Sunday, September 23, 2012

Dark Horse Thirsty Trout Porter

Tasted at 8th Street Grille on Sunday at noon, as apparently Holland doesn't allow alcoholic beverages to be served before then so I waited with my laptop at the bar composing the up coming collaboration brew with Bad Apple in Chicago.
6.5% ABV

Appearance: Quite dark, but not to absolution as some light is able to penetrate the base of the glass and around the edges. Full and muddy looking, nevertheless. The head is extremely minimal, with only traces of foam filming across the surface of the beer.
Aroma: The scent whaffs from over a foot away, characterized by a soothing milk chocolate and touch of roast and fire. Up close, I get notes of toasted bread and roasted chestnuts.
Taste: A tingle from the fine carbonation helps encourage a rich chocolate malt base with extremely sweet proportion. This continues on far past expectation into the finish, along with the chestnuts from the aroma. Earthy and nutty undertones prominate in the finish. The aftertaste is accentuated by a faint grain husk bitterness and the ever-remaining chocolate. Very little bitterness in this one, though it is enough to balance the heavy malts that fuel this beer.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly thin in the front, but girths up as the liquid travels over the tongue. By the middle, the body is already full and robust with a slight chalky texture, of which I find desirable to these dark malt heavy beers.
Overall Impression: I thought this beer was pretty darn good for something with very little notice/publicity of its production. Boasting a huge chocolate and toasted nut malt flavor and a rich developed body, i find it to be an ideal porter for any beer menu. Maybe lets see some of this in bottles?

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