City Winter Porter

Brewed by City Brewery (Melanie Brewing Co)
Style: Porter
La Crosse, Wisconsin USA

Faint strawberry-chocolate aroma with a bit of malt and lots of hops. Has a nice deep-tan head and thick cola color. Flavor isn’t harsh, but surprisingly complex and thinner in body like many Old World porters. There are lots of hops up front and also a berry element (I suppose suggestively from the Commercial Description it could seem like black currant). Also the typical smoky malt porter flavor but more subdued than similar American counterparts. Finish is pleasantly bitter and smoky, sort of like a weak Sen-Sen mint. The bottom line is that City Winter has the best hop balance of any porter I’ve come across - EVER. Astounding product coming from a brewery that also puts out $1.10 Welfare malt liquor - however, I do not slight them in the least for this wide variation - if a brewery has the scope, the means and it’s profitable, go ahead - irony can become king.

A good porter. Nice taste and feel. I enjoyed this beer.

Bottle. Nice looking brown with a thick head. Smoky coffee smell which follows through effectively in the flavor. Slightly thin mouthfeel but not enough for any sort of point deduction.

A nice porter but I wish I tasted more black current. Yes it has the sweet coffee chocolate undertone I enjoy but not enough of it. I think it was to hoppy but in American beer this is not uncommon. OK but not worth seeking out, yet it was pretty good

(Bottle) For whatever reason, I seem to have had a more positive experience with this beer than some of the others who have rated it. Color was very dark but clear. When I held it up to the fluorescent light, I could see a tinge of red through the glass. Head was initially substantial but soon settled down to a nice thin presence. Like City’’s pale ale, the head could be rejuvenated by swirling the glass a few times. Nice lacing as the level of beer went down.

The taste was classic roasted barley malt with a fair amount of hopping to set it off. Palate was very nice I thought with just the right level of carbonation.

I can"t believe the quality of beer these guys are offering for the price--got my six of this for $4.99. Unfortunately, where I made my purchase, it sits in the same cooler as the American ’classics’ such as Bud, Miller and Old Stool. Of course, maybe someone normally buying the usual might spy this and give it a whirl...

Bottle: Pours black with a tan head. Aroma, roasted malts, chocolate, and some spices. Flavor, chocolate, roasted malts, some fruits, a bit ashy, some earthy bitterness, and some spices.

Almost black in color, with an tan head. Unfortunately, the head mostly disappears; otherwise, I would have given it a higher score. There is a small lace, though. Very faint caramel aroma, and I wish there was more of that, too. Mild coffee, roasted malt, and caramel are definitely in the flavor profile. Nicely proportionate regarding malts and hops. Finishes very gentle. Very subtle, pleasant aftertaste.

Bottle from Pat’s. Deep brownish pour with aroma of roasty malt, chocoff, molasses, some almond and bourbon and cinnamon. Tasted roasty malty with significant spices including nutmeg and cinnamon, plus some chocoff, and ovaltine.