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Judge's Review: 93 Rating - Capella Porter by Ecliptic Brewing
Capella Porter by Ecliptic is a Porter and is being evaluated as an English Porter (2015 BJCP Category 13C) offering according to BJCP guidelines. For this style expect a moderate-strength brown beer with a restrained roasty character and bitterness. While diverse roast qualities exist, this style typically does not exhibit burnt qualities, but does typically showcase a chocolate-caramel-malty profile.
Rich chocolate and roast malt emanate immediately from this sample and leave a faintly ashy wood character, though not unpleasant by any means. Dark malt-derived fruits of dates and figs are present yet subtle. Light woody and earthy hops round out the aroma. The pour is black as night but reveals a rich brown character when exposed to light. Very clear with a large, frothy and foamy beige head; long retention with excellent lacing. Rich, lightly sweet yet dry, chocolate and roast malt flavor steals the balance. Lightly bitter malt and lightly bitter earthy and woody hops leave a dry finish. Clean fermentation yields no fruity esters or off-flavors. Full body, moderate carbonation and light alcohol warmth.
A late, nearly lactose sugar quality emerges as this beer sits and opens up. The bitterness is divided well between the dark malt and the hops. A late coffee character emerges. I envision sitting with this beer and enjoying lightly charred and caramelized vegetables with a medium-rare, somewhat fatty cut of beef.