Leatherwood Porter
Dark Isle Brewery

Poured dark mahogany with an average head with good retention. Leatherwood is a really complex flavoursome honey, and the dominant smell and taste of it is pleasant at first. However, like others have found, both smell and taste were completely dominated by the honey, and I could find little other interest in the beer. There seemed to be little attempt to marry the flavours, instead ending up a honey flavoured dark coloured drink. I struggled to finish it, and think I would have preferred just having the honey on its own, maybe with a toasted crumpet...

I've yet to try the James Boag's version, but I'm generally not convinced about the whole concept of honey porter rather than using other beer styles. Even if it could be done more successfully, are the strong roasted malt flavours of porter the best complement to the flavours of honey?

Dark Isle have been particularly hit and miss in their brewing endevours so far, and this puppy comes up badly on the wrong side. If Boags attempt to brew a honey porter was over the top and unbalanced, this is just plain shithouse. I could tell from the minute I poured this I was in for a potential 'down the sink' beer.

Looked OK, dark brown with some ruby panes when inspected in the light. Had a decent head with some staying power . The honey smell overpowered anything else happening here. It was virtually impossible to get a read on anything else going on in my nasal passage. No surprise then that the taste had the same problem. I did manage to detect that there was something like chocolate in here. But then i also detected that this beer seemed to be completely devoid of any roasted characteristics, an absolute must for a porter. The beer was too sweet by a far margin, and had no balance in flavor whatsoever. Not to mention any hops in this brew also took a hammering from the honey. It was only because a mate paid a pretty penny to get some of this that i finished it.

As i said about Boags, a honey porter is a potentially good idea. I gave them some kudos for at least having a crack. These fellows, on the other hand, are a micro who fancy their ability to do a craft beer. They have failed dismally with this one. Its as tho they brewed a crap batch of dark beer and said 'Lets see if we cant fool a few people into thinking its OK by throwing shitloads of honey into the beer'. I give them a rap on the knuckles and stern instructions to go back and get this beer right before trying to unleash this again on unsuspecting beer drinkers.

pours out a big tan head. very stable, still half a finger when the glass was empty.
light color for a porter. deep mahogany, but has a reddish glow when held to light.
mmm, sweet honey aroma. very appetising.
flavor is smokey without being too roast malt stout-like. slight raisiny finish.
being only the second porter i have reviewed, i find it difficult to compare this to the text-book porter style. all i can say is i wouldnt turn down another. looks great in the glass, and makes you think you did the right thing picking one up.

review revisited 9may05
really like the color. not sure why i said it was light beore. oh well. still good.
im no expert on leatherwood honey, but this does have a sweet honey aspect to the aroma, but also raisiny and some ther dark fruits maybe? nice.
let this one warm up and the taste really smooths out. only the slightest hint of honey (probabaly in my mind), and good balance between sweetness and bitterness.
mouthfeel is ok, but the head retention gives it that little bit of creamyness as you drink it down.
hmm. should have gotten back to this earlier. probably their best.