Pizza Port 547 Haight

Brewed by Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
Style: American Strong Ale
Carlsbad, California USA

Tasted at the 5th Annual (2008) Triple Rock Firkin Fest. This American Strong Ale pours a medium red amber color from the firkin. Small sized head. The aroma grapefruity hops, caramel and sweet. A medium bodied American Strong Ale. The malts are caramel, fruity and sweet. The hops are grapefruity and citrusy. This beer is a veritable hop assault, there is a lot of hop bitterness, mostly at the front. The soft carbonation is kind of weird in a beer this hoppy, but it works. The hop bitterness at the start are mellowed somewhat my some sweet malts in the middle, leaving you with a somewhat bitter beer at the finish. Nice. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is crisp and dry. Aftertaste is bitter.

Draught at Ørsted Ølbar. Clear deep red/brown - offwhite/light brown head. Nice high hoppy, ok malty, dark bread, ryebread, nutty, piney, bitterness, resin, grape fruity, amber malts, dryness, caramel, licorice, light alco-burn. Sharp hoppy finish.

Poured a dark amber, red color with a thin, off white head, light lacing on the glass. Aroma of caramel malts, floral hops, citrus fruits, and nuts. Taste of citrus fruits, sticky caramel, nuts, pine, buttery malts, tobacco, molasses, toffee, bread, wood, and some roast, with alot of alcohol in the finish.

On tap @ Boulder Strong Ale Fest poured a clear reddish amber with a small lasting amber head. Aromas of orange, grapefruit, pine, earthiness and carmel. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of carmel, grapefruit, earthiness and wood with a smooth dry lingering bitter finish.

Draught at 6th Boulder Strong Ale Festival. Pours clear tawny with an average, fizzy, off-white head, lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (grain, cereal, meal), average hops (flowers, herbs), average yeast (sweat, leather) with notes of dates and apple. Medium bodied, sticky texture, average carbonation, and an astringent finish. Average duration, light sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Sample @ PP Carlsbad. Pours copper/amber with a bright white ring. Nose is hoppy and malty. Taste is sweet malty with a hoppy balance. This is an agressive beer with lots of character. I like.

On tap at Carlsbad. Pours with a tan head and an amber body. Aroma of a salad of hops, and citrus all over. Taste is hops, caramel, earth/dirt and grain. Light bubbles, and hides the alcohol really well. Great stuff.

Draft. Ruby beer with a light tan head. Complex malt (roast, chocolate, caramel) and grapefruit aroma. Slightly roasty, rich caramel flavor with lots of piney, grapefruit hops. Alcohol noticeable. Lingering grapefruit, pine hops moving to a bit of alcohol. Nice complexity. Fuller bodied.