Dark Horse Too Cream Stout: Review

Dark Horse Brewing Co.

Marshall, Michigan, USA

Darkhorsebrewery.com

Abv not available from Dark Horse

Beeradvocate reports it as 8%

Fall & Winter Seasonal

Made with milk sugar (lactose)

Thick sediment sits at the bottom of this bottle.  For me, I have to stir this up.  Make sure to either roll the bottle before opening and/or save an inch of stout at the bottom of the bottle to swirl in the rest of the sediment.

Appearance: black body with a very thin dark roasted tan head (1/2 finger).  Swirling the glass you can see the viscosity of this stout.  It looks like maple syrup dripping down the glass with each swirl.  This also kicks the head up a bit as well as the aroma.   

Aroma: deep roasted malts and grains, roasted cocoa beans,

Flavors: delicious roasted malts, to me it has the right amount of sweetness from the milk sugar, 90% dark chocolate bitter bite at the finish

Mouthfeel: nice creamy texture, the sweetness hits my palate on the delivery and travels up the middle of the tongue and then the bitter notes fold around it from the side, not as syrupy as I thought it was going to be, dark chocolate bitterness on the finish and aftertaste, smooth texture

My Strength Rating: 7.5 – medium-full – the smooth style keeps me from calling it full

To the Point: a good to very good Cream Stout. I personally like the dark roasted notes.  While, I personally don’t think of this as complex I do think of it as having a very good personality.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager: Review

The Boston Beer Company

Spiced with cinnamon, orange zest and ginger

I like to order this beer on tap at a tavern when I go out.  I think the recipe has changed with time.  I don’t think it is as spicy as it used to be. 

Appearance: rich copper body with a bone white head. 

Aroma: light herbal-spice nose, malty

Flavors: the mild cinnamon and ginger are noticeable, orange zest – wish it was there, light toasted caramel malts, grassy hops,

Mouthfeel: a bit thin from what it used to be years ago, semi-moderate carbonation, light spice on the aftertaste, watery edge

My Strength Rating: 4/3.5 – mild-medium

To the Point: another example that Samuel Adams has out grown their own pants, they are making beer for the masses, have they forgotten their roots?

Meantime Coffee Porter: Review

Meantime Brewing Co.

London, England

Meantimebrewing.com

11.2 oz bottle

6% abv

$4.99 a bottle

Malt beverage fermented with ground coffee and lactose

This is a great looking bottle and that builds my expectation.

Appearance: almost black body with a cola like edge.  One finger tan head that disappeared before my eyes. 

Aroma: coffee mocha nose

Flavors: what else? Coffee.  And, a tasty coffee taste at that.  Roasted nut shell.  A little thin after that.  But, I like the coffee flavor.

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, a thin watery feel,

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – low on the medium side, the thin mouthfeel plays a big role.

To the Point: for 5 bucks a bottle I expect more out of my porter.  Get it around 2 bucks a bottle it’s not bad.  There are better porters out there for less money. 

Arcadia Ales London-Style Porter: Review

Arcadia Brewing Co.

Battle Creek, Michigan, USA

7% abv

42 IBU’s

12oz bottle

Arcadiaales.com

Appearance: dark brown body with a tan ½ finger head that thins out real quick but, leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aroma: smoky roasted grains, touch of coffee,

Flavors: good roasted grains, smoked malts, coffee grounds, hint of dark chocolate (85% type), toasted oak, bitter notes from the hops hit on the back of the palate.  (As I found out later it’s not oak but beechwood.)

Mouthfeel: moderate-low carbonation, smooth delivery, bitter notes on the finish, lingering smoky roasted grains and coffee notes on the aftertaste

My Strength Rating: 7 – solid medium-full dark roasted notes and a good lingering aftertaste

To the Point: a very worthy Porter. 

Just visited their web site and they smoke the malts with Beechwood.  They describe the Porter as, rich, smoky, peaty, earthy, grassy.  Visit their web site they do a nice job explaining their beers. 

I am looking forward to pairing this with a fine cigar. 

Shorts Brew Black Cherry Porter: Review

Brewed with Black Cherry Puree

Short’s Brewing Company

Elk Rapids, Michigan, USA

Shortsbrewing.com

7% abv

58 IBU’s

Made in October

I made some chili with this the other week.  The recipe called for water and to me that means a good tasty ale, porter or stout instead.   

Make sure to swirl the last couple of inches in the bottle to stir up the sediment.  I swirled that damn bottle till the cows came home and there still was sediment on the bottom of that darn bottle.  Swirling the bottle not only gets the sediment mixed in, but also helps to give it a little better head.

Appearance: pretty much a black body with brown, ever so slightly, around the edges.  The deep tan head looked like whipped mousse by the time I was done swirling that bottle so much.  Syrupy like legs drip on the glass with each sip.

Aroma: dark roasted coffee and dark bitter chocolate notes with of course dark cherries.

Flavors: a bit of a syrupy dark cherry taste that dominates the 90% like dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee.  The three different hops used in this Porter adds a nice bitter tone that helps to balance the five different malts.   

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, almost creamy and almost syrupy and almost stout like – no it is stout like, bitter note on the mid and late palate, long lingering sweet cherry and roasted grains,

My Strength Scale: 8.5 – full bodied porter

To the Point: I remember buying the six pack and trying the first bottle that night.  I was not too thrilled.  The black cherry, which can come across a little medicinal like, was too dominating for me.  I had my next bottle after have a meal and the palate was ready to handle a fuller bodied porter like this.  I felt this porter going on me.  This Porter is not for everyone.   

Have yourself a big steak dinner and then pour yourself a bottle of this Black Cherry Porter by Short’s Brewing and enjoy an after-dinner treat. 

Southern Tier Porter

Dark Robust Porter

Southern Tier Brewing Company

Lakewood, New York, USA

Southerntierbrewing.com

5.8% abv

Okay, I have tried to review this beer a couple of times and I think I fell asleep both times trying.  So, don’t let the ‘Dark Robust Porter’ on the label fool you too. 

Appearance: really dark brown body with a ½ finger tan head and that was with a good pour. 

Aroma: very light, more brown lager like than porter, some light roasted tones.

Flavors: if this was a brown lager it would be nice, but a porter … really … a porter.  Roasted grains, toasted dark bread, some sweet malts in the mix, maybe some chocolate, there is a watery edge.

Mouthfeel: I can’t get pass the watery edge on this porter.  I want a creamier body or some viscosity to it. 

My Strength Rating: 4 – mild-medium overall, short aftertaste, big watery edge.  If I was grading this porter I would give it a C. 

To the Point: the flavors are nice but, the body to this porter is weak.  They need to put on the label, “Dark Watery Porter.”

Pier Cove Porter: Review

Saugatuck Brewing Company

Douglas, Michigan, USA

Sbrewing.com

6% abv

36 IBU’s

Appearance: dark cola like color with a good tan head that leaves some decent lacing on the glass.

Aroma: sweet roasted grains, little smoky, dark bitter chocolate note,

Flavors: roasted grains, touch of dark chocolate with dark roasted coffee bean, on the finish there is a sea grass and citrus rind bitterness – it is not strong, when you think about what it is it’s strange but when you don’t think about it – it is just bitter. 

Mouthfeel: low-moderate carbonation, malts on the delivery and hops on the finish, lingering roasted grains and hoppy bitter notes.

To the Point: to me there is something missing – maybe a creamy porter texture could do it.  If you like a porter with a moderate bitter bite on the finish – this is for you.  I enjoyed it.  A decent porter. 

Old Leghumper Robust Porter

“So many legs… So little time!

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

Akron, Ohio, USA

Thirstydog.com

6.7% abv

24 IBU’s

Damn, I wish I was this dog. 

Appearance: very dark brown and as close to black as one can get - with a cola edge on the rim.  Very thin head and not much lacing.

Aroma: thin to me. Hint of roasted notes with a touch chocolate.

Flavors: the taste is better than the nose.  Sweet roasted malts, touch of chocolate, mild coffee,

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, lingering toasted grains, smooth yet seems thin overall probably because of the watery edge to this ale.  Medium-Mild overall for a ‘robust porter.’ 

My Strength Rating: 4 – the watery edge on the delivery takes it to the mild side of medium.  Nice roasted notes, but nothing standing out. 

Anchor Porter: Review

Anchor Brewing Co.

San Francisco, California, USA

Anchorbrewing.com

Code: ON3 Like that helps me to know if it’s old or fresh while I am in the store.  And, I went to their web site and there is no place to enter the code to find out when it was brewed.  Leave it to a California brewery to leave you in the dark – they must have learned from their politicians. 

5.6% abv

Appearance: pitch black body with a 2 finger tan head

Aroma: nice medium roast coffee, roasted grains, hint of sweet raisin

Flavors: moderate roasted notes of grains, coffee, maybe a touch of chocolate

Mouthfeel: fizzy fine carbonation that gives this porter a crisp feel, low-moderate bittering, smooth overall

My Strength Rating: 6 – just edging into the medium-full range.

To the Point: A nice Porter to sit back and enjoy, I personally don’t think it is super special as it reviews on beeradvocate (A- or excellent with 1,312 reviews),

This would be a very good Porter to pair with a tasty maduro cigar. 

Cabin Fever brown ale: Review

New Holland Brewing

Holland, Michigan, USA

Newhollandbrew.com

6% abv

12 oz bottle

Brown ales or lagers are not my favorite style but, I am always drawn to them.  I think I always expect more out of them.  I have to remind myself that they are just a lager with some roasted notes and usually lightly roasted at that.  Brown lagers are nice as a session beer sitting around the ol’ campfire on a winter day. 

Appearance: brown with chestnut highlights and a light tan head

Aroma: toasted bread, dark fruit that reminds me of raisins,

Flavors: toasted wheat and rye bread, lightly roasted notes swirl around a light caramel malty tone. 

Mouthfeel: low-moderate carbonation, smooth, dark lager like, light roasted notes on the aftertaste.

My Strength Rating: 4 – mild-medium overall; light aftertaste,

To the Point: a tasty brown lager as far as brown lagers go.  For the cigar smoker, like me, this Brown should pair well with almost any type of cigar. 

Shorts Brew Soft Parade: Review

Short’s Brewing Co.

Elk Rapids, Michigan, USA

Shortsbrewing.com

$9.99 a six pack

12 oz bottle

Nothing like doing a summer beer review during the winter months.  It is like positive thinking.

‘High Gravity Ale fermented with blueberries, strawberris, raspberries and blackberries.’

Appearance: shiny amber with pinkish highlights and a soft ballad (white with a soft pinkish hue) head that leaves plenty of lacing on the glass.  Make sure to swirl the last inch of beer in the bottle before pouring into the glass to get all the sediment on the bottom.

Aroma: candy sweet berries like that thin taffy candy

Flavors: mixed berry flavor for sure, touch of candy like sweetness, underneath the mixed berries there are some malts and hops but, the berry flavors just dominate.

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, light and lively on the tongue, lingering strawberry/blueberry note the palate.

My Strength Rating: 4 – just like the name implies, a soft parade of berries dancing across the tongue. 

To the Point: This would be a nice one on a hot summer day.  I am not a big fan of berry type beers but, I could drink a whole bottle of this.  I probably would never drink two bottles back to back.  My wife really liked this beer. 

Michigan Brewing Peninsula Porter: Review

Michigan Brewing Co.

Webberville, Michigan, USA

Michiganbrewing.com

I don't know what they did to their web site

but, they don't give any stats or info on their

beers anymore

Bottle size: 12 oz

5.5% abv

Appearance: dark cola with a tight foamy tan head.  Easy to pour a two finger head.

Aroma: faint roasted notes

Flavors: roasted coffee, toasted malts, moderate bittering

Mouthfeel: medium feel, lightly roasted linger notes, watery edge, moderate carbonation,

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – moderate flavors, fairly simple overall, watery edge

To the Point: easy drinking, good introductory porter, nothing special overall