Brownings John Shields Blacksmith Porter

On tap at the brewery. Pours a very dark brown with ruby edges. Mild roasty aroma. Easy drinking for a porter, yet more tilted toward roasty/ashiness than sweetness, which usually don’t go hand in hand. Decent.

(Sampled 7-14-08 at brewery) Black in appearance, small aroma of heavily roasted malt, some lacing. Hits the mouth with a medium body, very light for the style- it almost feels like an ale on the tongue, some stickiness but not enough to go crazy about, finish runs thin and has mild bitter sweetness to it.

On tap. Pours dark brown with a fair head. The aroma is roasty with defined espresso, though it seems to be on the lighter side. A good amount of roast and bitterness are found in the flavor and a sweetness that reminds me of truffles. Faint, crisp charred notes are found along with hints at vanilla, coffee, Whoppers. The whole thing seems more English in attitude and is quite tasteful.

On tap at Brownings brew pub. Dark brown with a thin white head. Aroma of smoked wood, caramel, mild coffee. Taste of smoke, mild caramel and roasted malts. Thin and creamy, a touch too carbonated and has a metallic aftertaste.

Pours near black with reddish hues and a mostly receding tan head. Aroma of chocolate, bread dough, light roast, toffee, and a strange papery note. Taste is grainy roast, a bit cola like with some toffee. Medium bodied,but thin for a porter. Stingy carbonation. Flavors are a bit muddied, but not a bad beer.

As a big fan of porters, I was disappointed in this one. Had on draft at the brewpub. Poured a dark brown with nice brown head. Could smell the toasted mals and coffe. Taste was more of the same. Nothing really stood out in the taste to make me want to go back and have it again.

On tap 5/4/07 @ the Brewery: Pours black with a light brown head. Malty aroma has hints of dark chocolate and coffee. Roasted malt flavor brings out the hints of expresso and chocolate in the creamy smooth finish. A medium body brew that is well balance yet filling. Not my favorite Porter but enjoyable!

on tap at Brownings. Black with a brown head. light coffee aroma. flavor roasted malt chocolate and light coffee notes. bitter coffee finish with a bit of sweet chocolate. light to medium body. decent but nothing im excited to drink again.