Beer of the Weekend #302: Taddy Porter

My second sampling today is Taddy Porter, brewed by Samuel Smith Old Brewery of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England.


Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. There is a cryptic batch code printed on the neck but no discernable freshness date.

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is an almost opaque black; light passed through when I held it to a lamp. Two fingers of thick, tan head dissipated slowly to leave a billowy and creamy lacing, a ring around the edge, and lace along the glass.

Smell: The first whiff is of smooth, dark malts. Dark chocolate, toffee, caramel, butterscotch, plum, cherry, black raspberry, lactose, and perhaps a little oatmeal. Coffee gives it a light roasted character, but it is far from prominent.

Taste: The first sip offers coffee bitterness, which was unexpected. When the taste buds adjust and the beer has warmed, the sweetness from the smell — chocolate, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, and dark fruit — counterbalance it nicely.

Drinkability: A solid version of the black stuff. Drinking a couple more would give me a heinous hangover, but it would be well worth it.

Fun facts about Taddy Porter:

-Style: BA classifies it as English Porter.

-Price: $2.79/bottle John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: The beer’s webpage recommends 55ºF.

-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: Here are the suggestions listed on the beer’s webpage: “Mussels on the half shell; oysters cajun style; clams; cockles and whelks; crab or prawn cocktail; lobster bisque; veal escalope; chocolate mousse or chocolate cake.”

-According to the Samuel Smith website, Taddy Porter is registered with the Vegan Society as being suitable for vegans. Good to know.

-Among the ingredients listed on the beer webpage is “seaweed finings.”

-Taddy Porter is the name of rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma. I hear the name a lot on Rock 108 but could not name any of their songs. Needless to say, I have always thought of the beer when they are mentioned.


The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.

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