Middle Ages The Duke Of Winship

Brewed by Middle Ages Brewing
Style: Porter
Syracuse, New York USA

On tap. I really liked this one. Wonderfully dark with a taupe-ish, good sized head. Aromas of caramel and a slight roastedness. The malts present sweet at the start but then move out of the way for the roasted/coffee/chocolate dark malts to finish it off. This brew also dosen’t go too crazy with the coffee/chocolate flavoring, as do some others. Enough hops in the finish to leave it more or less dry, but I didn’t catch a whole lot of flavor from them. The body was just a touch on the thin side, perhaps of the connection to the scottish ales. For what it is, I think its great.

This is a very interesting beer, in the fact that it is a "Scotch Porter", which marries the flavors and aromas of a Scotch Ale, with that of a robust Porter. I’ve only had a handful of examples of this hybrid style, and The Duke might indeed by my all time favorite. This is a wonderful melding of two of my favorite beer styles. It has the sweet malty and strong character of a Scotch ale, with the roasty and coffee notes of a robust porter. The Duke of Windship is just bursting with flavor and character, and commands your attention. The Duke of Winship Ale pours to a beautiful deep brown to black color with a tan head that fades, and a soft to moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer just explodes with robust character. Aromas of sweet malt, caramel, toffee, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and earthy yeast aromas flood the nose. The palate is rich and full on the tongue with lots of big, robust flavors. Sweet malt, toffee, butter scotch, chocolate, coffee, and hints of dark roast glide over the tongue. The Duke of Windship finishes with more complex sweet and dark malt flavors, some earthy yeast flavor, and ends with a slightly roasted coffee, slightly warming, finish. This is a very complex and delicious beer with a lot going on in the glass. This is the type of beer you can just sit back with an enjoy as an after dinner drink, or as I did, as a night cap while reading just before bed. At the brewery, you can enjoy free samples of this beer and a number of other taps that flow, and the crew at Middle Ages are not shy with the samples. I would not pair this beer with food, but if you did, I believe it would be the perfect foil to a rich and creamy desert of NY Style cheese cake, or death by chocolate.

This is an usual but pleasant ale. It is as advertised - starts off smooth and sweet like a scotch ale, but finishes with the roasted/chocoate bitterness of a porter. Different and tasty.

Deep russet. Finely layered dirty-white bubbles. Rocky and sticky as it settles. Clean aroma of fruitcake, plaster, and plums. Touch of butterscotch, coffee, caramelized sugar, and burnt wood. Soft, dense carbonation. Airy fluffiness melts into an acidic roasted barley snap kissed with black licorice. Body is slick with fruity esters but awash with minerals, which intensify the earthiness. Roasted wood flavor simultaneously imparts a body-building unsweetened chocolate character and accentuates the dryness. Roastiness steadily progresses, building into a sturdily structured, velvet-soft caress of chocolate malt and toffee crescendo, although the earthy peat and airiness eventually stabilize the richness. Incredible balance between the richness and dry roastiness, not to mention the squeaky clean Ringwood-derived attenuation. Finishes grittily dry with whispers of juicy hops, anise, and peat beneath a firm, dry chocolate and grainy roast backdrop. An absolutely stupendous take. Thanks, ElJefe.

I really enjoyed this hybrid beer that’s according to the label a scotch/porter. Pours with a fine head & some lace covering half of the inside of the glass. Nose was sweet with some raisiny, date, roasty, chocolatey and a bit burnt. Flavor is the same and mouth filling body. A bit warming with a peppery sharpness. Dark garnet color. Had it at Bodega last night.

Rerate: On tap, The head was wonderful on the pour and no metallic finish this time, I love this beer, underrated....1st rate: Near black, hint of brown hue at bottom of glass. Creamy average head, fair lacing. Medium to full- bodied. Moderate malt aroma with undertones of molasses and mild coffee. Also fruity components of raisin, plum and a minor smokey nose. Dry porter taste, hint of fruit and smoke. Exceptional balance. A bit thin and metallic finish, is only knock against this beer. A scotish/porter hybrid, unique, recommended.

Sweet malt and chocolate aroma. Slight diacetyl. Rich deep ruby color. Good carbonation with a tan head that sticks around a bit. Chocolate and roasted malt dominate this brew. Slight smokiness as well. As the label indicates, it does seem to be a cross between a Scotch ale and a Porter. Slight hops in the finish, but malt is by far the biggest flavor profile in this beer. A nice robust yet drinkable beer.

Bottle from the Beer Yard. Pours very dark brown/black (very little light transmittance) with a 2-finger tan head. Aroma of roasty malt, nuts, cabernet, chocoff. The flavor is roasty malty, nutty, with a lot of chocoff and cabernet hints. The palate is dense and very complex. This is a damned fine porter. I’m glad I have 5 of these left. Seek this out, and do it today.