Wild Card Month

WILD CARD 

This month we at BOTB decided to throw caution to the wind and bring a favorite (or interesting) beer that we had not yet reviewed. Amazingly they were all IPAs or DIPAs. What a strange coincidence. We ended up with some pretty terrific beers - some new and some old favorites that somehow had slipped through the cracks of our crack team of reviewers. We'll get to the reviews in a bit. But first...

LOCAL BEER TAKES TOP HONORS

Congratulations to Auburn, NY's Prison City Pub and Brewery. Their Mass Riot IPA was named the best IPA in the country by Paste Magazine, an online culture and entertainment emag. Let me repeat that - best in the COUNTRY! It competed in a field of 247 IPAs in a blind taste test. Take a look HERE to view all of the beers in the competition. It's pretty impressive. They also took a silver medal at The Great American Beer Festival for their Belgian Pale Ale earlier this year. 

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find their beer outside of the Auburn area. Hopefully that will change soon. 

In the meantime - send us some beer!

BRECK IPA

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: IPA; BREWER: Breckenridge Brewing, Littleton, CO; ABV: 6.3%; IBUs: 66; MALT: Full Pint

What the Brewer Says: "Finding the right balance of aroma, hoppiness, and fullness of flavor is a mountain worth climbing. that's what we've done with Breck IPA. Scrutiny of ingredients and experimentation with process resulted in this yin and yang - distinctively pleasant floral aroma with crisp hop flavor that's mellowed by Full Pint malt, a relatively new and unique malt variety. Drink up. Breck IPA is available all year long!"

Color: Unfiltered golden

Pour: Decent head

Aroma: Floral hoppy nose

Body: Bit beyond Medium

Taste: Hop bitterness at the front, caramel, fennel grass

Overall Impression: Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "Solid malt backbone; Good mouthfeel; Not a bad beer; A really nice beer if you ask me; I'm a fan; Complex beer, more so than you would expect from a 6.3%; A decent IPA, might not be my go-to, but I wouldn't turn it down."

EXTROVERT IPA

LEFT HAND BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Left Hand Brewing, Longmont, CO; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7.1%; IBU's: 75; MALT: 2-row, Rye, Wheat, Caramunich III, Acidulated, Carafoam; HOPS: Jarrylo, Cascade, Comet

What the Brewer Says: "A hoppy attitude and a mouthful of dynamic flavors give this IPA a big personality. Assertive, fruit-forward hops with aromas of orange blossom and pineapple mingle with flavors of wet pine and sweet malt with a dry finish."

Color: Unfiltered Golden

Pour: Fairly decent off-white head with nice lacing

Aroma: Yeasty, sweet

Body: A bit beyond medium

Taste: Somewhat sweet for an IPA with deep caramel/malt overtones. Some citrus  bitterness comes through

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Heavier, yeasty British taste, No grapefruit taste that I could detect; A sweety; It works; Different hops at work here, kind of earthy taste going on; I prefer a drier finish myself; A little bit of pine there, though surprisingly malty sweet."

SLO MO' IPA

EMPIRE BREWING COMPANY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Empire Brewing, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 49; HOPS: Falconer's flight, Mosaic

What the Brewer Says: "Slo Mo' is a true American IPA brewed with a blend of Falconer's Flight and Mosaic Hops to convey bright tropical citrus notes for a crisp dry finish."

Color: Unfiltered wildflower honey golden

Pour: Pretty decent head with nice lacing

Aroma: Grassy, earthy, spicy

Body: Medium

Taste: Hints of Caramel/toffee, orange peel with a pleasing spiciness

Overall Impression: Between "I Could Drink This!" and "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "An adequate beer, in my opinion; Solid beer; This is one of the best beers I've had of theirs; Unique; I like it; Flavor of some of their other beers, I'm just not a fan; It's just unique enough so that I like it; Seems to lack the bitterness you look for in an IPA at first, but then it comes through with a smooth aftertaste; They only seem to be bottling this, White Aphro, a Stout, an Amber and a Light, I think. But they've got a ton of beers at their brewery; My favorite is their Liv and Let Rye."

RACER 5

BEAR REPUBLIC BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Bear Republic Brewing Co., Sonoma County, CA; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7.5%; IBUs: 75; MALTS: Malted Barley, Wheat, Crystal Malt; HOPS: Columbus, Cascade.

What the Brewer Says: "This hoppy IPA is a full bodied beer brewed with malted barley, wheat, and crystal malts. The malt base is designed to highlight the unique floral qualities Columbus and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest. Racer 5 is one of America's most medal winning IPAs. there's a trophy in every glass."

Color: Hazy golden

Pour: Somewhat better than Decent head, off-white.

Aroma: Grassy, some hints of pine

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Complex, full-flavored with solid malt, hints of coffee, piney, grapefruit, solidly West Coast IPA

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "This is their iconic beer; Freaking-A good beer!; Clean aroma; They've never had a reason to change this beer; I can't believe we haven't reviewed this until now; Smooth, balanced; Terrific beer; Tried and true, it's what I expect from an IPA; Generally always in my fridge; It's got that nice citrus/pine you expect with a good solid malt base; Great beer!"

LATE KNIGHT IPA

MIDDLE AGES BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Middle Ages Brewing Company, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.10%; MALT: British Pale, Pilsner; HOPS: Citra, Amarillo, Cascade, Chinook

What the Brewer Says: "This beer has a very light body but is loaded with citrus hop flavor."

Color: Crisp Golden

Pour: Between Decent and Guinness Class off-white head - nice lacing with staying power

Aroma: Piney, citrus, herbal

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Citrus, pine, with bit of banana/clove British vibe one expects from Middle Ages, but not overpowering, creating a nice blend of Brit/US IPA taste.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough

Comments: "Nicely balanced for a double; Sneaky good, but dangerous because it's so smooth; Really hoppy with a strong British malt backbone; A nice fusion of West Coast American and British IPAs; Clean; Goes down like a session - should come with a warning label; Their ImPaled Ale is more a classic British IPA than American, this is a delicious melding of the two; I like the way Middle Ages expands their inventory of beers to include a variety of styles while staying true to their roots; Terrific beer, I'm so glad to see it bottled now."

CREEKER

ITHACA BEER COMPANY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Ithaca Beer Company, Ithaca, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.5%; MALT: 2-Row, Caravienne; HOPS: Citra, Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Mosaic, Amarillo

What the Brewer Says: "Piney at the nose, Creeker is by no means an ordinary double IPA. Creeker is all hops with little malt body. Enjoy the intense citrus flavor with tropical notes, floral aroma and full body mouthfeel."

Color: Unfiltered wheat

Pour: Decent white foamy head

Aroma: Floral with bit of mustiness, peppery spice and pine

Body: Fairly full-bodied

Taste: Citrus, piney resin, not much malt but hints of toffee/caramel, nice grapefruit tang, good alcohol warmth without overpowering.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Heaven in a bottle!; An excellent beer; Well blended; What you'd expect from Ithaca Beer; Don't need a paddle with this Creeker; Can definitely tell it's a higher alcohol; Terrific aftertaste; Real nice East Coast IPA - big on the floral and citrus flavors; Orgasmic experience!"

GREAT BEYOND DOUBLE IPA

BREWERY OMMEGANG

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.8%; IBUs: 83; MALTS: Pilsner, Munich20; HOPS: Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Mosaic, Calypso, Mandarina Bavaria; YEAST: American Ale

What the Brewer Says: "Double IPA is a style we were excited to brew - it's a further exploration beyond the Belgian styles we are known for historically. Nirvana received such a great reaction, of course we wanted to see if we could take that to another level."

Color: Hazy wheat

Pour: Big Guinness Class head, thick and white.

Aroma: Spicy, fruity with some pine resin.

Body: Full

Taste: Big, hoppy, citrus taste redolent of grapefruit and tropical fruits

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Nice beer - a real sipper; I could drink that beer, alright; Not a Belgian at all; I would not have pegged this as an Ommegang beer, totally out of character from what you would expect; You can't beat Ommegang if you're a fan of Belgian style beers, and now they've made a delicious American style IPA, good for them; This beats out Nirvana, and I love Nirvana!; Ommegang has garnered quite a reputation nationally, you go to any self-respecting craft beer store and you're bound to find Ommegang; I really like this beer!'

THE RESULTS

It was a tough call. To be honest the last four - Racer 5, Late Knight, Creeker and Great Beyond all scored unconditional "Can't Get Enough!" Racer 5 is the only straight up IPA of the four with the lowest ABV (7.5%,, not exactly session level)  so that might be a choice if you're going to have more than one.

Of the remaining three, they ranked as follows:

5. Breck IPA - Nearly scored a "Can't Get Enough!" Very good IPA.

6. Slo Mo' IPA - Some of us really liked this Empire Brewing IPA, others were underwhelmed. 

7.  Extrovert IPA - We felt this was certainly a drinkable IPA, but not one we would seek out - a bit sweeter and maltier than the others.

Next Month - American Pale Ales

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

ESB = Easy Sippin' Beers

ESB = Easy Sippin' Beer

As I'm sure you know, ESB actually stands for Extra Special Bitter, a name given to a class of English Pale Ales. English pale ales are often referred to as "bitters." But "bitter" is a bit of a misnomer as the beers tend to be anything but bitter. In fact they tend to fall solidly on the malty/sweet spectrum with the hops there to balance the taste. Most bitters fall somewhere between 20 and 40 IBUs, well below the bitterness level of, say, an American IPA which can clock in at anywhere from 60 to 80 IBUs (though the upper end tend to be reserved for double or imperial IPAs). 

The use of the appellation "ESB" is restricted in Great Britain to the Fuller Brewing Company, which owns the rights to it. However "Extra Special Bitter" can be freely used. The restriction does not apply in the US, so brewers are free to call their beers ESBs. So what makes a beer an Extra Special Bitter, versus a Best Bitter or a Premium Bitter or just plain Bitter? Alas, there are no hard and fast rules on this. In Britain brewers are allowed to use any of those terms pretty much as they see fit. Here in the States, ESB should signal a beer that is malt forward with varying levels of hop, generally floral British hops such as Goldings and Fuggles. Distinctive British yeast, which imbues the beer with an ester-y quality completes the picture.

What is the difference between an American Pale Ale and an ESB (a British Pale Ale)? Basically two factors: the hops and the yeast. American yeast strains add little to the taste of the beer, allowing the hops and the malt to take center stage, while British yeast has a fruity/banana quality that flags the beer as a British beer. While there are many strains of American hops, the classic American Pale Ale will have a kind of grapefruit/pine aroma and taste that will differ from its British cousin, which tends to be more floral/grassy in nature.

This month, the BOTB Guys combed the landscape for some ESBs (including Fuller's ESB), and found some brilliant brews. Luckily, ESBs tend to be low ABV so we didn't get too pissed or rat-arsed as we reviewed these fine beers.

LANDLADY ESB

QUEEN CITY BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Queen City Brewing, Burlington, VT; STYLE: Extra Special Bitter; ABV: 4.2%; MALT: English Pale, Crystal; HOPS: Styrian Goldings, Kent Goldings; YEAST: West Yorkshire Ale Yeast

What the Brewer Says: "With a malt character that typifies the finest Yorkshire ales, this smoothly rounded Extra Special Bitter provides a depth of flavor, an aromatic fruitiness, and a flowery, hoppy elegance in the finish."

Color:Copper

Pour: Minimal head with some lacing

Aroma: Bready

Body: Just shy of Medium

Taste: Malty, bready, biscuit-y, banana, cloves

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: Pretty nice tasting beer; Smooth, typical British-style taste; It's got that banana/clove taste from the British yeast; Very much what you would expect from an ESB; Not overly carbonated, giving it that "real ale" vibe; Very smooth, bit of caramel, touch of hops but mostly malt, which you would expect; Good easy-drinker."

BLUEBIRD BITTER

CONISTON BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Coniston Brewing Co., Coniston, Cumbria, GB; STYLE: Bitter; ABV: 4.2%; MALT: Maris Otter Pale, Crystal; HOPS: Challenger

What the Brewer Says: "It is, quite simply, a wonderful beer. It is exceedingly  pale...with just a hint of colour in its cheeks from the dash of crystal malt. It has a massive orange fruit aroma from the Challengers, balanced by biscuity malt."

Color: Copper

Pour: Minimal head with some lacing

Aroma: Malty, Pilsner-ish aroma

Body: Somewhat thin

Taste: Not big flavors, malt with hints of horehound and bit of orange

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "A bit of horehound, Cleaner smell and taste than Landlady; Kind of a watery mouthfeel; Light bodied, for sure; Little bit of toffee, malt, bread, but nothing big; Certainly easy to drink."

ESB

GREEN MAN BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Green Man Brewery, Ashville, NC; STYLE: Extra Special Bitter; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 32; British malts and hops.

What the Brewer Says: "A malty amber ale boasting rich toasted and caramel flavors, Green Man ESB is one of our award-winning signature brews. Our blend of authentic British malts and hops creates a nutty aroma, full body, and a sweet finish. Prepare yourself for a truly exceptional interpretation of a traditional English style."

Color: Walnut

Pour: Some lacing, little head

Aroma: Bready, malty

Body: Between light and medium

Taste: A bit sweet, malty, biscuit, nut and caramel

Overall Impression: Between I Could Drink This and Can't Get Enough

Comments: "Tastes as good as it is pretty; Typical ESB profile but not real bready nor taste of banana; Not a big taste - mellow; Wears well; A bigger beer; Sweetest so far; I really like the taste of this; Silky smooth; Like a Nut Brown but a bit hoppier; A pretty beer."

OLD BUST HEAD ENGLISH STYLE PALE ALE

OLD BUST HEAD BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Old Bust Head Brewing Co., Warrenton, Fauquier County, VA; STYLE: English Pale Ale; ABV: 5.6%; IBU: 21; SRM: 13; MALTS: Caramel; HOPS: Goldings, Fuggle, Cascade.

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed in the tradition of an English Pale Ale, but infused with the spirit of new American craft brews, our flagship beer is drinkable, balanced, and enjoyable year-round. Additions of Goldings, Fuggle,and Cascade hops provide our pale ale with the aroma of floral hop tones, as well as imparting a refreshing, clean bitterness. Our use of caramel malt in the grain bill balances out our generous hop additions, and provides the beer with a smooth and bready backbone. Perfectly balanced, it's our brewmaster's favorite beer."

Color: Amber, the color of maple syrup

Pour: Little more head than the previous, quickly dissipates.

Aroma: Bready/malty, reminiscent of date nut bread.

Body: A bit more than medium

Taste: Bread, Nut, Caramel with a bit more citrus hop presence

Overall Impression: Between I Could Drink This and Can't Get Enough

Comments: "Most distinctive taste so far - breaks away from the traditional ESB taste a bit; Nice beer; Not over-the-top with any of the tastes (banana, clove) you associate with British beers; Floral hops come through with a nice, balanced taste; Very pleasant beer, eminently drinkable; Bit of caramel and toffee give it a nice cozy taste."

ESB

REDHOOK BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Redhook Brewery, Portsmouth and Woodinville, WA; STYLE: Extra Special Bitter; ABV: 5.8%; IBUs: 28; AWARDS: Gold Medal 2008 North American Beer Awards, Gold Medal 2009 Great American Beer Festival.

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed in the style of a traditional British ESB (Extra Special Bitter), we've been making ESB continuously since 1987, and it's now the benchmark for the Amber beer category. Despite having 'bitter' in its name, Redhook ESB is really not that bitter at all. This brew is all about the balance of caramel malt sweetness completed by spicy, citrusy hops."

Color: Light copper

Pour: Some lacing, slight head

Aroma: Not strong, a bit grassy

Body: A tad beyond Medium

Taste: Some sweetness, some hoppiness, some spice - very nice

Overall Impression: Between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "A little hops presence in there, I really like this a lot; Pretty classic British beer taste; Little bit of molasses taste in there; Kind of caramel, you get some hop at the end; A really pleasant beer, easy drinking; One of those beers you can just kick back and enjoy a few."

FULLERS ESB

FULLERS BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Fullers, Smith and Turner PLC, London, UK; STYLE: Extra Special Bitter; ABV: 5.9%; MALT: Pale Ale and Crystal; AWARDS: World Beer Championships, World Champion, 1999; World Beer Cup - Gold,2006; CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain, Silver, 2008; International Beer Challenge, Silver, 2012.

What the Brewer Says: "Rich mahogany in colour, ESB tempts with aromas of orange marmalade, balanced by soft malt toffee. The hops impart grassy, peppery notes alongside hints of citrus fruit - while the Pale Ale and Crystal malts bring distinctive biscuity flavours. A smooth, delicate bitterness lingers on the palate to give a supreme finish."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent head, some lacing

Aroma: Bready, malt

Body: A bit more than medium

Taste: Malt, bread, banana/clove, bit of toffee in the middle, some pleasing spiciness and citrus

Overall Impression: Between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "The Jeep of ESBs; Usually the first ESB anyone had pre-craft beer; Classic ESB; Nice beer; Once upon a time you couldn't get a beer like this in the states; I like it, tasty; Just enough hop in there to keep it from being to sweet and appeal to guys like us."

BELK'S ESB

ANDERSON VALLEY BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Boonville, CA; STYLE: Extra Special Bitter / Strong Bitter; ABV: 6,8%.

What the Brewer Says:"Inspired by the classic 'Bitters' from Great Britain, our Belk's ESB is an innovative take on the style with a deep, golden hue and big malty foundation, the spicy, herbal hop aromas and crisp, bitter bite give a West Coast flair to this classic recipe."

Color: Somewhat cloudy gold/copper

Pour: A bit shy of Decent head

Aroma: Typically malty/bready

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: A hoppier take on ESBs, with notes of pepper, spicy, caramel with some grapefruit notes

Overall Impression: Just shy of Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Hoppiest so far; Best beer I've had all day; Tastes like a pale - or even an IPA; Nice spicy taste to this that I like; Almost like an Imperial ESB; More alcohol than the usual ESB, but it doesn't overpower; Really good balance, leaning more toward hoppy than the others."

THE RESULTS...

As can be said of any particular style of beer, ESBs fall broadly into a similar profile. They should be malt-forward with the ester-like British yeast taste and varying levels of balancing hops. As such, our overall rating for all of them fell somewhere between "I Could Drink That" (a solid thumbs up) to just shy of our top rating "Can't Get Enough!" We ultimately ranked them like this:

1. Belk's ESB - No surprise here as it was the hoppiest of the bunch and we do like our hoppy beers.

2. Fuller's ESB - The classic ESB, a really enjoyable, tasty beer.

3. Old Bust Head English Style Pale Ale - Nice cozy pale ale with hints of caramel and toffee

4. Redhook ESB - This flagship beer from Redhook has a classic British vibe to it.

5. Green Man ESB -  Silky smooth beer that reminded us of a Nut Brown with a bit of hops

6. Tie - Landlady Ale and Bluebird Bitter - Both easy-drinking enjoyable beers that wouldn't knock your socks off, but were good for a couple of pints in front of the telly.

Next month - A grab bag of beers we haven't reviewed yet.

Cheers,

The BOTB Guys

Potable - and Some Potent - Porters

SHERMAN ON THE MOUNT
BY RICK SHERMAN

HARD SOFT DRINKS 
TREND OR  OXYMORONIC FAD?

I've heard craft beer referred to at times as a fad. This opinion is usually expressed by someone who drinks only mega-brew beers. But it got me thinking about fads vs. trends. A fad is a kind of flash-in-the-pan. Something that becomes wildly popular for a short period of time but then dies out just as quickly. Think: Pet Rocks, Cabbage Patch Kids, Pac-Man, Hula Hoops, Beanie Babies, Zoot Suits, Donald Trump - you get the idea. A trend, on the other hand, is a general movement in a particular direction that gradually gains momentum. Think: Craft Beer. A trend tends to have staying power, a fad not so much so. The Mega-brewers ignored craft beer for quite a while, assuming it was a fad and
would quickly fade. But as more and more Americans discovered the joy of real beer and the sale of the mega-brews began to decrease while the sale of craft beer increased (by the way creating jobs not only at the ever-increasing number of breweries but with the burgeoning growth of hop farms now that there were American beers that actually used hops) the big boys started to get nervous and began exploring ways of cashing in on the Craft Beer Movement. A-B InBev opted to bash craft beer with obnoxious ads painting craft beer drinkers as sissified elitists while Bud drinkers are real men and real Americans (I believe I may have mentioned in the past the fact that Bud is owned by a foreign conglomerate while craft breweries are wholly American-owned, making this claim spurious at best) while surreptitiously creating faux craft breweries which produced faux craft beer and buying up actual craft breweries (the latest being Devil's Backbone out of Virginia). All of this mega-brew angst merely confirms the fact that craft beer is not a fad but the future of American beer.

On the heels of this comes a curious new approach to "adult" beverages - hard soft drinks. Beginning with Not Your Father's Root Beer there has been a sudden explosion of soft drinks turned hard with the infusion of alcohol. On the market now are several hard root beers, plus hard ginger ales, hard orange sodas, hard ginger beers, even a spiked cranberry soda. This begs the question: who is the target audience? It is, after all, soda pop with alcohol. I have tried Not Your Father's Root Beer as well as Coney Island Brewing Company's Hard Ginger Ale. The root beer I thought tasted like very good root beer. We here at BOTB actually compared it to a high end root beer and found it perhaps somewhat superior. On the other hand, the ginger ale I found to be, well, awful. I rather like good ginger ale (Schweppe's for example) and this did not taste like good ginger ale. I felt it had a kind of overly sweet taste you don't really want in ginger ale.

Be that as it may, my point here is, I guess, that while some are comparing this explosion of hard soft drinks to the craft beer revolution, to me it has all the earmarks of a fad. It blew up suddenly, out of nowhere and for now is burning bright. But will it last?

My biggest issue with this, other than the creepy feeling that it targets kids, is that in supermarkets that already allot a minuscule amount of space for craft beer, these alcohol-fueled soda pops are fighting for the same space, reducing the craft beer choices to only the most popular (or to those which A-B/InBev now owns).  Our local Tops Market for example hasn't had a huge craft beer section - like most chain stores 80% - 90% of the beer shelf space is reserved for mega-brews - but it had slowly begun to expand their choices. lately, however, I've noticed the hard soft drinks are seriously impinging on the craft beers.

Shelf space at Tops dominated by hard soft drinks

Hard soft drinks are hot now, but will they last? Anyone remember these:

Boone Farm Wines

Ripple Wine

Zima Malt Beverage

Billy Beer

 All burned bright and flew off the shelves - until they didn't.

PORTERS - BOTH POTABLE AND POTENT

We here at BOTB love hops. We make no bones about that. We're seven Guys who worship the ground hops grow in. If we held Communion we would serve an IPA (and beer bread). But we do like to mix things up a bit here and explore other styles so as to gain an appreciation of the many different types of beers. We do have a few caveats. While we are wary of fruit beers, there have been a number of grapefruit IPAs lately that are quite tasty, and occasionally we'll stumble upon a beer with just a hint of some fruit that creates a pleasing experience. The key here is that these beers retain their basic "beer-ness."  They still taste like beer and not soda pop with alcohol. Our other proviso is we avoid bland beers at all costs. The late, great Michael Jackson (the beer connoisseur, not the singer) draws a distinction between bland beers (code for mega-brews such as Budweiser) and complex beers.

"A bland beer is boring and not appetizing. A complex beer is satisfying without necessarily being satiating. Nor is it just a question of flavor. A great beer begins with aroma, then comes the texture and flavor, and finally the 'finish' (a more elegant word for 'aftertaste').

"Bland beers have no finish. Drinkers are left wondering whether they just had a beer or simply breathed some wet air (this phrase was coined by Native American writer William Least Heat Moon to describe the experience of drinking 'light' beer)."

The above quote is from the introduction in his Great Beer Guide book which details 500 great beers from around the world (amazingly, Budweiser didn't make the cut).

So we try to avoid bland beers at all costs. I mean, what's the point? If you're using beer as merely a delivery system for alcohol, there are much more efficient methods. But if you drink beer because you enjoy the aroma, taste and finish of a good beer, why waste your time with bland beer?

Oh yeah, the terms "light" or "lite" are strictly taboo.

This month we delve into the dark delights of Porters. You may ask, "What's the difference between a Porter and a Stout?" Most beer enthusiasts have wondered that very thing at one time or another. They are both dark, both share similar taste profiles (malty, nutty, chocolate, coffee to varying degrees), and both originated in Great Britain. The simplest answer is that "Stout" was merely a beer term for strong, and stronger Porters were called Stout Porters. Eventually the name was shortened to Stout. The confusing thing today is that there are Porters that are stronger than many Stouts. There are Imperial Porters and Baltic Porters, Cream Porters and Coffee Porters. There are Imperial Stouts and Russian Imperial Stouts, Milk Stouts, Coffee Stouts and Oatmeal Stouts. All are in varying strengths. So really, much of it comes down to the discretion of the brewer. Even different beer festivals can't agree on what makes a beer a Stout and what make a beer a Porter. Some festivals might insist that a Porter must be brewed with chocolate malt and a Stout with Patent Malt. Or not.

Anyway, our only qualification was that it said "Porter" somewhere on the label.

Here then are this month's selection of pleasing Porters.

NIGHT OWL CREAM PORTER

CUSTOM BREWCRAFTERS

The Beer Facts: BREWER: CustomBrewcrafters, Honeoye Falls, NY; STYLE: Porter; ABV: 5.0%; IBUs: 20; MALTS: Chocolate, Dark Crystal; HOPS: Galena, Fuggle

What the Brewer Says: "Try one and any misconception about dark beers being heavy or harsh will fade away quicker than the beer in your glass. Night Owl Porter  is everything the name conjures up in your mind...a beer with a very creamy, almost silky texture."

Color: Black

Pour: Just shy of "decent" head

Aroma: Malty, molasses

Body: Medium

Taste: Creamy, smooth with strong malt and undertones of caramel

Overall Impression: A bit better than "I Could Drink This!"

Comments: "Like a good introductory Porter; Not over-the-top in any area - not a huge malt or chocolate taste; Those notes are there, but subtle; I could drink a bunch of these; A little more carbonated than I'd expect from a Porter, to me it sort of detracts from the overall enjoyment; Nice, mild aroma; Kind of a surprise from CustomBrewcrafters - usually their beers are more in-your-face big; Oily or silky feel on the tongue."

PLUFF MUD PORTER

HOLY CITY BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Holy City Brewery, Charlestown, SC; STYLE: American Porter; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 21; MALTS: Pale, Crystal 20, Crystal 60, Munich II, Carafa II; HOPS: Northern Brewer; INTERESTING BEER FACT RE. THE NAME: Pluff mud is "a mixtrue of dirt and water indigenous to the marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, with a distinct odor that's endearing to locals, but off-putting to tourists and redcoats."

What the Brewer Says: "Our second flagship beer was an effort to bring the American Porter style to the Charleston market proper, while also making a beer that stays appealing as the mercury rises. We think we've succeeded in Pluff Mud Porter. It presents (and smells) like a classic porter, with subtle chocolate notes and a silky finish, but the medium body and tame ABV keep it refreshing at all times. Enjoy this throughout the year, in or out of the marsh."

Color: Rich mahogany

Pour: Guinness class head on the pour which dissipates quickly.

Aroma: Roasted malt and chocolate

Body: Medium

Taste: Lightly sweet malty taste with notes of  mocha and yeast

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Big nose; Silky smooth finish; Grows on you; Better when it is allowed to warm a bit, more of the flavor comes through; Again the initial carbonation takes away from the taste - it is better after it sits a minute; Probably even better in a snifter; As it warms, a little hops, caramel and cinnamon starts to come through; Very nice beer."

HARD WIRED NITRO COFFEE PORTER

LEFT HAND BREWING

The Beer Facts:BREWER: Left Hand Brewing, Longmont, CO; STYLE: Porter with coffee; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 33; MALT: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Crystal, Carafa; HOPS: Centennial, Cascade; OTHER: Coffee

What the Brewer Says: "Innately predisposed to be smooth when Poured Hard, this nitro coffee porter builds a pillowy, toffee-sweet head. Coffee and flavors of caramelized sugar, cacao and hints of blueberry lead to a light, smokey finish."

Color: Black

Pour: Near Guinness class head

Aroma: Coffee, roasted grain, whiff of chocolate

Body: Medium

Taste: Coffee, toffee, with a nice smoothness from the nitro, a bit of chocolate and somewhat nutty

Overall Impression: Leaning toward "Can't Get Enough"  between that and "I Could Drink This."

Comments: "Breakfast beer; Bitter on the end; I like this - smooth, velvety, wonderful coffee-mocha taste; Tastes clean; I could drink a lot of this; More flavor - a nice example of not over-carbonating - sorry if I seem obsessed with this today, just felt the first two could use less and this one bears me out."

PEATY PORTER

WOLF HOLLOW BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Wolf Hollow Brewing, Glenville, NY; STYLE: Peat Smoked Porter; ABV; 6%

What the Brewer Says: "Wolf Hollow Brewing Company creates true, local, craft beer, captured on draught for peak freshness, and enjoyed in our tasting room or home by the local community."

Color: Black

Pour: Guinness Class head

Aroma: Smoky malt

Body: Bit more than medium

Taste: Smoky malt dominates with hints of coffee and chocolate

Overall Impression: Very near "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "Hoppier than the others so far; Pleasing; Peat smoked malt gives it an interesting taste; Closer to a Rauchbier; Distinct; Roasted malt taste; Lingering taste; Really nice beer - I love it!"

BALTIKA #6

BALTIKA BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Baltika Brewery, St. Petersburg, Russia; STYLE: Porter; ABV: 7.0%; MALT: Pale Barley Malt, Caramelized barley malt, Black barley malt

What the Brewer Says: "Since April 2008 premium Baltika varieties - Baltika #6 and Baltika #8 Wheat - have been united into the Baltika Selected series. The Baltika Selected is a new image combined with the original but familiar content and invariable quality. Brewed with added high-quality ingredients and having a racy flavor these varieties are meant for unhurried drinking in sedate and relaxed surroundings."

Color: Pitch black

Pour: Just shy of "Decent" head

Aroma: Sweet molasses

Body: Between Medium and Full but leaning toward Full

Taste: Sweet malty with strong tastes of molasses and toffee

Overall Impression: Just shy of "I Could Drink This"

Comments: "Horehound taste; Sharp sweet taste right off the bat; Like a sticky-bun; Could put this stuff on ice cream, pancakes etc.; Wouldn't want 3 or 4 of these; Nice looking bottle - good size; Sweety but enjoyable; A dessert snifter beer for sure."

FRAMINGHAMMER BALTIC PORTER 

(BOURBON BARREL AGED)

JACK'S ABBY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Jack's Abby, Framingham, MA; STYLE: Bourbon Barrel Aged Baltic Porter; ABV: 10%; IBUs: 55

What the Brewer Says: "Big, bold, black, and aged in bourbon barrels. This unusual lager style has many similarities to Imperial Stouts. A lengthy conditioning period creates a silky smooth chocolatey mouth feel enhanced by the use of oats  and brown sugar. Noticeable sweetness gets balanced by roasted malt and hop bitterness. Additional flavors include bourbon, vanilla and oak."

Color: Black

Pour: Guinness-class head

Aroma: Mellow malty

Body: Full bodied

Taste: Dark chocolate, vanilla with bourbon undertones and roasted malt. Bit of a nice hop bite to this one as well.

Overall Impression: A qualified "Can't Get Enough!" As in "I could drink a lot if not for the 10% ABV!"

Comments: "Not as sweet as some of the others; Unfiltered; Clean on the finish; Clean, bold and black; More chocolate than coffee; Doesn't taste as big as it is; Not cloying - has a nice dark chocolate bitterness; Fills the mouth; Smooth, tongue-coating sensation; Nice lingering after-taste; It would be easy to over-indulge because this is so smooth."

AND THE WINNER IS...

In descending order, here's where this bunch of fine Porters scored with us.

1. Framinghammer Baltic Porter - Jack's Abby - A really terrific Porter. A big, bold taste redolent of dark chocolate and roasted malt with a wonderful hint of bourbon. It's a big beer that isn't cloyingly sweet like some can be.

2. Wolf Hollow Peaty Porter - Wolf Hollow Brewing - A wonderful Porter with a really unique flavor thanks to the peat smoked malt. Nice coffee and chocolate undertones you expect from a Porter. A bit more hop presence than the others which may have helped sway us.

3. Hard Wired Nitro Coffee Porter - Left Hand Brewing  -  Complex mix of coffee and toffee, chocolate and nut. Nitro is becoming a big trend in craft brewing and this is a fine example. A terrific, full-flavored brew.

4. Night Owl Porter - CB Craft Brewers - A bit more subtle flavors than the top three, malt and molasses flavors hit you right off with some hints of chocolate and coffee. Somewhat overly carbonated which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the beer.

5. Pluff Mud Porter - Holy City Brewing - Another enjoyable Porter with roasted malt and chocolate the dominant flavors. As it sat and warmed, a bit more flavor emerged. Again a little less carbonation would improve the beer.

6. Baltika # 6 - Baltika Breweries - We sort of saw this as more of a dessert beer than anything else. A bit too sweet but not bad in small doses.

-SHOUT OUTS-

Our own Mike Watkins brought along one of his terrific home brews - West Coast Style IPA. After all
those Porters, as good as they were, we welcomed some hops, and this beer delivered with a nice spicey, peppery flavor we rated unanimously "Can't Get Enough!"

We also had as a delicious palate cleanser Mayflower Brewing's Limited Edition Alden Double IPA.  It is a terrific beer, full, complex and just plain tasty. Hard to get outside of Massachusetts, but worth the hunt.

Next Month: ESBs

Wonder what we thought about a particular beer? Get our down and dirty quick reference at BOTB Tested Beers

And for even more BOTB chicanery peruse Gerry's Beer Book

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys