St. Bridget's Porter

This is a rich, amber/brown-hued beer and a decidedly roasty, caramel accented porter, laced with hints of licorice, black cherries and figs. It pours with a prodigious, mousse-like beige head that refuses to subside, clinging to the sides of the glass from the first sip to the last. Our panel was effusive in their praise of this beer’s integration of roasty, toffee, caramel malt and spicy, herbal hop aromas and flavors. Rick was especially impressed by the licorice, fig, and white pepper aromas, and Lee enjoyed the thyme and brownie-like chocolate notes. Characteristic of classic robust porters, this is a firmly bitter beer, with dark roast malt working in tandem with the hops, yet balanced by sweet caramel and milk chocolate. Tom was impressed by the brewer’s deft balancing of roasted malt and assertive hop flavors, while Pete noted a pleasant, coffee-like dryness in the finish. Some of the spiciness in the aroma carries over into the flavor, with traces of cinnamon and allspice lurking behind the caramel and cocoa. The panel was unanimous in their assertion that this is a seriously drinkable porter, with Tim opining that this is the perfect porter for fans of hoppy beer. Superbly balanced, with tons of cocoa, mocha, and caramel throughout, St. Bridget’s Porter is complex enough to satisfy the most discerning porter devotee.