Burton Bridge Damson Porter

Brewed by Burton Bridge
Style: Porter
Burton-on-Trent, England

Cask conditioned & on handpump at The Alex in Derby on 10/03/05. Deep ruby brown colour. Creamy, fruity, slightly smokey. Smoothly drinkable.

Fruity and roasty in the nose and in the mouth. Went down a treat. Really tasty porter.

Served cask drawn at the Happy Gnome Firkin Fest in St Paul, Minnesota. Pours a semi-hazy dark brown brew with a thick and creamy off-white head that has some excellent retention and long lasting lacing. Of all 18 beers served at the Firkin Fest, this had the creamiest and long lasting head. Aroma of roasted dark malt, some flowery hops, a touch of pumpernickel dough, and roasted nuts. Taste is medium bodied, no carbonation but a creamy thick head with flavors of old cellar mustiness, a light dry roasted dark malt and a touch of coffee. Finish is very smooth and creamy with a light Ivory soap character with a lingering toasted malt flavor. The Firkin fest had seven porters and this one was one of the most memorable porters served.

Cask (Kitty’s, Helsinki) Very dark ruby, thick doughy head which persists. Very English bitter beery aroma. Soft carbonation. Very complex taste - starts a little bitter, heads towards a bready middle, and ends with nuttiness. Good classic English porter. Some burntness and coffee beans appear in the taste as it warms.

Cask - Churchill Tavern, Ramsgate. Clear, deep ruby with a fine but lasting off-white head. Floral aromas with summer fruits, toffee apple, honey and damson. Roasted bitterness with some earthiness, berry and floral flavours with a nutty aftertaste. Delicate finish and mouthfeel, soft texture with low carbonation. Light and refreshing. Something different.

Cask at the Three-Legged Mare, York. This really is more like a mild than a porter, but it was very enjoyable nevertheless. It’s got a very attractive dark brown colour, and is very fruity and sweet with some roast flavours coming through.

Cask conditioned at Charlies. Dark reddish brown coloured. Very fruity aroma. Considerably more fruity than your average English porter, probably because of the damson juice. Sweetish fruity flavour with different berry notes and some maltiness. Some dry bitterness in the finish. Soft mouthfeel. Very pleasant.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 4     Light Brown(1)->Pitch Black(5) : 4     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   Off-White(1)->Dark Brown(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 3   Nitro : XX
Aroma:
Intensity : 2  
Yeast : 2   Bread : 2   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Ink : XX   Tar : XX   Olives : XX   DMS : XX
Malt : 4   Biscuity : XX   Burnt Toast : 4   Caramel : XX   Nuts : XX   Pumpernickel : 2   Cereals : 3   Coffee : 3   Dark Chocolate : 3   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : XX   Blackberries : XX   Cherries : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : 2   Floral : 2   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : 2   Wood : 1   Mint : XX   Smoke : 2   Soy : XX   Bourbon : XX   Anise : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : XX   Lactic : XX   Bitterness : 2   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 2   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : 1   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : XX   Mineral : 2   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Fun, dark, roasty ale with well-extracted malts. Another very good dark one from Burton Bridge.