Beer of the Weekend #299: Bell's Porter
The beer I will recommend in the January LV will be dark and vicious. The question is, “Which one?” I will try to answer that in the next couple days — the due date is next Thursday — with the brews I picked up at John’s today. If I do not like them I may fall back on Moo Joos, which was stellar and from a small town Midwestern brewer.
The beer tonight is Porter, brewed by the Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Comstock, Michigan.
If I remember correctly, this will be the fifth porter/stout I have sampled from Bell’s. Usually a brewery will have a stout or a porter, but Bell’s brews an impressive 13 different versions of the black stuff, including special draft-only brews. That is insane. I have to give mad props to the Bell’s crew for their dark malt obsession. In our age of excessive hoppiness, it is very noteworthy.
Serving type: Twelve-ounce bottle. The “PKGD” date written on the back label is “8/30/11.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is black but not opaque; when held to a lamp, light passed through. One finger of cappuccino-like head dissipated quickly to leave a thin film, a group of bubbles in the middle, a thin ring around the edge, and a little lacing decorating the side of the glass.
Smell: Roasted scents of coffee, caramel, and dark chocolate are subdued with cream or milk chocolate. The coffee stands out more than the rest.
Taste: The mouthfeel is thick and smooth, and the flavor matches it perfectly. The roasted bitterness is prominent but not overpowering. The coffee is balanced by sweetness from dark chocolate, caramel, and milk chocolate. It is creamy, too; very reminiscent of oatmeal stout.
Drinkability: I tend to suspect porters and stouts that are not opaque, but this is solid. It is very thick and flavorful.
Fun facts about Porter:
-Style: Should be self-evident. BA classifies it as American Porter.
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), chocolate, beef, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-Marketing nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
-Porter is available year round and has a six-month shelf life.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
The beer tonight is Porter, brewed by the Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Comstock, Michigan.
If I remember correctly, this will be the fifth porter/stout I have sampled from Bell’s. Usually a brewery will have a stout or a porter, but Bell’s brews an impressive 13 different versions of the black stuff, including special draft-only brews. That is insane. I have to give mad props to the Bell’s crew for their dark malt obsession. In our age of excessive hoppiness, it is very noteworthy.
Serving type: Twelve-ounce bottle. The “PKGD” date written on the back label is “8/30/11.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is black but not opaque; when held to a lamp, light passed through. One finger of cappuccino-like head dissipated quickly to leave a thin film, a group of bubbles in the middle, a thin ring around the edge, and a little lacing decorating the side of the glass.
Smell: Roasted scents of coffee, caramel, and dark chocolate are subdued with cream or milk chocolate. The coffee stands out more than the rest.
Taste: The mouthfeel is thick and smooth, and the flavor matches it perfectly. The roasted bitterness is prominent but not overpowering. The coffee is balanced by sweetness from dark chocolate, caramel, and milk chocolate. It is creamy, too; very reminiscent of oatmeal stout.
Drinkability: I tend to suspect porters and stouts that are not opaque, but this is solid. It is very thick and flavorful.
Fun facts about Porter:
-Style: Should be self-evident. BA classifies it as American Porter.
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), chocolate, beef, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-Marketing nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
One of our many award-winning beers, Porter emphasizes the darker, roasted aspects of malt. Hints of dark chocolate and freshly roasted coffee provide the focus, while hops remain in the background. Not as full-bodied as a stout, Porter bridges the gap between malty brown ales and our more heavily roasted stouts.
-Porter is available year round and has a six-month shelf life.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
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