Harveys Porter (Bottle)

Brewed by Harveys
Style: Porter
Lewes, England

500ml bottle bought at a deli in Petersfield, Hants. Dark brown with reddish undertones and a decent, frothy off-white head that left plenty of lacing. Aroma of dark chocolate, caramel and roasted malts. Full mouth feel, with more sweetness to start, bitter chocolate, coffee and spice. Decent bitter finish with a touch of raisin fruit. Very enjoyable.

very dark brown colour and practically no foam; gently roasted aroma of black chocolate, notes of mocha and prune; some sweetness and a rather thin body; moderately bitter with a long toasted coffeish finish - very subtle

500ml bottle, probably a few years old: Pours a nearly opaque with dark brown edges and a thin, creamy tan head. Aroma of sweet toasty dark caramel malts with some aged dark fruitiness and a touch of nutty character and some cardboard. Body starts lightly sweet with some cookie dough and mild brown sugar along with some earthy hoppy bitterness. Finishes drier and slightly chalky with some sherry-like qualities. Probably pretty good if it were fresher.

Pours oily black. Thin head, but strong lacing. Taste is molassis, wood, and hints of smoke. Finish is watery but retains the dark sweet molassis feel, with touches of roasted bitterness. Really not a bad porter at all, but the body could use a little bit more muscle.

Pours opaque black, not much head. Oily aroma with some yeasty notes. Fairly smooth, some milky chocolate texture and flavors. This is a beer to let linger in the mouth to appreciate.

Bouteille de 500 ml achetée chez LCBO (Ottawa, ONT). Arôme: Odeur de torréfaction et de chocolat avec une pointe de mélasse. Apparence: La couleur est noire opaque. Présence d’un mince col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de café et de chocolat noir. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement crémeuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de chocolat amer en arrière goût. (Rating #1379)

Bottled at the Royal Oak, Borough, June 2006. If you like your porters to be pseudo-stouts, as they often are these days, you probably won’t like this. If you prefer a more traditional old English style of porter this may be more your cup of tea. Very dark red/brown, with not much head. Intensely woody, with a touch more oxidation than I’d like, which may be down to the age of the bottle or the pasteurisation process. Some deep malt and soy sauce touches in the aroma. Light, dry and distinctly bitter on the palate with licorice and touches of powdery chocolate. Woody character persists in the mouthfeel. Authentic sour edge on the finish. "Old" tasting, but very interesting. However, the woodiness is just a touch overdone for my taste.

Bottle pours black with no head, but lace sheets that cling to the sides of my nonic. The aroma is roasted, malty, and chocolate like. The flavor starts out sweet and caramel like, with a roasted malt middle, and a bitter and slightly sour finish. The palate is very smooth and fairly rich. Overall, this is pretty good. I wish I had a nice steak to go with this.