Porter tasting

Opinions are opinions, but wow. Couldn't disagree with you more. Top 3 porter for me along with Founders and Eddie Fitz (my #1).

 

Total winner, this is exactly what I was going to type maybe sans Anchor. If you are local to Yuengling distro you can throw that one in there too. I'd stay away from VAS, it's not a fair fight with the other "regular" porters.

 

Agree 100%, and Yuengling would be a fantastic addition that I forgot about due to range of distribution and the underdog status as an arguably non-craft brewery. Probably top 5 for me in a cost/quality lineup.

Imperial Porters with added flavors and/or adjuncts like VaS should be left out.

 

To each their own. I personally found 4 Beans ununderwhelming, while VaS is one of my favorite porters. While it lacks vanilla, a closer head-2-head would be VaS against Oskar Blues Hotbox coffee porter. My $0.02

 

Sierra Nevada
Black Butte
Tallgrass Zombie Monkie
Edmund Fitzgerald
Founders

 

my picks as well

 

A brewer can call a beer anything he wants so labelling one a "porter" doesn't define what a porter should be.Some times the name is chosen simply because it sounds better.Trying to create a divide means uninventing all that's already happened ; horses and stable doors get involved
Not to mention the many examples which have at times been labelled "stout" and at another time been "porter" without any changes being made.

 

From what I can get in CT:

Founders
Sixpoint 4Beans
Sierra Nevada
Smuttynose
Maine King Titus
Back East (local CT beer)

 

I personally disagree - but the point is for them to try various porters so they can decide for themselves.

 

The more appropriate porter to include from Ballast Point is Black Marlin. The Victory at Sea suggestions make me laugh.

 

If you get Great Lakes are you seeing Alberta Clipper???

 

I agree with this.

Look at the ABV or you could be comparing apples and oranges.

I really like 4 Beans!

 

Strongly recommend adding Highland Oatmeal Porter. Doesn't have national distribution but good regional distribution and you should be able to get it fairly easily. I did a Porter tasting with several friends and let's just say it fared very well

 

Unless you win the lottery and get your hands on Everett

 

Odell Cutthroat needs to be mentioned again. My go-to shelf porter.

 

Atwater Vanilla Java Porter
Founders Porter
Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter
Sam Smith's Taddy Porter
and Evil Twin Ashtray Heart

 

I prefer the Founders beer (and it even comes in six packs).

 

LUCKY!

 

This is where I would start, too. Then, I'd add 1-2 porters I don't drink often but are available locally. I'd rank these as less important, since I think you already have the logical core of the tasting.

 

Haven't had Great Lakes Porter - being from NY - but I really like SN Porter over Anchor or Founder's any day.
I find Founders to be alittle too boozy for the style.

People suggesting imperial and vanilla porters are really misunderstanding the style - imperial porters are totally different than a nice casual "sessionable" traditional porter. A porter shouldn't be made imperial or with a ton of adjuncts in my opinion. Just call it an imperial stout.