer.
HOWEVER, my single greatest complaint with this beer is that all too often (once being too often, and thrice being the reality) it has a lacto-bacillus infection. Twice I've had six-packs with a hint of lactic sourness, which while throwing the flavor off balance, did not ruin it, but one six pack could have passed as a gueze.
1,245 characters
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
A bit more Old World than Pacific Northwest, Etna's porter offering is an odd duck. Though a personal (and local) favorite, the beer has some undoubted flaws. It earns bonus points, however, for being somewhat unique in the tired catagory of American Porter.
The aroma is mild and pleasantly roasty. The black/amber-windowpane appearance is pleasing, but the head is just too damn low and dissipates all too soon. The beer is also rather low of body and high of translucence for its style (filtered?)
Old Grind Porter is, however, redeemed but the nuances of its flavor. Nutty, smokey, roasty, toasty... all in perfect balance. Nice and dry with moderate citrus-cascade backing, this beer is refreshing and *highly* drinkable. And the low carbonation and body, while officially "out-of-style," do contribute to the unique character and high drinkability of this beer, making it my choice for a session beer.
HOWEVER, my single greatest complaint with this beer is that all too often (once being too often, and thrice being the reality) it has a lacto-bacillus infection. Twice I've had six-packs with a hint of lactic sourness, which while throwing the flavor off balance, did not ruin it, but one six pack could have passed as a gueze.
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3.14/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks to flexabull for sending this my way. Poured into a shaker pint.
The color of milk chocolate, though it’s pretty clear and thin-looking. The head is wispy, tan and very short-lived, fizzling away like a soda.
Tangy nose. Sourdough bread, medium roast coffee, dark chocolate and a hint of savory, smoky pork.
Earthy yeast sets the flavor apart from the nose, though it also begins with impressive tang. Burnt sourdough and cocoa swirl together before a dry swallow that deposits smoky meat mixed with dark chocolate.
Fairly thin body, maybe medium-light. Moderate pinching carbonation and mild fizz. Dry finish with lingering roasty bitterness.
Meh. Old Grind is drinkable enough, but it’s too sweet and sourdough-ish for me, and could use more roast. Back to the old grind in fixing up this recipe.
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look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks to flexabull for sending this my way. Poured into a shaker pint.
The color of milk chocolate, though it’s pretty clear and thin-looking. The head is wispy, tan and very short-lived, fizzling away like a soda.
Tangy nose. Sourdough bread, medium roast coffee, dark chocolate and a hint of savory, smoky pork.
Earthy yeast sets the flavor apart from the nose, though it also begins with impressive tang. Burnt sourdough and cocoa swirl together before a dry swallow that deposits smoky meat mixed with dark chocolate.
Fairly thin body, maybe medium-light. Moderate pinching carbonation and mild fizz. Dry finish with lingering roasty bitterness.
Meh. Old Grind is drinkable enough, but it’s too sweet and sourdough-ish for me, and could use more roast. Back to the old grind in fixing up this recipe.
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3.72/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle split among friends into snifters. I was greeted with a finger worth of tan head that went away to nothing sitting on top of a typical porter black colored body.
The aroma's of roasted malts and some dark fruits came wafting in my nostrils' . The flavor was exactly what I expect in a Porter mild roasted malts balanced out with just the right amount of sweetness. It only shortcoming was the mouthfeel was a little to light for me. I like my porters a little on the chewy side though.
A good drinking brew and a ok porter. I wouldn't turn it down
556 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle split among friends into snifters. I was greeted with a finger worth of tan head that went away to nothing sitting on top of a typical porter black colored body.
The aroma's of roasted malts and some dark fruits came wafting in my nostrils' . The flavor was exactly what I expect in a Porter mild roasted malts balanced out with just the right amount of sweetness. It only shortcoming was the mouthfeel was a little to light for me. I like my porters a little on the chewy side though.
A good drinking brew and a ok porter. I wouldn't turn it down
556 characters
3.35/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from 22oz bottle to goblet. Dark brown body capped by thin white head that goes quickly to thin lace & thin halo. Some big bubbles floating up. Aroma is chocolate & booze, some candied cherries. Maybe cardboard oxidation? Mouth is light but fully carbonated. Roasty malt, some unwanted vegetal flavors. Mouthfeel is nice but flavors a bit uninspired. Meh.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from 22oz bottle to goblet. Dark brown body capped by thin white head that goes quickly to thin lace & thin halo. Some big bubbles floating up. Aroma is chocolate & booze, some candied cherries. Maybe cardboard oxidation? Mouth is light but fully carbonated. Roasty malt, some unwanted vegetal flavors. Mouthfeel is nice but flavors a bit uninspired. Meh.
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3.36/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
This 22 ounce bottle of Old Grind was purchased at the brewery.
ABV is 5.0% (it's listed on their website under the PUB MENU section.)
Label describes this as a "rich dark ale." Sounds yummy.
A: Pours a translucent dark root-beer-brown. There is some fine sediment on the bottom of the glass but the beer itself is not cloudy. Small head from a soft pour. Strong ring of tan foam and a patchy head last throughout. Good lacing.
S: Dark chocolate and coffee dominate. Burnt toast. Earthy. Tea. A hint of maple syrup.
T: Well balanced. Not as hoppy as other West Coast porters that I've had. Starts sweet with bitterness coming just before swallowing and lasting well past. Taste lacks most of the chocolate smell. This is predominately coffee and burnt malts. I barely pick up a little citrus?
M: Light and creamy. A little too light. Carbonation is medium-low from a soft pour. There is a tea-like drying at the end.
O: Old Grind is very drinkable (read: not complex.) This porter excels at being average and, in this case, that is not a bad thing. Although stronger flavors and an improved mouthfeel would be welcome those would come at the expense of this beer's easy character and sessionability.
My experience with Etna Brewing Company so far shows that they produce tasty, easy to drink beers. I look forward to trying another.
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
This 22 ounce bottle of Old Grind was purchased at the brewery.
ABV is 5.0% (it's listed on their website under the PUB MENU section.)
Label describes this as a "rich dark ale." Sounds yummy.
A: Pours a translucent dark root-beer-brown. There is some fine sediment on the bottom of the glass but the beer itself is not cloudy. Small head from a soft pour. Strong ring of tan foam and a patchy head last throughout. Good lacing.
S: Dark chocolate and coffee dominate. Burnt toast. Earthy. Tea. A hint of maple syrup.
T: Well balanced. Not as hoppy as other West Coast porters that I've had. Starts sweet with bitterness coming just before swallowing and lasting well past. Taste lacks most of the chocolate smell. This is predominately coffee and burnt malts. I barely pick up a little citrus?
M: Light and creamy. A little too light. Carbonation is medium-low from a soft pour. There is a tea-like drying at the end.
O: Old Grind is very drinkable (read: not complex.) This porter excels at being average and, in this case, that is not a bad thing. Although stronger flavors and an improved mouthfeel would be welcome those would come at the expense of this beer's easy character and sessionability.
My experience with Etna Brewing Company so far shows that they produce tasty, easy to drink beers. I look forward to trying another.
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3.77/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a mahogany color, a little light for a porter. Small foamy head. Classic Porter aromas. Chocolate, coffee and roasted malt.
Tasted of creamy chocolate, coffee and dark malt. Had a citrus hop bitterness. Finished tangy and dry.
Light to medium bodied with good carbonation. Seemed to lack some ooomph! One of the lightest Porters I've had, but refreshing nonetheless.
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look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a mahogany color, a little light for a porter. Small foamy head. Classic Porter aromas. Chocolate, coffee and roasted malt.
Tasted of creamy chocolate, coffee and dark malt. Had a citrus hop bitterness. Finished tangy and dry.
Light to medium bodied with good carbonation. Seemed to lack some ooomph! One of the lightest Porters I've had, but refreshing nonetheless.
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3.28/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle purchased from a liquor store during my recent trip to Redding, it was taken from a six pack and was right under two dollars, split with my dad tonight for our night cap, poured into my Flying Dog glass
A-Very dark brown color, head was only about 1/2 inch and a light tan color, settled quickly, not much retention or lacing
S-Roasted barley, hints of smokiness and nuttiness but nothing overpowering, some dried fruits, mild coffee and chocolate as well, pretty weak overall though
T-Taste was pretty good, lots of burned grains up front, not the hoppiest porter I have ever tasted but still pretty damn dry, had a small coffee and dark cocoa flavor but mostly just roastiness in the aftertaste, got creamy towards the end as it warmed
M-Rich, dry, and roasty mouthfeel, fair amount of carbonation, taste did not last very long, pretty thin body for a porter
D-This one can be heavy on the stomach at times but it does not seem like the alcohol content is very high, smooth more at the beginning, not the most sessionable porter out there
Had never heard of this brewery, only reason I bought it is because there was a bald eagle on the bottle and it lured me in, we were actually going to visit the brewing site while up north, but chose to leave a day early and hit up San Francisco which I was pushing for the whole time, no reason to drink this again, might be worth trying
1,398 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle purchased from a liquor store during my recent trip to Redding, it was taken from a six pack and was right under two dollars, split with my dad tonight for our night cap, poured into my Flying Dog glass
A-Very dark brown color, head was only about 1/2 inch and a light tan color, settled quickly, not much retention or lacing
S-Roasted barley, hints of smokiness and nuttiness but nothing overpowering, some dried fruits, mild coffee and chocolate as well, pretty weak overall though
T-Taste was pretty good, lots of burned grains up front, not the hoppiest porter I have ever tasted but still pretty damn dry, had a small coffee and dark cocoa flavor but mostly just roastiness in the aftertaste, got creamy towards the end as it warmed
M-Rich, dry, and roasty mouthfeel, fair amount of carbonation, taste did not last very long, pretty thin body for a porter
D-This one can be heavy on the stomach at times but it does not seem like the alcohol content is very high, smooth more at the beginning, not the most sessionable porter out there
Had never heard of this brewery, only reason I bought it is because there was a bald eagle on the bottle and it lured me in, we were actually going to visit the brewing site while up north, but chose to leave a day early and hit up San Francisco which I was pushing for the whole time, no reason to drink this again, might be worth trying
1,398 characters
4.04/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Dark ruby appearance. Thin, light brown head. The slight collar leaves sporadic lace. Nose is big on the powdered cocoa and chocolate traits. A little vanilla and some coffee bean as well. Roaste malts make a presence on the nose too. I like this aroma. Flavors I pick up are juicy tobacco leaf, char, smoke, burnt malts and a little lactic sourness. All in all, an enjoyable flavor profile. The body is about light-medium and could use a boost in my opinion. The carbonation is appropriately low. Nice porter.
510 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Dark ruby appearance. Thin, light brown head. The slight collar leaves sporadic lace. Nose is big on the powdered cocoa and chocolate traits. A little vanilla and some coffee bean as well. Roaste malts make a presence on the nose too. I like this aroma. Flavors I pick up are juicy tobacco leaf, char, smoke, burnt malts and a little lactic sourness. All in all, an enjoyable flavor profile. The body is about light-medium and could use a boost in my opinion. The carbonation is appropriately low. Nice porter.
510 characters
4.5/5 rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is a beautiful porter. Roasted toffee dominates the flavor. Smell is quite inviting. This is perhaps my favorite porter, and it's incredibly drinkable for such a dark brew. I highly recommend a trip to the Etna brewery. They have several seasonal brews that they don't distribute past the room next to where they're brewed. If you haven't given this one a shot, it's worth it. Best beer of the Klamaths!
408 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is a beautiful porter. Roasted toffee dominates the flavor. Smell is quite inviting. This is perhaps my favorite porter, and it's incredibly drinkable for such a dark brew. I highly recommend a trip to the Etna brewery. They have several seasonal brews that they don't distribute past the room next to where they're brewed. If you haven't given this one a shot, it's worth it. Best beer of the Klamaths!
408 characters
2.55/5 rDev -32%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This was a difficult beer to review in that it started out with smart properties but soon settled into a beer with an unfortunate flavor and a miserable finish. Funny how thatll happen sometimes even during the course of a mere 12 ounces.
The Old Grind began with a nice dry chocolate aroma yielding notes of toffee, cola nut and chemistry set. Shouldve known that chemistry set would get the last laugh. The color was dark brown with mahogany highlights, but a shade too transparent for the style. It had minimal head and lace, no yeast residues in the bottle, and no freshness date on the label. The mouthfeel was routine.
At first the flavor was smart and roasty though the body was lacking. As the beer settled into the glass however, the aroma shifted to a nutty odor and the taste fell apart altogether. The nutty aroma was fine. But the taste took on that chemistry set profile, notably in the finish. It suggested bitter chocolate malts and then moved towards something cloying and unwelcome. Too bad, really.
I kept rooting for this beer. I kept wanting it to succeed. But in the end, it tilted towards failure and I had to make the call.
1,172 characters
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This was a difficult beer to review in that it started out with smart properties but soon settled into a beer with an unfortunate flavor and a miserable finish. Funny how thatll happen sometimes even during the course of a mere 12 ounces.
The Old Grind began with a nice dry chocolate aroma yielding notes of toffee, cola nut and chemistry set. Shouldve known that chemistry set would get the last laugh. The color was dark brown with mahogany highlights, but a shade too transparent for the style. It had minimal head and lace, no yeast residues in the bottle, and no freshness date on the label. The mouthfeel was routine.
At first the flavor was smart and roasty though the body was lacking. As the beer settled into the glass however, the aroma shifted to a nutty odor and the taste fell apart altogether. The nutty aroma was fine. But the taste took on that chemistry set profile, notably in the finish. It suggested bitter chocolate malts and then moved towards something cloying and unwelcome. Too bad, really.
I kept rooting for this beer. I kept wanting it to succeed. But in the end, it tilted towards failure and I had to make the call.
1,172 characters
3.57/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
This is a good, basic porter, which I found on tap in Redding (not too far from little Etna).
Very dark brown, it has a small off-white head soon thinning to a small ring and some wisps with a hint of lace.
The aroma is nice, basic porter. It is fruity, mostly stewed prunes, with a litle defintie coffee and general mellow roastiness. It's light but nice.
The taste is lighter, light fermented prunes with a light general roastiness, hints of coffee and dry leaves. It's slightly on the sweet side with a dryish roasty character in the finish. It's a bit bland and one-dimensional, but still tasty, smooth, and easy to drink.
630 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
This is a good, basic porter, which I found on tap in Redding (not too far from little Etna).
Very dark brown, it has a small off-white head soon thinning to a small ring and some wisps with a hint of lace.
The aroma is nice, basic porter. It is fruity, mostly stewed prunes, with a litle defintie coffee and general mellow roastiness. It's light but nice.
The taste is lighter, light fermented prunes with a light general roastiness, hints of coffee and dry leaves. It's slightly on the sweet side with a dryish roasty character in the finish. It's a bit bland and one-dimensional, but still tasty, smooth, and easy to drink.
630 characters
Old Grind Porter from Etna Brewery
Beer rating:
3.75 out of
5 with
21 ratings
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