Beer of the Weekend #234: Chocolate Porter
Unlike last Monday, when I used the enthralling federal election in Canada as an excuse to stay up past my bedtime, I have no good reason not to hit the hay… Other than the fact I have a big bottle of beer eager and willing to be emptied.
The beer tonight is another northeast Iowa exclusive I picked up last Thursday morning at the Hy-Vee in Waverly: Chocolate Porter, brewed by the Angry Cedar Brewing Company of Waverly, Iowa.
Serving type: A single one-liter bottle with a bottle cap and swing cap. There is a price label and maybe batch code on the back, but no discernable freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is an opaque, jet black. The head looked pretty thin and pathetic during the pour, but afterward one finger’s worth of thick, tan foam developed; it dissipated quickly to leave a proper, porter-like ring around the edge and spiral galaxy of lacing in the center.
Smell: I could smell a lot of dark, roasted chocolate and coffee during the pour, which is exactly what is smells like in the glass. Though I do not think it is supposed to be an oatmeal stout, it has an oat smoothness.
Taste: Though the body is very thin and watery, it is packed with roasted flavor. There is a massive roasted coffee and dark chocolate presence, tickling my dark malts preference. Each sip leaves a lasting and welcome bitterness in the mouth.
Drinkability: The only thing this porter lacks is a lot more body. Much like the amber ale I tried from this brewery, I suspect there are quality control or packing issues that contribute to the beer’s lackluster taste. However, I would love to try this again once those issues have been taken care of; I think it could be a sinister porter.
Fun facts about Chocolate Porter:
-Style: BA classifies it as an American Porter.
-Price: $7.49/one-liter bottle at the Hy-Vee on 4th Street SW in Waverly, Iowa.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), chocolate dessert, beef, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-I paid a nickel for deposit on the bottle, and I know damn well there is no way I will ever be able to redeem that five cents. If reform is needed regarding Iowa’s bottle bill, it is that all bottles with a deposit charge should be redeemable everywhere. I’m tired of going to the electronic redemption machines and having half of my beer bottles (including those from Millstream) rejected because the machine does not recognize them.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C.
The beer tonight is another northeast Iowa exclusive I picked up last Thursday morning at the Hy-Vee in Waverly: Chocolate Porter, brewed by the Angry Cedar Brewing Company of Waverly, Iowa.
Serving type: A single one-liter bottle with a bottle cap and swing cap. There is a price label and maybe batch code on the back, but no discernable freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is an opaque, jet black. The head looked pretty thin and pathetic during the pour, but afterward one finger’s worth of thick, tan foam developed; it dissipated quickly to leave a proper, porter-like ring around the edge and spiral galaxy of lacing in the center.
Smell: I could smell a lot of dark, roasted chocolate and coffee during the pour, which is exactly what is smells like in the glass. Though I do not think it is supposed to be an oatmeal stout, it has an oat smoothness.
Taste: Though the body is very thin and watery, it is packed with roasted flavor. There is a massive roasted coffee and dark chocolate presence, tickling my dark malts preference. Each sip leaves a lasting and welcome bitterness in the mouth.
Drinkability: The only thing this porter lacks is a lot more body. Much like the amber ale I tried from this brewery, I suspect there are quality control or packing issues that contribute to the beer’s lackluster taste. However, I would love to try this again once those issues have been taken care of; I think it could be a sinister porter.
Fun facts about Chocolate Porter:
-Style: BA classifies it as an American Porter.
-Price: $7.49/one-liter bottle at the Hy-Vee on 4th Street SW in Waverly, Iowa.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), chocolate dessert, beef, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-I paid a nickel for deposit on the bottle, and I know damn well there is no way I will ever be able to redeem that five cents. If reform is needed regarding Iowa’s bottle bill, it is that all bottles with a deposit charge should be redeemable everywhere. I’m tired of going to the electronic redemption machines and having half of my beer bottles (including those from Millstream) rejected because the machine does not recognize them.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C.
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