Barley Island Rust Belt Porter

Date: 07/21/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Indy

dark brown, creamy beige head, dry dark chocolate and sweet roasted oatmeal aroma with a hint of tartness, rich chocolate flavor, earthy bitterness keeps it balanced, only a hint of sweetness, light bitter finish

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Thanks to Bob, Michelle, and mostly my baby Jana for the 12th annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival today! On tap @ the fest. Nose of oats & cereal, coffee and nectar. The brew is dark walnut with ruby highlights. The slow cascade meanders into a tan creamy head that is mostly lasting with good lace. The beer has a fruity & alcoholic start with a roasted coffee finish. The medium body is creamy and very soft. The finish feels chalky.

Draft sampler at Barley Island. Poured a black color with an average creamy off-white head that lasted and had good lacing. Light sweet roasted malt aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Moderate toasted chocolate malt flavor with an average smooth finish. Solid drinkable porter.

Had this one from the tap at the brewery. Poured dark with decent head. Has aroma of dark chocolate and coffee. Flavor is pretty smooth consisting of same dark chocolate/coffee taste. This was first porter so I don’t have much to compare it to. Update- Second trial 07/01/06 For some reason the July batch seemed to have lost some of it’s flavor. Seemed to be watered down

Tap at brewery - Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, and a touch of coffee. Pours black with nice brown lasting head and great lacing. Flavor touches aroma character but doesn’t follow up. Palate is smooth and creamy but too thin. Tasty and easy drinking, but the body is too light for a porter.

A stinker. Hoppiness would be appropriate with some malt present, but unfortunately, this is maybe the lightest porter on the planet, so the hoppiness seems overdone. I have homebrewed for 17 years and have been disappointed with porters better than this. Three cheers for Diet Porter (or not)!!!

Growler shared by Scott. Pours out dark brown with a faint tinge of burgundy. Small tan head left some lacing for as long as it lasted. Aroma was roasted coffee, some notes of chocolate, malt powder. It was a bit thin in the mought and low in alcohol for a porter. The flavor was pleasant. The coffolate combo with a smathering of malted milk balls. Nice drink.

On tap. Very flavorful porter. Definitely better than average. It has the roasty malts flavor that is preferable for a dark variety.