Schwarzschild Porter

Southern Sky's interpretation on an English Porter, Schwarzschild is a good, basic entry into the style but lacks complexity.  It was evaluated as an English Porter, BJCP Category 13C.

The beer pours a clear dark brown with a thin but dense tan head.  The aroma is dry and roasty, like espresso, but my sample also had a fairly noticeable stale, papery aroma as well, which got us off to a less-than-stellar start!  The aroma was simple, but there are worse things in an English Porter.

In terms of flavor, it's necessary to consider the profile if the beer hadn't included that oxidative character, which carried over here as a slightly dry and metallic twang.  There was a moderate roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate flavor, with a medium-high impression of bitterness (no doubt aided by the roast).  It finished dry and sharp, with some burnt, husky roast lingering in the aftertaste, which was accentuated by a bit of astringency in the mouthfeel.

The base beer honestly seems OK, if a little simple, and I'd have loved to try a fresher sample.  It's entirely possible that more of the characteristically British toast and biscuit would have softened the palate and improved the impression, but as it was the beer seemed a bit thin and one-note.